By Sidney Kawimbe
Many parents who have sent their beloved little ones to private schools at a premium to acquire a decent primary level education, may have intuitively or accidentally observed that some of the stuff that their little loved kids are learning are the same or similar stuff that they may have learnt when they were probably in grade 7 or even 8. The question therefore is “are our little kids more intelligent due to exposure to more information through ICT such that they are able to learn and assimilate this material or are we rushing our kids to learn things that are not helping them”? In this discourse, I will bring to bare the processes that go on in the kids minds for effective learning to take place.
2nd August, 2013 was open day when my son Chomba who is 8 years old and in grade 3 at a primary school in Chalala closed school. I went to collect the report book. As a concerned parent like most parents are, I was eager to see his performance and noted that he passed number 5 in a class of 23. I also collected his books. Upon checking his social studies/science test book, the first question from their end of term test read and I quote” What is a metamorphic or changed rock? The second question was and I quote “List the components of blood?” Apparently, my son got both questions right. Then I said to myself, have they learnt all this??
The cognitive perspective insists that learning involves ‘knowing’ and knowing involves the process by which the sensory input is transformed, reduced, elaborated, recorded and used. These processes aim at uncovering and understanding the internal activities underlying cognition, motivation and organization of memory. Numerous research documents have been presented by different scholars and psychologist on the processes that are internally at play when people learn and how children in particular learn. Piaget (1896-1980), the world-renowned Swiss psychologist has been best appreciated for his pioneering work on the development of intelligence in children. It has been widely recognised that his studies have had a major impact on the fields of psychology and education particularly with regard to planning the complexity of material to be taught in relation to the mental age of the supposed learners.
Piaget believed that from childhood individuals develop schemas, some kind of mental maps and clusters of accumulating knowledge onto which to fit new information. Now these mental structures are presumed to gradually change with age – a feature that compelled him to develop a stage theory of cognitive development. He identified the four stages of mental growth and related each with an age range and typical learning behaviours.
1. The sensory motor stage (0-2 years): The child is concerned with gaining motor control and learning about physical objects by touching and feeling them.
2. Pre-operational stage (2-7 years): the child is preoccupied with verbal skills. At this point the child can name objects and reason intuitively.
3. Concrete operational stage, about 7-12 years old, the child begins to deal with abstract concepts such as numbers and relationships.
4. Finally, in the formal operational stage, (12-15), the child begins to reason logically and systematically.
From this listing of stages and typical behaviours or preferences for learning, complete with age groups, Piaget recommended that teachers ought to be careful to structure the learning experiences in such a manner as to create the greatest natural appeal to the learners.
This explains why even in modern policy to the delivery of learning, the topics become progressively complex and difficult as the academic grade rises. Chirwa (2007) writes: Bruner had a slightly different opinion – claiming that a child is capable of learning things that are way off his/her age category as long as there has been sufficient preparatory exposure. Vygotsky had something of a compromise between the two contemporaries above although he introduced the social aspect of learning and material that is synonymous with psycholinguists when he talked about internal verbalisations as critical in learning.
In a nutshell, the exposition here has been on the theories of three of the world’s most quoted cognitive psychologists to make comparisons among them, to identify any points of contrast and finally to comment on the implications their theories impose on education.
Bruner and Piaget were both concerned with the way information about the world is coded, manipulated, stored and ordered. Vygotsky observed and took note of the influence of culture and social interaction on learning.
Further, Bruner, J (1915-1990) identified three stages of growth in the way that children come to represent in their minds, the world around them and these stages are; enactive stage, iconic stage and symbolic stage. He propagated that the enactive stage is characterized by behaviours like holding, moving, biting, rubbing and touching as activities that provide the needed experiences with the object of the world.
At this stage a similarity between Bruner and another popular cognitive psychologist (Piaget) emerges very clearly as both assert that objects are what the child does with them, Gage and Berliner, (1998).
Bruner then developed a stage theory containing three modes by which children learn beginning with the enactive mode: This is the basic or primitive mode by which a child begins learn. In the enactive mode, pupils learn through playing with objects. Toys and other real objects are very appealing to the children as items from which to gain learning.
This is why in pre-school a significant amount of time is devoted to the playroom where children can explore their environment through play. The iconic is the second mode. The learners think in terms of images or pictorial representation. At this stage of development, pupils learn by using concrete experience. This means that the experimental arrangement must be presented in form of a diagram and pupils must relate the diagram to the actual experiment. The symbolic stage: now learners think in terms of images or pictorial representation.
At this stage of development, pupils learn by using concrete experience. This means that the experimental arrangement must be presented in form of a diagram and pupils must relate the diagram to the actual experiment. While experiencing the symbolic stage the child uses language to hypothesize and also to go beyond the information given. Bruner (1998) elaborates: “To instruct students in how to use the tools, especially language, instruments and technologies at their disposal is to amplify and express their own powers.” In this way, the teacher helps to increase the pupils’ knowledge and their capacity to learn. One educationist named Wilson summed it up by charging that and I quote “some parents and educators believe that a child is like a huge container. To ensure the child’s success, they think it is their job to fill it up with as much information as possible, as quickly as possible. This misconception is damaging the brilliance of millions of our youth.”
In concluding, it is apparently clear here that while we would like to fast track our young learners to completing school at a very tender age by exposing them to multitudes of knowledge which they might not usefully comprehend, it is cardinal that we appreciate the mental disposition of our children. There have always been some over-zealous parents and or teachers who want their children to do well, so push them into trying anything and everything. Learning as has been shown above moves in a very un ambiguous trajectory, that of moving from concrete to abstract, known to unknown and simple to complex. It is therefore imperative that the responsible ministry, the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training takes a keen interest in what may be going on behind the scenes as some private schools may have little or no guidance when it comes to curriculum discharge.
Mr Man u seem to be an academician with degrees from low ranked universities.
Just continue writing papers in research Journals.
A well researched article. Man you sound like a genius to me. I completely agree with you Mr writer.I also can`t imagine a third grader assimilating that kind of information. Hope Chomba passes number one next time(I know deep down you want that).That report book you went to get takes me down memory lines…it reminds me of times when my dad would get mad whenever I would not get either of the first two positions in class.I ended up studying hard to impress him and thanks to that i`m now here.Keep up with the good work.
There’s no such thing as learning too much. Iwe Sidney Kawimbe you just can’t afford private school for your children.
Nice article and very good observation. I will advise the author of this article to send this same article to the Ministry responsible.
exactly my words.
let those at the ministry of education maul over this and act or advise accordingly.
very good article indeed.
children in Zambia are taught too little things, If you compare the things taught to Tanzania pupils, let the government improve the learning environment
explain to us what the children in tanzania are learning boss. i do agree you though.
They are taught too much Swahili
Some valid thoughts on the matter. A decade ago, a friend’s child attempted Grade 7 exams in Grade 6. The child passed but the parents decided to hold back. Just as well because when he sat for the first mock exam in Grade 7 he obtain poor grades. A lot of these kids are coached to pass the exam and not that they understand what is being shared with them.
That holding back could have demotivated the child and made him loose interest hence failing the mock grade twelve exam.
@Aggressive, your suggestion is plausible. But I guess you may have seen how these kids are coached. The tutors have a trove of past examination papers. Over time, they have generated an idea of the pattern of questioning. It is like preparing for TOEFL, GRE, GMAT and the like one improves their score by tact not necessarily knowledge.
What surrounds a child, determines some how the intelligence. Back in our days some of us were not surrounded by TVs, or mobile phones. The level of exposure naturally without force determines receiption of information in a child. Today what we have exposed our children to is some how responsible to what we are seeing. If you compare Japanese children in grade 7 they think like grade 12s in Africa.
True.
Crisis ni zo ona! True
In summary , a child is only ready to start school proper at 7 years old before that they should be left alone to play and learn how interact with other kids. There’s no harm in them starting pre school early but should predominantly be to run around, getting used to school routines and stuff like that not to start jamming their small heads up with BODMAS.
very good article.
Spot on Ba Msana
Grade 7? Are you kidding. Do you want your child to be a street sweeper?
My kid was reading at age 2 and was in grade 3 at age 7. He is 19 and getting mostly A’s at a great international university.
Kids have a huge capacity for learning and should learn at an appropriate age, but waiting to age 7 is too late. Too many of their neuro pathways are already set.
Seven is not too late to start school. Kindergarten in the U.S. is now in most places, but years ago children started in Grade 1. And there was not a lack of intelligent people for higher order jobs. There is not enough evidence that preschool provides long-term gains, or that full-day kindergarten is necessary. Focus first on improving the schools and curriculum that exist currently. What parents need to know is that: play is important, especially when a child is young; screen time (phone, computer, t.v.) is detrimental to learning and it’s ideal for the child to have no screen time until they’re older, and even then for it to be computer-based (no games); reading to your children is vital!
In the U.S., the number of books in a household has the strongest relationship to how well a child does in school, stronger even than the income level, race, area, etc. of the home. So maybe another area of focus is to get more books in the country and make them available to those least able to afford them. Zambia needs more libraries. Since many parents in Zambia are unable to read, it would also make sense to hold free adult education classes. Likewise, having enough food to eat is vital for learning; malnutrition and going hungry cause educational difficulties for children. Doing more to eliminate food insecurity is another effort to be made to further the educational progress of the nation.
There will always be exceptions to things that is why in countries such as the U.S. they have programs like the Gifted and Talented or Intelligent Learners Group for children with special skills. The number of books in a home may have a strong correlation with a child’s academic performance only if those books are relevant to the child’s curriculum. But other factors such as the child’s natural ability matters too.
Isn’t it ironic how as zambians we aren’t just interested in things that challenge our thinkin.Notice how many views this thot provokin article got…yet nonenties like the Kabimbas and GBMs of this world are dominating news reviews.
U are spot on,politicking,,no desire for critical thinking.
I failed grade 1 more then 3 times and repeated grade 3 one time, but finished high school aged 21. It does not matter about the age as long as you do not
give up
Good debate, these are good agendas to discuss. “Imiti ikula empanga” loosely translated to English as “Today’s children are tomorrow’s future” Our Nation will depend on to day’s children. If we do not develop them well with a good foundation will end up with a Zambia with leaders such as the ones we are witnessing today. The debate is good because we must break the chronicle problem perpetuated by half baked leaders who are not innovative except by being craft and always skimming against each other.
I totally agree with you, and by the way, great translation!
i started school in grade 3, didn’t go through 1 and 2. and here i am the scientist!
You are an exception and not the rule. There has been a lot of research done on this topic in various countries and the general conclusion has been that age-of-entry matters. Like you, I skipped Grade 1 (in a Government school in Lusaka) but it was on the recommendation of the school principal (a white man) after I passed first and second grade aptitude tests and not the insistence of my parents. In fact in those days, it was not uncommon for teachers to recommend promotion of children, who were above Group 1 standards.
Mop has to emphasise that the one who made him skip grade one was A WHITE MAN. If a white man recommends something it should be good that s what he is trying to tell us. This is but an inferiority complex. Normally it’s brought about by a poor or half baked education. Shows you education aint what you get from school
Education is dynamic. We can not afford to live in the era of Piaget, Bruner and the like. International education changes with times and that is the reason why we have to embrass the change. Children are suppose to complete Year 12 at about 16 years or 17. This will enable them get into University at an early stage. Please research again sir on your findings in relation to modern indepent school’s learning.
To what effect is it for a student to finish high school at 16 than 18?
I was about to post similar comments.i finished G12,at 16 .and most kids in the USA finish high school at age 16/17.the article may suit the Zambian scenario but not on global level.
The author is an anti-development advocate. He shouldn’t even send his ideas to the ministry of education. Infact the ministry must upgrade the school curriculum. How about chemistry, physics, geometry in grade 4? I once found my daughter doing her home. She was trying to learn the peroidic table by heart. She is only in grade 4.
Someone somewhere is stuck with Jean piaget theories.Education depends on an individual’s IQ and not on some outdated theories of cognitive development. Good argument though.
You coming a scientist(can’t wait to see you come up with something sensible for Zambia to be proud of) doesn’t justify the work load that’s being given to toddlers by the way I also know a scientist who started school at 7. Is it seriously normal for a 3 yr old to be at school from 8 till 16? This is what happening in these private schools.
Keeping children at school the whole days is insane. The schools are trying to justify their fees.
Often its people of average intelligence who run the world, those people in my class who were most promising and top in class have amounted to nearly nothing in relation to their intelligence. Sometimes book intelligence is overrated, a person needs interpersonal, social skills more than anything else to make it in life.
I agree, Chete. Book smarts were what I had, but I learned later in school (high school and beyond) that passing tests doesn’t mean you’ll do well in practical work. And for many of us, at some time or other, we’re going to have to work with people who are less honest, less intelligent, less motivated, whatever (or vice versa). Learning how to deal coworkers and colleagues who are different is just as important as having the technical knowledge.
Exactly the kind of articles we would like to be reading in the news. If we have such progressive people writing on issues in our country, there is a lot of hope for the future. I salute the author for this well written and researched piece of writing.
In the UK for example, children in nursery, reception and year 1, spend most of their time playing with educational materials and doing activities like cooking, baking and painting. Why should you teach a child about the composition of blood in grade two?
Sidney
To each his own. if you don’t like what you are seeing or hearing, do not take your kids to private schools. Think about something more progressive than your analysis.
Good article but times are changing Sidney, children need to learn early, in China they are teaching their children to read even before they are three years old and Australia wants to beat China to teach their children how to read even before they are one. Not only teaching them how to read but other things as well. Zambia has to pull up their socks to teach the children even earlier. Yes i also went to a primary school that taught things early, i dont have a problem with that.
What do you mean Zambia has to pull up the socks, we have no socks on
Very dull indeed thr level these kids procces information is much higher, if you were as smart as you are trying to sound you would have known that your real reason for this artical is your child didnt come out first deal with it, like a grown up when these kids a playing xbox and the play it like they made the game is over them also when they discover the cheats of those games before there released does that mean they over informed there smart and can take whatever you throw on them
Typical nonsensical comments.
Wanna see smart kids? Go to India and China and see what the kids are learning there!
Research is good but one major blow to any done is that its based on a sample, affected by biasness of researcher and that human beings are not objects made to function in the same way. We all are unique. Besides God says in the end times knowledge will increase. Need I justify my last point. By the way those reseaches are outdated.
Wonderful article,these are the kind of issues we should be seing more on the blog not the crap from these vima politicians every time.
This article is well researched, the author did some justice. It is true that children learn in different ways and our teachers together with the relevant government department (School inspectors) should ensure that what is taught in schools is appropriate for that age group. Our curriculum must be clearly planned so that we know which levels children are working at. For example you can’t teach grade 7’s on how to solve quadratic simultaneous equations no matter how intelligent they are. Secondly children with special educational needs must be supported by our school systems and the strategies must be funded by central government. The war on poverty and ignorance starts with a good education system. No all children in our schools are academic (UNZA material).
“The question therefore is: Are our little kids more intelligent due to exposure to more information through ICT such that they are able to learn and assimilate this material?” YES.
“Or are we rushing our kids to learn things that are not helping them?” NO.
“Learning as has been shown above moves in a very un ambiguous trajectory” THE TRAJECTORY NEEDS UPDATING. WE ARE IN A GLOBAL VILLAGE NOW.
The fact that you get A + at school does not automatically mean you are intelligent. These our kids can parrot binary numnbers without understanding. Zambia is under developed because an engineer from Unza cant design and make even toy car let alone a needle, yet he can do calculus. On the other hand a college drop out from developed country can design and make a computer.
You mean Zambia has engineers?
To put your comment into context, academic attainment (aptitude) without the right attitude is not good. Aptitude merely opens doors. Once you go passed the open door, it is your attitude, not your aptitude that will determine your altitude in life..
@Kuta be real to others. In the Uk there are so many children who cannot even read or write properly. So this thing about kids playing with school materials, mind you is not the issue. It all boils down to the parents involvment with their childrens tertiary years. I work with some people here in the UK who benefited from the schools here and yet cannot even spell properly or even articulate things properly.
The teachers here use so many aids to teach including computers and ipads in class, but does it change the fact that pupils cannot read or write proper english hell no. There are some people in high positions who did not even assume those positions on merit but because of connections, yet they canot even articulate themselves properly one ends up teaching them the job and yet niba…
@Cactus I hear you 105%
This debate is like the one on whether small class-size matters in a child’s performance. The results are mixed because there are many other factors that influence a child’s academic performance. Studies have not controlled for a lot of things.
Great read! Keep bringing more discussions like this to the forum.
Its great debate,parents play a vital role also,as a father I go to the library with my kids on Saturday,we do some reading at least for 30minutes everyday,always check what your kids have learnt at school on daily basis.good luck
To put your comment into context, academic attainment (aptitude) without the right attitude is not good. Aptitude merely opens doors. Once you go passed the open door, it is your attitude, not your aptitude that will determine your altitude in life.
The author explains things well, but this just shows that twali shalila,…..!
You honestly expected your kids to still be learning retarded stuff like Jelita and Mulenga…?!?!
Even when we were young, we could assimilate that information,…. Without explaining simple things by using complex words and terminologies, to put it plainly, Kids learn things quicker,…. E.g Languages,…!
Back then in the 50’s, – 80’s, Chess Grandmasters were giving that title usually when they hit 18 – 20 or so,… with the exception of Bobby Fischer,……!
These days, they are hitting 13 years!!
The only thing to be wary of is not to expect so much from this kids, but to let them learn these things in a fun and relaxed way.
Oh, and on the issue of understanding concepts as opposed to the famous “memorizing”,… don’t blame the pupil/student,…. blame the education system,….
The Zambian Education system produces parrots…..!
Ichilaulula indao kufiko Ala MENSHI. BA mwila kabiyeni we know your agenda wooooooo!!! Tamuli NDAO.
Surely anyone who can find the floor when they wake up in the morning knows that children today in grade six should be learning stuff we learned in grade 8 or 9 because knowledge and learning are progressive.
Judging from your conclusion, its like some people can wake up and set up centres to send children become mental patients – this is ridiculous to say the list- no one can do such a thing. Moreover, you seem to incite the ministry to take a policing role. You have brought out a number of names and theories, seemingly to scare away some debaters – that too is unnecessary. You try to call the ministry responsible, WHY? You are just trying to corrupt them into believing that Private Schools are factories of mental patients. Whether you work at the Ministry of Education or just in a classroom teacher, the responsibility of being responsible is basically the same.
@Keen Follower thank you
Thanks for the informative discourse on stages of child development and how these could be related to learning. Although the original paradigm was to methodically doubt whether or not our kids are learning too much, most respondents have not addressed that question, with some of them resorting to name calling. It ca be argued that they too are a product of that strange education system. Education is not an end in itself. It is a means to development at personal, household, community, national and global levels. The type of education that leads to development is evidence based and it is deep rather than the rote learning which is preoccupied with passing exams at the expense of developing critical minds. To answer the question, no our kids are not learning too much.