See What Children Know
In this video, we see a 17-month-old girl who, like many children, loves water play – pouring water into bottles, stirring water in the water table and splashing in the puddles outside. But what drives her interest in water? We might know “that” she is interested in water play, but can we say more about how her thinking and predicting sustains her play? We learned from this child’s teacher that the water faucet holds more interest for toddlers than the water table. Unlike the faucet, the water in the water table does not continuously flow, cannot be turned on and off, and does not make a sound as it goes down the drain, nor is it associated with the “grown up” routine of washing hands.
At first viewing the child’s actions look stylized, as if she is showing herself the moves of washing her hands. But are these actions, when observed carefully, really repetitions or are they slight variations that test a new prediction about the sound, flow, and feel of the water? And are actions that are repeated done so for the same reason? But one might also see her behavior as imitative, acting out the ritual of washing hands without much interest in the water as a physical event with consequences. Either way, we believe that when you slow down to consider the child’s intention for each specific action, only then will you discover the full breadth of childhood intelligence. What do you think? Click here to view the video clip and read the thinkprint transcript.
Notes from the Field
The American Educational Research Association (AERA) annual conference is being held in Denver this year, April 30 to May 4. The AERA conference includes many presentations of interest to early childhood educators and child development professionals. To browse presentation titles, go to this page, then click on the "search online program" on the left.
Given the proximity of Denver to Boulder, Boulder Journey School is hosting an Open House and Reception for AERA participants on Monday, May 3, from 6:30-8:30pm. If you are planning to attend the AERA conference in Denver and would like to join your colleagues at this event, please contact Ellen Hall (ellen.lynn.hall@gmail.com) on or before April 30.
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