Four Categories of Learning

10/05/2017

It’s the things we play with and the people who help us play that make a great difference in our lives.
Fred Rogers, American television personality, 1928–2003

"What should young children be learning?" asks Lilian Katz in her article in the book, Cultivating Curriculum in Early Childhood Organizations (part of the Art of Leadership Series). She answers by outlining four categories of learning that are especially relevant to young children:

"Knowledge: In early childhood, knowledge consists of facts, concepts, ideas, vocabulary, and stories. A child acquires knowledge from someone’s answers to his questions, explanations, descriptions, and accounts of events, as well as through observation.

Skills: Skills are small units of action that occur in a relatively short period of time and are easily observed...Counting and drawing skills are among a few...

Feelings: These are subjective emotional states, many of which are innate. Among these are learning feelings of competence, belonging and security...

Dispositions: Dispositions can be thought of as habits of mind or tendencies to respond to certain situations in certain ways. Curiosity, friendliness...creativity are dispositions rather than skills or pieces of knowledge..."

Brookes - Screen Language Skills with QUILS.

Kohburg - Create a Reggio Inspired Classroom.

For more information about Exchange's magazine, books, and other products pertaining to ECE, go to www.ccie.com.