Transcript the amazing brain learning through play

Part 2
THE AMAZING BRAIN &
LEARNING THROUGH PLAY
http://www.ted.com/talks/vs_ramachandran_the_neurons_that_shaped_civi
lization.html
THE NEURONS THAT SHAPED CIVILIZATION
DR. RAMACHANDRAN
CHILDREN AT PLAY
“Let the wild rumpus begin”
“DAP” ALWAYS TAKES INTO ACCOUNT:
1.
2.
3.
Strengths, interests, needs of the individual
child
Knowledge of child development for the age
range
Knowledge of social and cultural context of a
child’s life
CHARACTERISTICS OF PLAY
Voluntary and intrinsically motivated
 Symbolic, meaningful, and transformational
 Actively involves players
 Pleasurable
 Rule bound – implicit or explicit

PLAY TO NON-PLAY CONTINUUM
Childinitiated
Play
Facilitative
Play
Directed
Play
Work
disguised
as Play
Work
(nonplay)
TYPES OF PLAY

Different types of play
have different benefits
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Functional play
Constructive play
Symbolic play
Games with rules
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Extending play
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If you pretend, children
will begin to pretend too
Begins as functional
becomes more symbolic
Unimaginative play =
immature play
Games with rules can be
symbolic
What is the connection
between mirror neurons
and play?
What do children pay
attention to?
Role of emotions…
Development of
feeling/thoughts
MIRROR NEURONS AND PLAY
PLAY AND SELF-REGULATION
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Rapid growth in pre-frontal cortex where selfregulation occurs
Self-regulation predicts academic performance in 1st
grade more than cognitive performance
A child from at risk family who has self-regulation does
better than even middle class child who doesn’t
possess these skills
No self-regulation…you don’t know if you know
something unless the teacher says you do
SELF-REGULATION
Marshmallow Experiment
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EjjsPyIEOY
 Self-regulation involves:

 Inhibitory
and effortful self-control
 Working memory
 Cognitive flexibility
SELF-REGULATION CHANGES THE BRAIN
1.
2.
3.
Being regulated by another person (to internalize
standards). Teacher regulation is not the same as selfregulation and this is apparent when children misbehave
out of the view of the teacher.
Regulated other people (shows the child is thinking about
the rules/standards and applying them). This is often seen
in tattling.
Self-regulating. This occurs when children voluntarily apply
rules to self-not mere obedience.
INQUIRY INTO ACTION
INQUIRY: LISTENING & SEEING

Children’s Interests,
Questions, Problems
and Theories
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PLAY BAGS
Discover six very different aspects of
nature. Take a reasonable sample
using the tools given you. LOOK
CAREFULLY for interesting textures,
colors, shapes in the natural world.
Place them in the zip lock bags and
bring to class next Tuesday.
Theory into Practice and Practice Driving Theory
REGGIO EMILIA APPROACH
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
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Following WWII
Founder Loris Malaguzzi
Child rich in potential –
Citizen with rights
Hundred Languages of
Children
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Inherent genius of each child
Process of learning –
demonstration of learning
Languages – symbols systems
to promote understanding
Make learning visible
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Not a curriculum
Not a model
The place theory and
practice touch like the magic
moment when night
becomes day
PRINCIPLES & VALUES OF REGGIO EMILIA APPROACH
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The image of the child
Children’s relationships and
interactions
The role of the parent
The role of space
ATILIER - ART STUDIO
EXCITING
ENVIRONMENTS
Interactive Areas
Construction - big and small
Dramatic play and movement
Music exploration
Nature explorations
Book area
Mini-atelier: painting, drawing,
sculpture, weaving, composition
Message
Center
Design Elements
Color/ Light/ Transperancy/
Reflection/ Mirrors
Texture/ Nature/ Shapes/ Lines
Continuity between inside and out
Complexity of ideas - Layers/
Different Perspectives
Organization and freedom
Variety of work spaces-heights,
levels
Focusd - Nothing by chance
Use of cloth/mobiles to soften
COLOR & LIGHT
CONSTRUCTION AREAS
PRINCIPLES & VALUES
Teachers and children as partners in learning
 Curriculum as a process of inviting and
sustaining learning
 The many languages of children

CITY PROJECT
Game
Board of
the City
Drawing Explorations
Constructing
The City of
Reggio Emilia
Projecting a transperancy of
the city on the construction
site
EXPLORING
COMPOSITION
Composing
Nature
Collages on
Nature
Pictures
Steps in a composition
Collage
with White
Things
Color compositions with watercolors
with inspiration from Kandinsky
ART EXPLORATIONS
Paper making center
Moving from 2D to 3D
COLOR EXPLORATIONS
PRINCIPLES AND VALUES

The power of documentation
Documentation is listening - listening changes you - courage of doubt
Narrates a learning story
Gives life and value to the learning experience
Reinterpret and re-elaborate on the process
Occurs on many levels
Day-to-day traces: diaries, work, dialogue
Display panels as a memory and history of learning
Valuing process
Uncovers personal meaning, understanding, and learning
Emerge from invisibility
Creates culture
THE BRAIN
DOCUMENTATION