What can you tell me about the Jean Piaget approach to schooling?

[DDowning]

You SIL might be talking about The Goddard School? http://www.goddardschool.com. A new location is opening up in my neighborhood (the first in California) and they told me that they base their teachings on the Piaget method.

[kransden]

My dd went to a daycare at a university up until this fall that was heavily influenced by Piaget and his followers. I liked it a lot. The teachers model behavior and the kids create for themselves not do what the teacher tells them to do. The kids need to be developmentally ready. For instance, most first graders can't do college physics. At my old daycare, the kids were interested in butterfies. So the teacher did a unit on them. They drew pictures instead of coloring pre-made sheets. They went on nature walks to see butterfiles. The kids used play scarves to make wings (they did this on their own). We went to the butterfly garden as a field trip. They read books on what they eat etc. They even got a caterpillar and watched it become a butterfly. The next group after my dd moved out of that room was mostly boys. So the teacher did a train unit because that was what the boys were interested in.

We moved and now dd goes to Tutor Time. They use the Howard Gardener's Multiple Intelligence Theory. I think he is up to 9 intelligences now. What they do is reinforce learning multiple ways. The teacher holds up the number, they say what the number is, they sing a number song, and they write the number. So they are getting visual, oral, singing, and fine motor skills all on the same concept. I think Tutor Time does a great job using the MI theory, but I feel it relies too much on ditto sheets etc.

Karin and Katie 10/24/02