I’ve always been fascinated by the human acquisition of knowledge.
How do we remember?
Why do we remember?
Especially as it pertains to general knowledge. Specifically, early childhood education. Our educational schema if you will.
I have discussed scientific studies. I have taken many courses on the subjects. I have read books on linguistics, critical theory, comprehension, neuroscience, bobloblaw, and I have always been left with more questions than answers.
An enigma
I can’t let it go.
So, when my daughters were born I began documenting our experience in those areas. Personally, it has been exhausting. Parentally, it’s been exhausting. Professionally, you guessed it, exhausting. Sadly, it’s not even over. I have a mountain of research to really dive into before I actually attempt to write a book or an official study. However, to anyone interested in the the answer to the question is,
Time.
Love.
Care.
First and foremost, a big thank you to the kiddos and their families for allowing me to be a part of their family. I hope they learned as much from me as I have from them. At the end of any school year that is all that I could possibly want.
The jist, if you will.
Kids are kids. They do well in safe spaces that have clear procedures and expectations.
The most fundamental way to ensure we are raising life long learners is to be one yourself.
Teaching someone to read is hard. There is no one size fits all approach. What worked initially may not last. Short term memory is easy. Long term memory a never ending puzzle of why some info stays and others leave. Explicitly and implicitly.
Broadly and in general, the only way to help your child learn anything is to do it with them. Look. Listen. Communicate. Read. Write. Play. Iterate.
I do. We do. You do.
Mr. Tucker’s Early Childhood Learning Center
Potty training only requirement
A place where childhood curiosity intersects with curriculum.
Missy and I just reclaimed our house. Outside of a few pieces of musical equipment being stored in Geri’s closet anyone visiting my home wouldn’t be aware that for the last ten months this space was a highly functional school.
It took some getting used to. Our kitchen tripled as an art studio and general purpose room. Our living room a book nook and yoga studio. The girls room a music studio. Their play room an LGI room of sorts. Downtown Westfield our play ground. My home life and my work life seemed almost in perfect balance.
From it’s inception I had some lofty ideas
- Crack the phonemic puzzle
- Identify metacognition
- Stimulate neuro transmitters
- Identify explicit and implicit memory
- Document
a few daily goals for all my students:
- General language acquisition (Daily 5)
- Practical Math
- Calendar Civics
- Play/Movement
- Explore music
- Art
- Science
- Kindness
Each day over the last twenty six months I taught to the whole student and to the entirety of a classroom. Independently, in small groups, and whole group. It started with my daughters. Then, I started something new. It quickly expanded.
This years classroom age ranged from three to seven. Ideally the age range for this early childhood center would be three, four, and five. Six to one student to teacher ratio.
But for now you’ll have to excuse me. I have this other dream I’m trying to run down.
Ken
aguyfromindiana.com 