How Children Learn by John Holt

I've sent away to Amazon.com for several of the books on my reading list for Theoretical Foundations of Education. Amazon helpfully suggests that the books should arrive in 4 to 8 weeks. The first one, "How Children Learn" by John Holt, came in 9 days. Total cost about $22.50NZ. I'm very pleased.

I have been reading it avidly, and am finding it more interesting that Holt's other book (which I have blogged about separately a bit). This is because he is writing a lot about younger children - the age I have been working with for years in Playcentre and my teaching diploma, as well as the Little Kids I care for now. The current chapter, reflecting on language and how kids make sense of it and learn to use it, is just fascinating. Throws light on the current situation of I(child) learning words (and E using more and more words). It's really hard to choose a short extract to post to give the flavour of the chapter. I'd rather lend the book out once I have read it a couple of times.