Monday, 23 January 2017
Wednesday, 18 January 2017
Intelligence in Young Children
Nurturing your young child and giving them a chance to play is the way to create an intelligent child, says Nathan
Mikaere Wallis of the Brainwave Trust.
When a baby feels nurtured, their survival networks are calmed and their higher intelligence can develop, he says. “Feeling really safe and like the centre of the universe and really nurtured – that’s creating intelligence in the brain.”
Parents often make the mistake of thinking their child will be intelligent if they’re taught to read early, he says, but that isn’t how the brain develops. The best food for a baby’s brain isn’t anything you can teach them, he says, it’s play. “Encourage the child to explore, to generate solutions, to be allowed to get things wrong, to be creative.”
A child that’s been taught ‘right and wrong’ answers and numbers and letters will develop “a type of intelligence that’s like a parrot”, he says. But creative discovery-type play creates much more in-depth cognition. Parents of under-sevens, especially, should focus less on academic performance. “There’s plenty of time when you are seven to get those right and wrong answers and literacy and numeracy.”
According to Mikaere-Wallis, the three most important things for helping a young human brain reach its full potential are ‘relationship, relationship, relationship’. “Enjoy the baby. Have your face in front of the baby and be talking to the baby, responding to them, making them feel safe, singing, laughing – it’s not about academics.”
From RNZ Nine to Noon programme, December 15, 2016 Listen to the full interview here:
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2595176/what-3-to-7-year-olds-need-to-learn-nathan-mikaere-wallis
When a baby feels nurtured, their survival networks are calmed and their higher intelligence can develop, he says. “Feeling really safe and like the centre of the universe and really nurtured – that’s creating intelligence in the brain.”
Parents often make the mistake of thinking their child will be intelligent if they’re taught to read early, he says, but that isn’t how the brain develops. The best food for a baby’s brain isn’t anything you can teach them, he says, it’s play. “Encourage the child to explore, to generate solutions, to be allowed to get things wrong, to be creative.”
A child that’s been taught ‘right and wrong’ answers and numbers and letters will develop “a type of intelligence that’s like a parrot”, he says. But creative discovery-type play creates much more in-depth cognition. Parents of under-sevens, especially, should focus less on academic performance. “There’s plenty of time when you are seven to get those right and wrong answers and literacy and numeracy.”
According to Mikaere-Wallis, the three most important things for helping a young human brain reach its full potential are ‘relationship, relationship, relationship’. “Enjoy the baby. Have your face in front of the baby and be talking to the baby, responding to them, making them feel safe, singing, laughing – it’s not about academics.”
From RNZ Nine to Noon programme, December 15, 2016 Listen to the full interview here:
http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2595176/what-3-to-7-year-olds-need-to-learn-nathan-mikaere-wallis
Kindergarten under threat...
Thanks to all those who signed and promoted the petition to save
Campbell Kindergarten and Karori Kids Childcare centre.
We need to continue our fight, as the future of the two centres is still in doubt. Please continue to circulate the petition ... https://www.change.org/p/minister-of-education-keep-campbell-kindergarten-and-karori-kids-open
The link to read the article from the 14 December 2016 issue of the Herald is below ...
https://issuu.com/the.star/docs/216349ih?mode=embed&layout=http%3A%2F%2Fskin.issuu.com%2Fv%2Flight%2Flayout.xml&backgroundColor=010101
We need to continue our fight, as the future of the two centres is still in doubt. Please continue to circulate the petition ... https://www.change.org/p/minister-of-education-keep-campbell-kindergarten-and-karori-kids-open
The link to read the article from the 14 December 2016 issue of the Herald is below ...
https://issuu.com/the.star/docs/216349ih?mode=embed&layout=http%3A%2F%2Fskin.issuu.com%2Fv%2Flight%2Flayout.xml&backgroundColor=010101
Welcome to 2017!
Hi all..... we are looking forward to seeing all our tamariki and families next week for a start to our new term and new year! The first day back is Tuesday the 24th. We hope you have all had a fun, safe and restful break!
The team
The team
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