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Making a Place for Pleasure in Early Childhood Education

The older years in particular haven't been read to at home for so long that they absolutely love it.

Leadership in Early Childhood Education

Comics, ebooks, short stories, online articles and magazines shouldn't be ignored. For example, we had a whole term based on the Gruffalo in September.

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Now in the summer term children often recite it word for word and talk about other Julia Donaldson books they've read since. Here are some of the best ideas, initiatives and projects that teachers have developed to motivate children and help them develop a love for reading: Reading challenges Reading competitions come in many shapes and sizes, with the aim of spicing up literature and giving children an incentive to open a book.

Teacher involvement "Showing students that teachers of all subjects read books, not just the English teachers, is really important," says Ludgate.

How to encourage students to read for pleasure: teachers share their top tips

Join the Guardian Teacher Network for lesson resources, comment and job opportunities , direct to your inbox. Topics Teacher Network Teacher's blog. Teaching tips English and creative writing Schools Secondary schools Primary schools Teaching features. Order by newest oldest recommendations. Show 25 25 50 All. Threads collapsed expanded unthreaded. Contributor Tobin, Joseph Jay. Bibliography Includes bibliographical references and index. Publisher's Summary Kindergarten kissing games; four-year-olds playing doctor; a teacher holding a crying child on his lap as he comforts her.

Citation Styles for "Making a place for pleasure in early childhood education"

Interactions like these - spontaneous and pleasurable - are no longer encouraged in American early childhood classrooms, and in some cases they are forbidden. The quality of the lives of our children and their teachers is thereby diminished, contend the contributors to this book.


  1. Members of Parliament in Western Europe: Roles and Behaviour (Library of Legislative Studies)?
  2. Join Kobo & start eReading today.
  3. Supply Chain Management Handbook;
  4. Reward Yourself.

In response to much-publicised incidents of child abuse by caretakers, a "moral panic" has swept over early childhood education. As children begin to realise their actions have certain outcomes, they start to develop a sense of control and mastery eg when I touch the mobile, the ornaments light up; when I cry, daddy comes.

Joseph Tobin - Google Scholar Citations

This makes babies feel capable and good about themselves which motivates them to try more things. As their confidence grows they become more capable, self-sufficient and self-motivated. They are not motivated by rewards from others, but by the sheer delight of seeing that their behaviour has an effect on something or someone.

Children can become self-motivated when their natural curiosity is encouraged and supported. Children who are self-motivated have better mental health and wellbeing than those who rely on being rewarded by others to feel good about themselves. Gaining approval from important adults in their lives becomes more important to children as they grow. Praising and rewarding children for their achievements are often used to increase children's motivation. Praise is more effective when it is specific and when parents and carers are mindful of how and when they praise.

Praise that is specific and acknowledges the processes of completing an activity or solving a problem helps develop children's learning and motivation. Examples of specific praise are: It is important to remember some children rely on adults to motivate them and do not have their own motivation. In this case, children may become dependent on others for feeling good and may give up easily.

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For example, some children may come to expect and need compliments to feel good about something they have done. If we feel we have less control over what we are doing we feel less motivated. Praising children for their efforts is motivating as it teaches them what they're doing well. They can then use this learning when they have similar experiences in the future. For example, a parent or carer might say: This kind of praise is effective as it refers to the process of completing an activity. Saying things to children such as: Such comments may make children especially older children relate how they feel about who they are to their achievements.

They might assume they are a bad girl or boy because they haven't solved a problem or completed an activity. Praise and rewards both motivate and de-motivate children, depending on how they are used.

When and how children have been praised may be one reason why they differ in their levels of confidence and motivation. Below are some examples of how praise can be done well and not so well.

Reading challenges

Links children's activities with the feelings of enjoyment they experience while doing them. Praise should be given mindfully and take into account a child's age and abilities. Children can pick up when we are not genuine, especially if we use the same words of praise over and over again. The timing of praise is also important, interrupting a child when they are concentrating can make them lose their focus and reduce their motivation to continue on with the activity. Parents and carers play an important role in supporting the development of motivation in young children. Children feel safe and free to explore when they have warm and trusting relationships with significant adults in their lives.

Recognising children's efforts rather than their achievements supports the development of children's self-motivation. What motivates children changes as they get older. Arranging developmentally appropriate experiences for children gives them many opportunities to experience success and mastery through their effort which will help to keep them motivated. Experiences should be pitched at the right level, not too hard, but not too easy either.