HOW CHILDREN LEARN

Thanh Nguyen

Psychology 110

Professor Joyce G. Davis

How Children Learn

Summary of Article

Cory Cooper Hansen and Debby Zambo propose the ideal of fostering the emotional

development as a way to help improve early childhood education. This article explains why

emotions develop during the preschool years is important for early childhood education so

educators can understand the connection between emotional and literacy development, and

suggests books and strategies that can be used to enhance young children’s emotional and literate

lives. The research is conduct on preschool children (from 3 to 5 years old) on the first day of

school and away from their primary caregiver.

The authors argue that emotion both affects physiological and psychological feeling of

children have in respond to environment. It focus their attention, energize their bodies, and

organize their brain in ways that are adaptive to their needs (Goleman, 1995; Izard & Ackerman,

2000; LeDoux, 1996). Children were born with simple emotions and gradually add complex

feelings to their repertoire of skills (Hansen & Zambo, 2006; Siegel, 1999). Kids will figure out

how to label their emotions and socially manage them. A positive self-concept and more friend

are signal of kids with strong emotional skills: they figure out how to participate with associates

and grown-ups and get to be empathic toward others in need. Conversely, emotions can become

negative if they are misunderstood, inappropriate, or displayed in the wrong manner, with the

wrong intensity, or at the wrong time (Ekman, 2003; Hirsh-Pasek & Golinkoff, 1996). Children

whose emotional advancement is hindered or has not been supported may get to be hyperactive,

forceful, or withdrawn (Greenspan, 1998; Greenspan & Shanker, 2004) hence both social

abilities and learning skills are hindered.

Unfortunately, Cory Cooper Hansen and Debby Zambo think that our current education

system emphasis on promoting academic achievement, the importance of emotions in the lives of

children is forgotten (Hirsh-Pasek & Golinkoff, 2003; Siegel, 1999). They believe if the trend of

promoting academic achievement will make the opportunity for a child to develop emotion

lessen. And it could be very harmful because emotion is the foundation for the cognitive and

interpersonal skills (Hirsh-Pasek & Golinkoff, 2003; LeDoux, 1996). Recognizing the

significance of emotions in development is important and cannot be ignored because many

children today are facing negative threats of the modern world like divorce, violence, and a fast-

paced environment. Too many preschool children are being exposed to adult-like stressors at a

young age, with little nurturance, comfort, or support.

One of the way that the authors suggest to develop children emotion is largely base on the

interaction of children with adults. The work of Erikson (1963) and his contemporary Urie

Bronfenbrenner (1979, 1989) offers insight into the importance of social relations in children’s

emotional lives. Erikson (1963) believed that children ages 3–6 are developing initiative and, as

a result, need encouragement and support. This independence gives them both mental and

physical joy (Erikson, 1963, p. 235). Understanding the important role adults play in healthy

emotional development and understanding that healthy emotional development relies on

independence is key. If adults are not showing any support of a child’s autonomous acts, the

children may develop negative feelings and doubt in their ability. However, if, such any

encourage statements from adults as celebrations can help the child feel accomplishment, and

positive emotion is created. Also we can use picture book as a tool to help the children

recognize, label and regulate their feeling.

Children are reflect of people they socially interact with. A focus on academic skills,

without recognizing the significance of emotions, can develop a child who lacks empathy and

understanding. A child capable of expressing how he/she feels, recognizing, labeling emotions in

self and others, will be success in long-term.

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