The Intellectual Lives of Children

Susan Engel

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Hardback

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English

Harvard University Press
05 January 2021

Cognitivism, cognitive theory; Child & developmental psychology; Philosophy & theory of education; Educational strategies & policy; Popular psychology

A look inside the minds of young children shows how we can better nurture their abilities to think and grow.

Adults easily recognize children's imagination at work as they play. Yet most of us know little about what really goes on inside their heads as they encounter the problems and complexities of the world around them. In The Intellectual Lives of Children, Susan Engel brings together an extraordinary body of research to explain how toddlers, preschoolers, and elementary-aged children think. By understanding the science behind how children observe their world, explain new phenomena, and solve problems, parents and teachers will be better equipped to guide the next generation to become perceptive and insightful thinkers.

The activities that engross kids can seem frivolous, but they can teach us a great deal about cognitive development. A young girl's bug collection reveals important lessons about how children ask questions and organize information. Watching a young boy scoop mud can illuminate the process of invention. When a child ponders the mystery of death, we witness how children build ideas. But adults shouldn't just stand around watching. When parents are creative, it can rub off on their children. Engel shows how parents and teachers can stimulate children's curiosity by presenting them with mysteries to solve.

Unfortunately, in our homes and schools, we too often train children to behave rather than nurture their rich and active minds. This focus is misguided, since it is with their first inquiries and inventions-and the adult world's response to them-that children lay the foundation for a lifetime of learning and good thinking. Engel offers readers a scientifically based approach that will encourage children's intellectual growth and set them on the path of inquiry, invention, and ideas.

By: Susan Engel
Imprint: Harvard University Press
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 210mm, Width: 140mm,
ISBN: 9780674988033
ISBN 10: 0674988035
Pages: 240
Publication Date: 05 January 2021
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Susan Engel teaches developmental psychology at Williams College, where she is the founding director of the Program in Teaching. She is the author of eight books, including The Hungry Mind. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, The Nation, Salon, and The Atlantic.

Reviews for The Intellectual Lives of Children

Who knows what problems our children will need to tackle, but we adults can help them along by asking questions and unlocking possibilities from their earliest days. Susan Engel's enchanting mix of academic studies and astute observations of children figuring out how their world works makes for an engrossing, illuminating read. Any parent, teacher, or museum designer - anyone who loves watching children question, explore, and wonder - will want to read this guide to stoking children's 'intellectual fires.'--Ann Friedman, Founder, Planet Word Weaving together personal observations and experiences, findings from psychological experiments, and powerful organizing concepts, Susan Engel has written a remarkable book. Whether you are an educator, parent, or simply a curious reader, you will come to see, hear, and understand children in new ways.--Howard Gardner, author of Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences A fascinating read for parents who wonder, simply, what is my child thinking? Why do they love collecting? Where did that idea come from? And a celebration of children's innovation and sense of wonder.--Emily Oster, author of Expecting Better