geography of childhood

DEVELOPMENT AND BIOLOGY

• Key Developmental Milestones:

  • 12 months: First steps

  • 18 months: First words

  • 3 years: No more diapers

  • 6 years: Baby teeth start falling out

  • 12 years: Baby teeth stop falling out

  • 18 years: Wisdom teeth appear

• Influences on Development:

  • Genes primarily drive developmental processes.

  • Environmental factors such as nutrition, parental care, and psychological stress are secondary influences.

• Biological Markers and Cognitive Development:

  • Correlation between biological markers (like tooth loss) and cognitive developmental milestones, such as representational drawing and understanding written words.

  • Onset of puberty correlates with abstract thought development.

  • Children begin to form independent views on politics and religion during early adolescence.

CURRICULUM AND BIOLOGY

• Education Practices:

  • Curriculum often tries to align with biological milestones (e.g., health education with sexual maturation).

  • Gesell readiness tests utilize drawing as an indicator of reading readiness.

• Mismatch Between Curriculum and Development:

  • Pushing reading on younger children can be inappropriate.

  • Early kinesthetic learning is undermined when young children must sit still for extended periods.

• Developmental Appropriateness:

  • Curricular content should respect children's developmental stages.

  • Example: Introducing world maps to first graders who lack basic geographical awareness is ineffective.

SENSITIVE PERIODS IN LEARNING

• Critical and Sensitive Periods:

  • Critical periods are biologically programmed phases for specific types of learning.

  • Maria Montessori referred to these as sensitive periods, emphasizing children's heightened receptiveness to learning at different stages.

• Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences:

  • Children have varying biological timelines for mastering different intelligences.

• Music and Math Learning:

  • Music intelligence matures around age four; formal music education starts too late.

  • Children show earlier predispositions for math compared to reading; thus, math instruction may need greater emphasis in early education.

CHILDREN’S CONNECTION TO NATURE

• Exploration and Bonding with Nature:

  • Ages five to seven mark a shift towards exploration and independence in nature.

  • From seven to eleven, children seek geographic comprehension of their surroundings.

  • By ages eleven to thirteen, social consciousness and geographic skills mature.

  • Schools often neglect providing opportunities for outdoor education and exploration.

MAPMAKING WITH CHILDREN

• Children's Experience in Nature:

  • Activities such as stream exploration facilitate bonding with the natural world, providing a profound sense of connection to nature.

  • Personal anecdotes illustrate children's joy and curiosity in nature, emphasizing the educational potential of such environments.

• Children's Maps Research:

  • Research involves collecting children's maps of their neighborhoods to understand their perspectives.

  • Open-ended instructions allow for creativity in mapping important places.

  • Observations reveal consistent developmental patterns across cultures in how children represent their worlds.

EVOLUTION OF CHILDREN'S MAPS BY AGE

Ages 5 to 6: No Place Like Home

• Maps are dominated by depictions of the child's home, frequently oversized.

• Features include favorite places, pets, and family members, establishing a contained and familiar world.

Ages 7 to 8: Out and About

• Maps start including secret places and show a broader scope of the neighborhood.

• Features such as pathways, landscape elements, and a sense of depth develop, with a shift from the family home to the broader community.

Ages 9 to 10: It Takes a Village

• Maps expand further, showing neighborhoods and layout of the community.

• Children start to depict geographic features like streams and fields, indicating their desire to explore beyond immediate surroundings.

Ages 11 to 12: Up, Up, and Away

• Transition to aerial perspectives with more abstract representations, showing understanding of community and beyond.

• Children depict connections between different neighborhoods and start using formal mapping techniques.

COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT AND CURRICULUM IMPLICATIONS

• The evolution of children's mapping skills reflects their cognitive development stages.

• Recognizing developmental phases can help align educational policies and practices with children's natural growth patterns.

IMPLICATIONS FOR CURRICULUM

• Curricular Recommendations:

  • Focus on local geography and relatable content.

  • Begin with three-dimensional learning experiences before introducing formal mapmaking.

  • Curriculum progression should match children's expanding spatial awareness and cognitive capabilities.

• Use of Pictorial and Panoramic Maps:

  • Incorporate maps that use familiar perspectives for children.

  • Foster familiarity with mapping skills gradually as children's cognitive abilities mature.