Is It Educational?

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When children engage in play, there is often a concern among adults if the activity is educational. What does the term educational mean? Webster's dictionary defines Educational as "The knowledge and development resulting from an educational process." Adding, "The field of study that deals with methods of teaching and learning in schools."

Accepting this definition means that educational activities only follow formal learning methods. The description may be inaccurate because of how people learn. Learning is available to everyone, big and small, in most moments of their daily existence. Through our senses, we are gathering and processing information all the time.

Some of this information we already have experienced and "know." Other information we gather is new. When we connect new information to what we "know" and form new ideas and conclusions, this is learning. The formation of conclusions based on experience helps us function in the world. 

In child-directed education, instruction and development come from many sources; a co-learner, the environment, a material, or a process, could be the teacher. Experience, peers, and the senses also teach and inspire a child's learning journey. 

We know that in play-based and inquiry-based educational models, children learn. These educational models are often better learning genres for children than traditional top-down education.

We use different educational models in school-age care. Children need time and space to explore their questions, play and learn. I call this "The School of Applied Knowledge."

Children learn and reproduce facts and figures in traditional education, but this method may have shortcomings. The school of applied knowledge is where children utilize information from formal education and apply it to active, hands-on work. In the school of applied knowledge, children use their existing knowledge to gain a deeper understanding. The school of applied knowledge offers a deeper base of expertise and creates greater satisfaction in learning because it has purpose and meaning for the child.

It may sound like I am discounting the need for formal education. I believe in traditional education, but it may be time to upgrade a system created to educate factory workers. Factory work is declining. In 1910, thirty-two percent of the population worked in factories. In 2015, the percentage was down to nine percent, so the need for this type of learning is disappearing. The demand for creative inquiry-based "outside the box" thinkers is increasing. 

We may want to consider not worrying if everything we do is educational in school-age care. Instead, we can invite children to explore and learn skills always in style as our society and work change. More time spent in the "School of Applied Knowledge" will help young children explore and savor the learning adventure.