topics: |  education

In the Preface (in one of the sections added to the second
edition), Holt observes that the whole book can be condensed into two
words--"Trust Children". The format of the book is an anecdotal reporting of
Holt's interactions with (mostly pre-school) children, and his observations
and speculations of the processes of learning consistent with what he
sees. His central thesis is that children have their own in-built learning
mechanisms. A corollary, repeated many times throughout the book, is that we
should not try to "teach" children. This corollary is, of course, not adhered
to consistently. Holt reports many times when he "directs" learning,
sometimes with a view to testing a hypothesis about learning behaviour, but
often with an intent to get the child to explore new fields and build new
skills. Left completely undirected, few children would acquire significant
skills in literacy and numeracy, or possibly even speech. The author's
observations and insights can be worked into the school system only with
difficulty: in the only long term "successful" case study of a normal school
environment reported in the book, the actual details of implementation are
completely missing. It is indisputable, however, that Holt's material remains
a challenge to the educational system as a whole. His analysis is as true
today as it was in 1967 (or 1982). Despite the complication and inconvenience
of realizing the goals of discovery learning we now live in a vastly
technological age. The rote training method is no longer viable. "How
Children Learn" is a text that every educator should be required to confront
before being allowed to "teach".
- Robert M. Slade, 1995 http://www.virtualbookcase.com/book/detail/45001823

w: The book focuses on Holt's interactions with young children, and his
observations of children learning. From these experiences he attempts to make
sense of how and why children do the things they do. The central thesis of
his work is that children learn most effectively by their own motivation and
on their own terms. He opposes teaching in general, believing that children
find it just as patronizing as would an adult, and that parents should only
provide information as it is requested.

QUOTES: holt, q.t