A natural learning anecdote

[Sarasvati]

Kira has been spending a LOT of time playing on the computer. She sits on artpad, mostly just watching the other canvases (you can watch how people created their saved canvases), and she also plays a lot on Starfall. I've been marginally concerned because she is not interested in drawing at the moment, and she shows no interest in writing. I haven't pushed the issue, of course, but it's filed away as "eek" in my head. Anyway, on Sunday night Jake and she hid downstairs and Jake asked if she would draw on a card for me. So she drew a very recognisable baby (in a belly LOL). I've always thought drawing was something you had a practice at, and I guess when you are older it is something that is easier to do if you do it often, but it's amazing how far she's come without actually doing ANY drawing!

Also, she wrote her name all by herself, no prompting. I've never seen her write it before but I know she can read it... obviously something has clicked. I love watching natural learning in action!

[Janet]

That is lovely. :) Congratulations to her!

[Beatrice]

I love this :) I think almost my favourite thing about parenting is watching them blossoming into themselves every day, how lovely to have a glimpse into Kira's growing. Thanks for sharing!

[Ayla]

That's great! It kinda reminds me of the story of Da Vinci when he painted the Last Supper. He was contracted to do it and after a month or something the employer came to check on his progress only to find Da Vinci staring at a blank wall. The employer asked what he was doing and Da Vinci replied that he was visualising the final work because when he paints it, it has to be done all at once because of the type of paint he was using. So every day Da Vinci would go in and visualise piece-by-piece what he was going to do. And finally, when he was ready, he painted it all at once :)

[Sarasvati]

Wow! see in me, I'd call that "procrastinating". Maybe I shouldn't be so quick to label myself either.

[Schuyler]

It is exciting to see learning operate in the non-visible spectrum. It's hard too. 'Cause you don't see it going on doesn't mean it isn't happening.

What a nice story.

[SandraDodd]

I've been working in the yard doing something monotonous and mindless (kind of, sort of), and I found that I needed to take a pen and paper with me, because one day I wrote on a rock and one day I was thrilled to be able to reach a paper-covered coat hanger that my neighbors had thrown near their trash can and missed. It's right here on the desk with notes on it, and when I transcribe them I can throw it away.


http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c111/SandraDodd/website%20various%20bits/DSCF2904.jpg

When I'm speaking at a conference, I spend a lot of time before then working in my yard, or playing pattern games on the computer. It's like clearing off a big table in my mind for the project at hand. Some speakers repeat their speeches (and some of them READ off paper, which isn't a speech at all then), but I give a new talk every time, and it has to do with what's newest and best in my thoughts and what has to do with that particular conference. So I need a still, quiet mind so that the parts can fall together.