How do Children Learn?

I spent many months researching education and learning in the Early Years as part of my Master's. Specifically, my research study was on "Following Children's Interests in a Reception Classroom in England". I looked into children's rights, participation, and children's interests. Many schools around the world view education as the transmission of knowledge and information when in fact, according to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of a child, a child has a right to be an active participant in their own learning (Landsdown et al, 2004). Sadly, children are often viewed as lacking the capacity to be able to make valid contributions. Enabling active participation at any age, however, means that children develop skills such as analysing, investigating, creating, and applying knowledge, which supports them to reach their full potential (Lansdown et al., 2014). The education and opportunities children are exposed to can be very different depending on the values and attitude held by the institution and educator. There are so many pressures within education, and many things that teachers are responsible for, or focussed on. This then has an impact on the freedom and flexibility teachers can afford within the classroom, as they hold more control. Activities that had a strong degree of control limit the participation (Emilson & Folkesson, 2007).

Knowledge is gained from observing and then participating (Paradise & Rogoff, 2009). In many communities children will learn first by observing, and then from participating. Encouraging and enabling children as active participants in their learning is not only a way to benefit children's education, but also acknowledges their rights, gives them a voice, and values them no matter their age. Teachers may not always have the opportunity to foster this ethos and environment in their classroom, but if you choose to home educate, then you as the educator are in the position to give that to your children. 

In Early Years, practitioners are encouraged to plan activities following children's interests. This is quite complex. How are teachers able to truly identify what a child is interested in and also follow interests in a classroom of 30+ children? Linder (1976) suggested that identifying interests could be done by observing children in free choice activities. Children, however, tend to be interested in activities they are offered, and free choice activities planned by a teacher is not true reflection of their interests (Brooker 2011; Birbilli 2019). Interests are developed at home, in cultural situations, by diverse people and places (Chesworth, 2016). Therefore, as home educators we are in this amazing position, where we can identify our children's interests and create opportunities for children to deepen their knowledge and learn about those interests.  

Learning about something of interest to a child means that they will build more meaningful knowledge which is more valuable to them. They will have greater engagement, will find it more rewarding and have positive feelings and excitement (Flowery and Schraw 2015; Renninger and Hidi 2020; Birbili and Tsitouridou 2008). Children will also have greater desire to be more resilient, and continue on with their learning no matter the barriers (Renninger and Hidi 2020). This all leads to positive outcomes and deepening knowledge and understanding. 

After Early Years, learning is very much dictated by the national curriculum and interests are not taken into account. As mentioned, using interests, however, will give learning a purpose as well as deepen children's knowledge, give them greater autonomy, and a growing love of learning. Home educating means that children have the opportunity to learn about things that interest them, because we as home educators have the freedom to follow them. 

There may be areas, subjects, topics that you would like your children to learn about. You may believe it is important to teach maths, phonics, grammar, and science for instance, but then you may have the flexibility to also follow their interests. You may also be able to teach in a 'cross-curricular' way, incorporating the areas you feel are important with the topics that interest your children. 

Including your children, making them active participants, giving them a voice, and following what interests them will not only have positive impact academically, but will also benefit their well being. You will make them feel valued, give them some control, autonomy, show them respect, which in turn will have an impact on their self esteem and confidence. This will ultimately make home educating a more positive experience for all members of the family. 

References

Birbili, M., & Tsitouridou, M. (2008). Identifying children’s interests and planning learning experiences: Challenging some taken-for-granted views. In P. G. Grotewell & Y. R. Burton (Eds.), Early Childhood Education: Issues and Developments (pp. 143–156). Nova Science Publishers Inc. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281747300

Brooker, L. (2011). Taking children seriously: An alternative agenda for research? Journal of Early Childhood Research, 9(2), 137–149. https://doi.org/10.1177/1476718X10387897

Chesworth, L. (2016). A funds of knowledge approach to examining play interests: listening to children’s and parents’ perspectives. International Journal of Early Years Education, 24(3), 294–308. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669760.2016.1188370

Emilson, A., & Folkesson, A.-M. (2007). Early Child Development and Care Children’s participation and teacher control. Early Child Development and Care, 176(3–4), 219–238. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430500039846

Flowerday, T., & Schraw, G. (2000). Teacher beliefs about instructional choice: A phenomenological study. Journal of Educational Psychology, 92(4), 634–645. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.92.4.634

Lansdown, G., Jimerson, S. R., & Shahroozi, R. (2014). Children’s rights and school psychology: Children’s right to participation. Journal of School Psychology, 52(1), 3–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2013.12.006

Linder, R. (1976). Learning To Identify Children’s Interests. Childhood Education, 52(6), 296–299.

Paradise, R., & Rogoff, B. (2009). Side by Side: Learning by Observing and Pitching In. Source: Ethos, 37(1), 102–138.

Renninger, K. A., & Hidi, S. E. (2020). To Level the Playing Field, Develop Interest. Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 7(1), 10–18. https://doi.org/10.1177/2372732219864705