G-1: kids come first

These first two assignments deal with mental development according to Piagetian tenets and focuses on philosophical and psychobiological concepts of mental development in children.

Before lessons can be designed for children, the curriculum architects had better understand what their consumers are like.

G-1 piaget dialogue

Interview three children [ ages: 5-6-7-8-9 ] with the piaget task kit you assemble. Write a short summary of the interview process, and how the 'childish thinking patterns' you observed either mesh or don't mesh with the concepts found in science books.

Do not interview a 3 or 4 year old.

readings

reading 1
task kit: this is the recipe you'll need to make your kit

reading 2
listening to kids: what they say tells you a lot about what they are thinking.

reading 3
some interesting notes and quotes about kids and teaching

some notes:

These assignments will assess your communication skills with just one child at a time and help you learn about their "childish" views of the world.

Stress to the parents and the kids that this is NOT A TEST - just an interview to learn about how children think.

You will be able to better evaluate concepts that the curriculum guide says "should be learned" by children at a much-too-early-age.

Finally, you'll see that it is impossible to teach 30 children at once.

Hand in your post-interview comments after you . . .
- have examined a science textbook and xeroxed pages which contain information that would not be understood by the children you interviewed.
- what are the most frequently missed questions on the paper-pencil survey ?
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