A DIFFERENT APPROACH
When our little another came down, my wife and I decided to take a different approach. We chose to prioritise sing in her culture.
Play is usually dismissed in favour of more structured educational activities, but research has shown persistently that play helps children develop self-regulation, critical thinking, problem-solving and creativity- the qualities that matter most in real-world success.
She picked up basic ideas from intellectual sing and outdoor pursuits like chasing insects and kicking a ball. She became aware of weight as the game traveled down a hill and observed that insects had six legs while resting on flowers.
I first learned about the Zone of Proximal Development ( ZPD), which psychologist Lev Vygotsky introduced during her early years. The ZPD describes the space between what a child can accomplish separately and what they might be able to accomplish with the assistance of a “more experienced other”.
Engaging in regular activities and enjoy helps children stay within their ZPD, guiding them to learn new skills.
For example, when my baby was in Primary 1, she forgot her lunchtime money. While her instructor was prepared to help, she freely solved the issue by preserving one of her two biscuit packets for a recess snack break. Additionally, she discovered that cakes can be ordered at the public company. She was taught the importance of packing her class bag and wallet the night before by this incident.
Two years later, she saw a Major 1 rookie in a similar situation and immediately brought her to the public office to get a packet of biscuits to show her expanding ZPD.