Understanding How Young Children Learn
Because little kids can't tell you how their minds work and what makes them learn, you need this book about new scientific discoveries that explain how young children learn and what teachers can do to use those findings to enhance classroom teaching.
Discover where the desire to learn comes from and what occurs during children's development to wire their brains for attention, language, curiosity, and memory. Included with the author's clear explanations of how young children learn are examples of classroom strategies that enhance children's motivation, attention, and memory. Learn why and how to
Encourage children to take intellectual risks.
Plan an "outrageous lesson" and occasionally add surprises to your classroom.
Provide children with choices and avoid high-stakes situations.
Incorporate meditation and free play into lessons.
Schedule time for children to let out their physical energy.
Use storytelling for conveying new content.
Add emotional hooks to lesson and unit plans.
"This was a fantastic read that not only presents important research findings but helpful ways to apply the concepts when working with children. I may be biased because I have had Wendy as a professor, so I already knew I'd love the book just from reading the excerpt, but I can honestly say she "practices what she preaches." Reading the book is a close second to sitting in a seminar class with Wendy, where the fine line between teaching and learning is blurred and the culture of inquiry is present at all times."
"The book has lots of references to studies. Not only studies but also classroom applications and even some classroom history. "
"This is a great way to understand the process of how children learn. It defines specific steps on attitudes and processes to create a warm, understanding learning environment."
Understanding How Young Children Learn
Even seasoned teachers, who already know through experience how young minds work, need this book to bolster their practice with scientificce evidence on effective teaching of young children.