How Learning Happens
Is learning about following passions? Or is it a skill that develops over time with practice and hard work?
Passion and skill are both important in order for children to broaden their intelligence and abilities, and to enrich their lives, in the short term and over the long haul. When thinking about how learning transpires (whether at six months of age, six years, or even six decades), here are three important factors for reflection.
How can parents help young children take full advantage of learning opportunities—now, and throughout 2023 and beyond? Read on to find out how learning occurs, including three fundamental factors, and five practical tips for parents to consider.
People learn by:
Being open to figuring out new things. This includes actively engaging in problem-solving strategies, being willing to take a creative leap, and exploring various ways of overcoming challenges. For example, for children, this might involve building unusual forts or getting oddly shaped blocks to balance.
Having good support and role models. Parents, teachers, coaches, mentors, friends, and family members can offer young children encouragement, reassurance, and guidance.
Having plentiful experiential opportunities. Different experiences allow children to try out and practice different kinds of learning processes.
However, meaningful learning also involves cultivating joy in those processes, step by step, over time.
