In her newest book—written for both lay and professional people in all walks of life and cultures—author, lecturer, educator, Angela Browne-Miller presents a set of tools and awarenesses adults can apply to raising and teaching children and teens. Full of daily life advice, as well as profound ideas for changing the way we think about learning, Raising Thinking Children and Teens: Guiding Mental and Moral Development takes readers into the thinking processes of young people and shows how to reach them, to help them, to empower them. "Moral intelligence" is key, and Angela Browne-Miller explains how to guide young people in developing it. She likewise explores human potential and ways to raise thinking children who will maximize theirs. Examining both the folklore and the scientific debates about intelligence, she shows the danger of mislabeling and how to watch for and prevent labeling at school, in the home, and in society in general. The book also treats topics such as the quality of care and safety in school and preschool settings, effects of the physical environment on learning, the role of organization in thinking, childhood stress and hypochondria, child abuse outside the home, and family violence.

Presents research on the topic of young children's naive biology, examining such theoretical issues as processes, conditions and mechanisms in conceptual development using the development of biological understanding as the target case.

What characteristics do children need to become motivated to learn? How do children’s experiences and relationships affect their cognitive development? How do you provide learning experiences that meet the developmental needs of every child in your care? The Thinking Child thoughtfully discusses the key principles of children’s cognitive and intellectual development alongside descriptions of everyday practice. It clearly explains the cognitive strategies that children use to learn new knowledge, the development of cognitive milestones such as symbolism, memories and the imagination, metacognition and creativity along with research into how the brain processes information. Throughout the book, the author considers the key characteristics of effective learning and shows how play is one of the primary mechanisms that children use to access new knowledge and to consolidate their emerging ideas and concepts. These characteristics are then applied to integral aspects of early years practice to show how pracitioners can: motivate children to learn new knowledge about themselves and the world around them; help children to develop their own ideas creatively and use this knowledge as a base to learn new things; reflect on their own teaching methods to encourage children’s engagement, motivation and creativity through effective observation and planning; engage with parents and carers to help support children’s learning at home whilst maintaining the values of the family; celebrate the uniqueness of each child and provide learning experiences that are appropriate for individuals with particular learning needs, be they physical, emotional or cognitive to ensure that every child has an equal opportunity to succeed. Emphasising the importance of understanding the theory that underpins children’s cognitive development, this accessible text shows practitioners how they can use this knowledge to provide learning opportunities that nourish children’s thinking and creative skills.

"Critical Thinking for Children: A Parent's Guide" offers a treasure trove of insights for parents eager to nurture their child's critical thinking skills. Authored by a magician who understands the power of curiosity and the magic of learning, this guide unveils the secrets behind fostering a mindset of inquiry and analysis in children. Through a captivating blend of anecdotes and practical advice, parents will discover how to cultivate critical thinking principles that transcend the boundaries of the classroom. From unraveling the mysteries of problem-solving to honing decision-making prowess, this guide equips parents with the tools to empower their children on their journey of intellectual exploration. Say goodbye to traditional teaching methods and hello to a world where every challenge becomes an opportunity for growth. With "Critical Thinking for Children," parents hold the key to unlocking their child's potential-no deck of cards required.

In this new edition of a popular resource, the authors provide a wealth of practical suggestions on how to implement the most up-to-date research findings into how children learn best in early years settings. It is fully-updated with reference to all the latest initiatives including the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and Every Child Matters. This practical resource includes ways to promote self-esteem and emotional intelligence; ideas for teaching through play, music and movement; activities for circle time; advice on managing behaviour positively and fostering relationships with parents and carers. This resource book can be used independently or as a companion to The Thinking Child, also in its second edition. Handy margin references direct you to the appropriate pages of the sister book should you wish to learn more about the theory and research behind the practical techniques. An indispensable resource for early years practitioners of all settings, this book will also appeal to trainee teachers and parents.

A leading clinical expert in the fields of child cognitive behavior therapy and anxiety disorders, Dr. Tamar Chansky frequently counsels children (and their parents) whose negative thinking creates chronic or occasional emotional hurdles and impedes optimism, flexibility, and happiness. Now, in the first book that specifically focuses on negative thinking in kids, Freeing Your Child from Negative Thinking provides parents, caregivers, and clinicians the same clear, concise, and compassionate guidance that Dr. Chansky employed in her previous guides to relieving children from anxiety and obsessive compulsive symptoms. Here she thoroughly covers the underlying causes of children's negative attitudes, as well as providing multiple strategies for managing negative thoughts, building optimism, and establishing emotional resilience.

The public outcry for a return to moral education in our schools has raised more dust than it's dispelled. Building upon his provocative ideas in On Becoming Responsible, Michael Pritchard clears the air with a sensible plan for promoting our children's moral education through the teaching of reasonableness. Pritchard contends that children have a definite but frequently untapped capacity for reasonableness and that schools in a democratic society must make the nurturing of that capacity one of their primary aims, as fundamental to learning as the development of reading, writing, and math skills. Reasonableness itself, he shows, can be best cultivated through the practice of philosophical inquiry within a classroom community. In such an environment, children learn to work together, to listen to one another, to build on one another's ideas, to probe assumptions and different perspectives, and ultimately to think for themselves. Advocating approaches to moral education that avoid mindless indoctrination and timid relativism, Pritchard neither preaches nor hides behind abstractions. He makes liberal use of actual classroom dialogues to illustrate children's remarkable capacity to engage in reasonable conversation about moral concepts involving fairness, cheating, loyalty, truthtelling, lying, making and keeping promises, obedience, character, and responsibility. He also links such discussions to fundamental concerns over law and moral authority, the roles of teachers and parents, and the relationship between church and state. Pritchard draws broadly and deeply from the fields of philosophy and psychology, as well as from his own extensive personal experience working with children and teachers. The result is a rich and insightful work that provides real hope for the future of our children and their moral education.

Forlagets beskrivelse: This book explores the frequently observed schemas of young children-patterns of behaviour from which understanding and growth is derived-and draws out the nature of this learning.

The eight papers presented in this monograph are a result of the Problem Solving and Critical Thinking Research Workshop that was held in conjunction with the 1990 National Educational Computing Conference (NECC). The intent of the workshop was to provide a unique forum for researchers to share ideas in a special area of educational computing. The monograph provides an overview of the general issues of problem solving and critical thinking in education as well as specialized areas of interest in intelligent tutoring and program construction. The papers included in this monograph are: (1) "Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, and Computing: An Overview" (Cathleen A. Norris and James L. Poirot); (2) "'Mindstorms' Revisited: Computers, Problem Solving, and Knowledge-based Instruction" (Karen Swan); (3) "Defining Programming and Logo as Vehicles for Developing Higher Order Thinking Skills" (Jim Dunne); (4) "Abstracted Knowledge: A Mid-Road Transfer Approach to Critical Thinking" (Clifton S. Harris); (5) "Resolving the Impasse in Software Engineering: Problem Solving in Program Construction" (Warren Moseley); (6) "Critical Thinking and Intelligent Tutoring Systems" (James T. Streib); (7) "Critical Thinking and Open Courseware" (Eduardo Rivera); and (8) "'What Can We Learn from Each Other's Experiences?': Observations of a Research-Oriented Workshop by a Classroom Teacher" (Sylvia Robinson). References are included with most papers. (ALF)