Growing children are building up models of the world in their mind. They learn quickly and enjoy it. Parents value their children’s learning, in many cases because of the practical value of knowledge in the modern world. When you are talking about a young child, it is best to forget the practical utility of knowledge. There will be time for that in the years to come. What is relevant at this phase is that learning is fun. To learn how primitive people cooked food over an open fire on the ground might fascinate a child. You may tell them that cooking made food easily digestible and safer to eat, but you are telling them about fire not to get them jobs as chefs!
Also forget about the school curriculum. All learning is not
book learning. Casual learning guided by the child’s curiosity is the most
exciting form of learning for the child. This does not mean that one has to stick
to princes, princesses, witches and frogs! As a mentor, you will look for what
develops children’s curiosity and makes them ask good questions. Unlike a
teacher, you do not have a fixed set of academic goals to achieve. The
conversations I wish to promote are more like play. If they teach only one
thing it is okay, as long it is that learning is fun!
I plan to tweet periodically giving suggestions to parents
as to what conversations they could have with their children. The tweet format
will be a safeguard against long articles!
My focus would be on the age group 3-8. Many of the questions I raise
might be too easy for many of the older kids in that age group. Such smart kids
should teach their younger siblings and friends! They will find my suggestions
useful.
Let me leave the theory here, and go on to the real work!
You will see a couple of tweets at least this week! Visit my Twitter account
@smschacha
Srinivasan Ramani
