This week I wanted to talk about something a little different from my usual posts about what I am learning in Paris. I have made a very interesting observation while living here in Paris. I want to talk about memory. The children that I care for are required to memorize many things. While watching them read and repeat the things they are learning in school, I now understand how important it is to strengthen your brain.
Aimée and Daniel are brilliant children. They are learning things in school that I didn't learn until I was a few years older than they are now. Daniel is six and focusing on writing in cursive. Aimée is eight and reading books that I didn't read until I was in Jr. High. On top of that, both kids speak fluent English, Spanish, and Italian.
I realize now that I should have practiced more skills and talents when I was younger. This is not my first time attempting to learn French. Based on the amount of French I have had in the past I should be more fluent than I am now. I can not write in cursive. Yes, my handwriting is very clean and legible, but I can't write or read cursive. I know that these are all skills that I can still learn. My brain is always going to be working as long as I teach it new things, but I wish I would have worked harder as a child to learn valuable talents.
Memory is a powerful thing. How often is it that we memorize something and after it accomplishes its main purpose we forget it. I watch as Aimée and Daniel are required to memorize daily phrases, and they remember them weeks later. They are being taught at a young age strong studying skills. That is what I like about the French Education. The skills they are learning now are skills they will take with them forever. The children here are very knowledgeable about many things, including the USA Presidents. How often did we learn about the Monarchs of Europe in our early teachings?
There are flaws in the system, Cecile is always telling me things she doesn't like. It's not perfect. I don't think there is ever going to be a perfect education system, but Cecile is so involved in her kids education that she makes up for the lack, if there is lack.
I should explain that the children are not taught like robots. Yes, they have a strict schedule, but they do have lots of time to play. They still get to have the change to play and run like all kids do. The interesting thing is that most times when they play on their own in their room they are playing with puzzles or making crafts. Daniel was making his own Pokemon cards the other day.
With how advanced technology is today, I believe we have lost skills that will benefit all of us. I think that children should be taught how to work out problems in their head. I think that children should be required to memorize more things, and I think that children should learn second languages.
Aimée and Daniel are brilliant children. They are learning things in school that I didn't learn until I was a few years older than they are now. Daniel is six and focusing on writing in cursive. Aimée is eight and reading books that I didn't read until I was in Jr. High. On top of that, both kids speak fluent English, Spanish, and Italian.
I realize now that I should have practiced more skills and talents when I was younger. This is not my first time attempting to learn French. Based on the amount of French I have had in the past I should be more fluent than I am now. I can not write in cursive. Yes, my handwriting is very clean and legible, but I can't write or read cursive. I know that these are all skills that I can still learn. My brain is always going to be working as long as I teach it new things, but I wish I would have worked harder as a child to learn valuable talents.
Memory is a powerful thing. How often is it that we memorize something and after it accomplishes its main purpose we forget it. I watch as Aimée and Daniel are required to memorize daily phrases, and they remember them weeks later. They are being taught at a young age strong studying skills. That is what I like about the French Education. The skills they are learning now are skills they will take with them forever. The children here are very knowledgeable about many things, including the USA Presidents. How often did we learn about the Monarchs of Europe in our early teachings?
There are flaws in the system, Cecile is always telling me things she doesn't like. It's not perfect. I don't think there is ever going to be a perfect education system, but Cecile is so involved in her kids education that she makes up for the lack, if there is lack.
I should explain that the children are not taught like robots. Yes, they have a strict schedule, but they do have lots of time to play. They still get to have the change to play and run like all kids do. The interesting thing is that most times when they play on their own in their room they are playing with puzzles or making crafts. Daniel was making his own Pokemon cards the other day.
With how advanced technology is today, I believe we have lost skills that will benefit all of us. I think that children should be taught how to work out problems in their head. I think that children should be required to memorize more things, and I think that children should learn second languages.
I can not understand why our children are not taugh other languages while in their earlier years of school either. The studies I read about found that the children have their highest ability of learning in in their first twelve years. These are things they are not likely to forget, so foreign languages would be easier to retain. The cartoons like Dora are the only exposure at lots of kids here get of learning another language. Grandma Sandy
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