by themindshavoc

I thought this post was really interesting and matched with many of my thoughts last night regarding the intersection of fear and learning. We can clearly see in this video that pushing boundaries is coupled with fear. The child is breathing heavily and seeking reassurance from the parent. Learning–whether formal or informal–follows the same process. At first, all learners feel discomfort and possibly fear. Those negative feelings, depending on the experience, can make learners embrace the adventure of learning or be turned away completely. In the video, we see that the child had a very positive experience and will most likely slide down the hill again.

According to Lev Vygotsky, the “adventure stage” for children is the point of their proximal development. That is, where children challenge their own limits through adventure and play.
In last night’s graduate seminar, one colleague mentioned that the school slowly begins a process of building boundaries for children by imposing arbitrary rules (don’t play with the pencil, keep your notebook on the left side of the desk, etc.) that stifle their creative impulses.
Does stifling creativity (that is, their natural stage of adventure and play) in children interfere with their cognitive development? If so, are the schools doing something harmful to intellectual growth?

Rethinking Childhood

Last week on Facebook, a friend posted a link to this youtube clip, of a nine- or ten-year-old girl doing her first proper ski jump. The clip, filmed from her point of view, is remarkable to watch.

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