Running head: CHILD’S BRAIN AS A SPONGE.

Child’s Brain as a Sponge

David Esteban Peña Chavez
Universidad del Quindío

Child’s Brain as a Sponge.

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Education has been a bright lantern in the darkest of times. Several theories and

approaches have been proposed in the last century regarding education. Many of them tried to

avoid the mainstream of the time, which treated the children as a tabula rasa. Pedagogues

such as Maria Montessori, Erik Erikson, John Dewey among others set up new strategies of

approaching learning in a more meaningful way. Therefore, Children should be encouraged

to use and improve their wide range of abilities, especially during their first years of

development.

A child who explores different paths in his childhood may find his adolescence

development less agitated. The more stimulation the brain gets in childhood, the more

information and abilities may be acquired. Studies have shown how a big percentage of the

brain, almost 90%, develops from birth to age 5. Therefore, the Reggio Emilia approach

results beneficial since it fosters, from a really young age, their multiple intelligences or as it

puts it the “hundred languages”. Which refers to all the opportunities they have to express

themselves.

Evoking confidence is a key aspect of childhood. During child development, as

Erikson pointed out, children are in a constant fight with themselves and the environment

they are in. Fortunately, The Montessori method has focused since its creation in practical

lifelong skills, which help children gain confidence and go through their stages victoriously.

In Montessori schools, children have freedom within limits where they can feel safe, which is

an essential factor in their correct development. Moreover, they explore a diverse range of

activities which helps to build a strong foundation for the oncoming years.
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Taking children as active participants in their learning process. Even though children

are in a very early stage of cognitive development, they are more than capable of

participating in their learning process. Besides giving them confidence at the moment of

taking part in an activity, it may also improve their general acquisition of concepts since they

are using their prior knowledge. Still, mistakes can happen; however, those mistakes can be

addressed and turned into factual information.

In conclusion, Children should be encouraged to use and improve their wide range of

abilities, especially during their first years of development. In this period, their brains are

more active and receptive, making learning easier. Also, the more input they get from any

branch of knowledge, the better it is for them to find their passion. Finally, working in a safe

and rich environment will improve their learning capabilities and teach them to be respectful

with their classmates and the items used.

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References

Brain Development. Retrieved from https://www.firstthingsfirst.org/early-childhood-

matters/brain-development/

Gardner, H., & Hatch, T. (1989). Educational Implications of the Theory of Multiple Intelligences.
Educational Researcher, 18(8), 4–10. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X018008004

Amidon, J., Monroe, A., & Ortwein, M. Education, Society, & the K-12 Learner. Retrieved
from https://courses.lumenlearning.com/teachereducationx92x1/chapter/eriksons-stages-
of-psychosocial-development/

What is Montessori Education? Retrieved from https://montessori-nw.org/what-is-

montessori-education

(2019, April 15). Why Your Child's Brain is like a Sponge. Retrieved from
http://ageofmontessori.org/why-your-childs-brain-is-like-a-sponge/
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Constructivism https://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/constructivism/index.html

The brain is like a sponge http://ageofmontessori.org/why-your-childs-brain-is-like-a-sponge/

Erikson stages of development Trust, autonomy, and initiative. : Amidon, J., Monroe, A., &
Ortwein, M. Education, Society, & the K-12 Learner. Retrieved from
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/teachereducationx92x1/chapter/eriksons-stages-of-
psychosocial-development/

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/teachereducationx92x1/chapter/eriksons-stages-of-
psychosocial-development/
-useful lifelong skills /cooking/ -- https://montessori-nw.org/what-is-montessori-education

-multiple intelligences-- Gardner: Gardner, H., & Hatch, T. (1989). Educational Implications
of the Theory of Multiple Intelligences. Educational Researcher, 18(8), 4–10.
https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X018008004

-brain development 5 years: Brain Development. Retrieved from

https://www.firstthingsfirst.org/early-childhood-matters/brain-development/

https://www.firstthingsfirst.org/early-childhood-matters/brain-development/

Learning capability https://www.slideshare.net/MistyRR1/what-is-a-learning-capability