Download or read book The Hungry Mind written by Susan Engel and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 2015-03-09 with total page 231 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Despite American education’s recent mania for standardized tests, testing misses what really matters about learning: the desire to learn in the first place. Curiosity is vital, but it remains a surprisingly understudied characteristic. The Hungry Mind is a deeply researched, highly readable exploration of what curiosity is, how it can be measured, how it develops in childhood, and how it can be fostered in school. “Engel draws on the latest social science research and incidents from her own life to understand why curiosity is nearly universal in babies, pervasive in early childhood, and less evident in school...Engel’s most important finding is that most classroom environments discourage curiosity...In an era that prizes quantifiable results, a pedagogy that privileges curiosity is not likely to be a priority.” —Glenn C. Altschuler, Psychology Today “Susan Engel’s The Hungry Mind, a book which engages in depth with how our interest and desire to explore the world evolves, makes a valuable contribution not only to the body of academic literature on the developmental and educational psychology of children, but also to our knowledge on why and how we learn.” —Inez von Weitershausen, LSE Review of Books

Download or read book Curiosity The Story of a Mars Rover written by Markus Motum and published by Candlewick Press. This book was released on 2023-10-24 with total page 57 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In his debut picture book, Motum brings the story of NASA's beloved Mars rover Curiosity to life in vivid color. Full of eye-catching retro illustrations, this book is sure to fascinate budding space explorers and set inquisitive minds soaring. Full color.

Download or read book The Boy who Knew Nothing written by James Thorp and published by Kings Road Publishing. This book was released on 2019-07-11 with total page 47 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "On the day he was born, before he could crawl, the boy who knew nothing, knew nothing at all." There is a boy who knows nothing at all - everyone tells him so. One day he discovers a strange creature in his parents' wardrobe and - surprise, surprise - he doesn't know what it is. The funny thing is that his mum and dad can't tell him either. Determined to identify his new friend, the boy who knows nothing sets out on a quest for information! A superbly surreal picture book from the author and illustrator of The Elephant in the Room.

Download or read book Outdoor Learning and Play written by Liv Torunn Grindheim and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2021-07-20 with total page 213 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This Open Access book examines children’s participation in dialectical reciprocity with place-based institutional practices by presenting empirical research from Australia, Brazil, China, Poland, Norway and Wales. Underpinned by cultural-historical theory, the analysis reveals how outdoors and nature form unique conditions for children's play, formal and informal learning and cultural formation. The analysis also surfaces how inequalities exist in societies and communities, which often limit and constrain families' and children's access to and participation in outdoor spaces and nature. The findings highlight how institutional practices are shaped by pedagogical content, teachers' training, institutional regulations and societal perceptions of nature, children and suitable, sustainable education for young children. Due to crises, such as climate change and the recent pandemic, specific focus on the outdoors and nature in cultural formation is timely for the cultural-historical theoretical tradition. In doing so, the book provides empirical and theoretical support for policy makers, researchers, educators and families to enhance, increase and sustain outdoor and nature education.

Download or read book Curious written by Ian Leslie and published by Basic Books. This book was released on 2014-08-26 with total page 250 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A fun yet provocative look at the importance of staying curious in an increasingly indifferent world Everyone is born curious. But only some retain the habits of exploring, learning, and discovering as they grow older. Those who do so tend to be smarter, more creative, and more successful. But at the very moment when the rewards of curiosity have never been higher, it is misunderstood and undervalued, and increasingly monopolized by the cognitive elite. A "curiosity divide" is opening up. In Curious, Ian Leslie makes a passionate case for the cultivation of our "desire to know." Drawing on fascinating research from psychology, economics, education, and business, Leslie looks at what feeds curiosity and what starves it, and finds surprising answers. Curiosity is a mental muscle that atrophies without regular exercise and a habit that parents, schools, and workplaces need to nurture. Filled with inspiring stories, case studies, and practical advice, Curious will change the way you think about your own mental life, and that of those around you.

Download or read book Curiosity Studies written by Perry Zurn and published by U of Minnesota Press. This book was released on 2020-04-14 with total page 316 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The first English-language collection to establish curiosity studies as a unique field From science and technology to business and education, curiosity is often taken for granted as an unquestioned good. And yet, few people can define curiosity. Curiosity Studies marshals scholars from more than a dozen fields not only to define curiosity but also to grapple with its ethics as well as its role in technological advancement and global citizenship. While intriguing research on curiosity has occurred in numerous disciplines for decades, no rigorously cross-disciplinary study has existed—until now. Curiosity Studies stages an interdisciplinary conversation about what curiosity is and what resources it holds for human and ecological flourishing. These engaging essays are integrated into four clusters: scientific inquiry, educational practice, social relations, and transformative power. By exploring curiosity through the practice of scientific inquiry, the contours of human learning, the stakes of social difference, and the potential of radical imagination, these clusters focus and reinvigorate the study of this universal but slippery phenomenon: the desire to know. Against the assumption that curiosity is neutral, this volume insists that curiosity has a history and a political import and requires precision to define and operationalize. As various fields deepen its analysis, a new ecosystem for knowledge production can flourish, driven by real-world problems and a commitment to solve them in collaboration. By paying particular attention to pedagogy throughout, Curiosity Studies equips us to live critically and creatively in what might be called our new Age of Curiosity. Contributors: Danielle S. Bassett, U of Pennsylvania; Barbara M. Benedict, Trinity College; Susan Engel, Williams College; Ellen K. Feder, American U; Kristina T. Johnson, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Narendra Keval; Christina León, Princeton U; Tyson Lewis, U of North Texas; Amy Marvin, U of Oregon; Hilary M. Schor, U of Southern California; Seeta Sistla, Hampshire College; Heather Anne Swanson, Aarhus U.

Download or read book Confident Parents Confident Kids written by Jennifer S. Miller and published by Fair Winds Press. This book was released on 2019-11-05 with total page 195 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Confident Parents, Confident Kids lays out an approach for helping parents—and the kids they love—hone their emotional intelligence so that they can make wise choices, connect and communicate well with others (even when patience is thin), and become socially conscious and confident human beings. How do we raise a happy, confident kid? And how can we be confident that our parenting is preparing our child for success? Our confidence develops from understanding and having a mastery over our emotions (aka emotional intelligence)—and helping our children do the same. Like learning to play a musical instrument, we can fine-tune our ability to skillfully react to those crazy, wonderful, big feelings that naturally arise from our child’s constant growth and changes, moving from chaos to harmony. We want our children to trust that they can conquer any challenge with hard work and persistence; that they can love boundlessly; that they will find their unique sense of purpose; and they will act wisely in a complex world. This book shows you how. With author and educator Jennifer Miller as your supportive guide, you'll learn: the lies we’ve been told about emotions, how they shape our choices, and how we can reshape our parenting decisions in better alignment with our deepest values. how to identify the temperaments your child was born with so you can support those tendencies rather than fight them. how to align your biggest hopes and dreams for your kids with specific skills that can be practiced, along with new research to support those powerful connections. about each age and stage your child goes through and the range of learning opportunities available. how to identify and manage those big emotions (that only the parenting process can bring out in us!) and how to model emotional intelligence for your children. how to deal with the emotions and influences of your choir—the many outside individuals and communities who directly impact your child’s life, including school, the digital world, extended family, neighbors, and friends. Raising confident, centered, happy kids—while feeling the same way about yourself—is possible with Confident Parents, Confident Kids.

Download or read book Experiencing Nature with Young Children written by Alice Sterling Honig and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 96 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Connecting Children to the Wonder of Nature There's a whole world outdoors waiting to embrace young children--with their curiosity, imagination, and enthusiasm--and to impart its treasures. Experiencing Nature With Young Children invites you to explore this world with children from birth to age 8 in ways that will - Awaken their enjoyment and appreciation of nature - Nurture their emotional development - Enhance their cognitive growth - Spark their creativity - Help them discover how we all--people, animals, plants--are connected - Engage families and communities in preserving nature Along the way, children will learn to love nature and its inhabitants. And in learning to love, they will learn to care--helping to ensure that our natural environment will be well looked-after by the next generation. Part ballad to nature, part irresistible invitation to teachers, this book will awaken and renew your own joy in nature--and move you to experience it with young children.

Download or read book Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2015-07-23 with total page 706 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Children are already learning at birth, and they develop and learn at a rapid pace in their early years. This provides a critical foundation for lifelong progress, and the adults who provide for the care and the education of young children bear a great responsibility for their health, development, and learning. Despite the fact that they share the same objective - to nurture young children and secure their future success - the various practitioners who contribute to the care and the education of children from birth through age 8 are not acknowledged as a workforce unified by the common knowledge and competencies needed to do their jobs well. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 explores the science of child development, particularly looking at implications for the professionals who work with children. This report examines the current capacities and practices of the workforce, the settings in which they work, the policies and infrastructure that set qualifications and provide professional learning, and the government agencies and other funders who support and oversee these systems. This book then makes recommendations to improve the quality of professional practice and the practice environment for care and education professionals. These detailed recommendations create a blueprint for action that builds on a unifying foundation of child development and early learning, shared knowledge and competencies for care and education professionals, and principles for effective professional learning. Young children thrive and learn best when they have secure, positive relationships with adults who are knowledgeable about how to support their development and learning and are responsive to their individual progress. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 offers guidance on system changes to improve the quality of professional practice, specific actions to improve professional learning systems and workforce development, and research to continue to build the knowledge base in ways that will directly advance and inform future actions. The recommendations of this book provide an opportunity to improve the quality of the care and the education that children receive, and ultimately improve outcomes for children.

Download or read book Genius in Every Child written by Rick Ackerly and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2012-08-10 with total page 259 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Genius is not just about intelligence and aptitude, it's also a word that embodies our inner soul, nature, or character. In this illuminating book, a former principal and father shares heartwarming stories and wise advice that offers a rare insight into children and the process of education. The Genius in Every Child celebrates the moments in the lives of children, their parents, and their teachers. The stories of unique characters in action illustrate some of the principles of education and the disciplines we need to be good stewards of our children’s character and intellect. The vignettes provide both delight and enjoyment in the miracle of it all, and perspective and solace in the difficulty of it all, encouraging parents and teachers to work hand-in-hand. This book urges parents to focus on the long run, entrusting the trials, struggles, and sufferings of the short run to the kids. It proposes a shift in focus from test scores to enthusiasm, from perfect behavior to learning from mistakes, from measuring up to making something of yourself, from independence to interdependence, from goodness to integrity, from fear to love. The value of this experience to hundreds of children, parents, and teachers derives from the depth of Rick Ackerly’s perception and the subtlety of his understanding. He offers perspective and guidance on a wide range of challenges faced by parents of today’s school-aged children, including: self-confidence, discipline, boundary-setting, building character, integrity, taking responsibility, facing challenges, handling disappointment, peer pressure, reading, testing, homework, academic achievement, failure, and success. [Excerpt] Mr. Rick's Words of Wisdom Children need teachers at school and parents at home. Failure is at least as powerful an educator as success. Kids need consequences and they need forgiveness We put our kids at risk by trying to engineer their success. Our children need us to have confidence in them. The core of building character is taking responsibility. If we are open to the surprise, we can let them educate us.

Download or read book How Children Succeed written by Paul Tough and published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. This book was released on 2012 with total page 261 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Why do some children succeed while others fail? The story we usually tell about childhood and success is the one about intelligence: success comes to those who score highest on tests, from preschool admissions to SATs. But in How Children Succeed, Paul Tough argues that the qualities that matter most have more to do with character: skills like perseverance, curiosity, conscientiousness, optimism, and self-control. How Children Succeed introduces us to a new generation of researchers and educators who, for the first time, are using the tools of science to peel back the mysteries of character. Through their stories—and the stories of the children they are trying to help—Tough traces the links between childhood stress and life success. He uncovers the surprising ways in which parents do—and do not—prepare their children for adulthood. And he provides us with new insights into how to improve the lives of children growing up in poverty. Early adversity, scientists have come to understand, not only affects the conditions of children’s lives, it can also alter the physical development of their brains. But innovative thinkers around the country are now using this knowledge to help children overcome the constraints of poverty. With the right support, as Tough’s extraordinary reporting makes clear, children who grow up in the most painful circumstances can go on to achieve amazing things. This provocative and profoundly hopeful book has the potential to change how we raise our children, how we run our schools, and how we construct our social safety net. It will not only inspire and engage readers, it will also change our understanding of childhood itself.

Download or read book The Art of Curiosity written by Exploratorium and published by WeldonOwn+ORM. This book was released on 2019-10-29 with total page 202 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Fifty of the world’s most creative people share their stories and inspirations in this volume created by the Exploratorium science museum. What do music visionary Brian Eno, kinetic sculptor Theo Jansen, science writer Mary Roach, Mythbuster Adam Savage, and Pulitzer-winning journalist Thomas Friedman have in common? They are all game-changers: scientists, artists, entertainers, and activists who revolutionized their fields with bold new perspectives and approaches—and they all had transformative, course-setting experiences at the Exploratorium science museum, the San Francisco landmark visited by a million people a year in person and by millions more online. Join them and forty-five more brilliant thinkers and doers in a wonderfully playful, insightful, and sometimes incredibly moving journey to see how you, too, can harness your powers of observation, inquiry, and engagement to be the change you want to see in the world—regardless of who you are or what you do. Interviewees and subjects include: Oscar-Winning Sound Designer Walter Murch on observation Laurie Anderson on art as a way of knowing Memory Expert Elizabeth Loftus on how we learn Oliver Sacks on perception Mary Roach on how she learned to ask the right questions Adam Savage on the fun of finding things out Mickey Hart on the art of playing to learn, and learning to play California Governor Gavin Newsom on the importance of science Community activist Randy Carter on finding joy in the worst of places . . . and dozens more interviews, insights, and activities suggested by artists, scientists, poets, and politicians, in a book that can help you become more creative—and maybe just change the world.

Download or read book How Children Learn written by John Holt and published by Da Capo Lifelong Books. This book was released on 1995-09-04 with total page 326 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Explores the natural learning processes of children at the pre-school and primary grade level and describes the ways in which formal education damages and impedes the child's independent ability to learn

Download or read book Doing Good Together written by Jenny Lynn Friedman and published by Free Spirit Publishing. This book was released on 2010 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: MARCH is Community Social Services Awareness month! Is your organization looking for service project ideas? An increasing number of schools, workplaces, and organizations are doing family service projects as a way to make positive change in their communities. The 101 projects in Doing Good Together answer this growing demand for family service with hands-on projects focused on easing poverty, promoting literacy, supporting the troops, helping the environment, and more.

Download or read book On a Beam of Light written by Jennifer Berne and published by Chronicle Books. This book was released on 2013-04-23 with total page 58 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A boy rides a bicycle down a dusty road. But in his mind, he envisions himself traveling at a speed beyond imagining, on a beam of light. This brilliant mind will one day offer up some of the most revolutionary ideas ever conceived. From a boy endlessly fascinated by the wonders around him, Albert Einstein ultimately grows into a man of genius recognized the world over for profoundly illuminating our understanding of the universe. Jennifer Berne and Vladimir Radunsky invite the reader to travel along with Einstein on a journey full of curiosity, laughter, and scientific discovery. Parents and children alike will appreciate this moving story of the powerful difference imagination can make in any life.

Download or read book Big Ideas for Curious Minds written by The School of Life and published by School of Life. This book was released on 2019-09-03 with total page 160 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Introduces twenty-five of history's leading figures in philosophy, including Buddha, Aristotle, René Descartes, and Friedrich Nietzsche, and how their philosophical ideas continue to matter in today's world.

Download or read book Be Curious an Oh Joy Story written by Joy Cho and published by Cartwheel Books. This book was released on 2020-04-07 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Are you curious? There's so much to ask in this colorful, fanciful storybook full of joy, exploration, and wonder."--Page 4 of cover.