Einstein never used flash cards : how our children really learn — and why they need to play more and memorize less

315 Pages·2003·5.21 MB·English

by  Eyer, Diane E., Golinkoff, Roberta M., Hirsh-Pasek, Kathy

EINSTEIN
NEVERU SED
FLASCHA RDS
How OuR CHILDRREEANL LY LEARN­
ANDW HYT HENYE ETDO P LYAM ORE
ANDM EMORIZLEE SS
KATHYH IRSH-PAPSHE.DK.,A, N D
ROBERTMAI CHNICGKO LINKOPFHF.,D .,
WITHD IANEEY ERP,H .D.
�.
RODALE
Notice
Thisb ooki si ntendaesad referveonlcuem oen lyn,o ta sa medimcaanlu aTlh.e infor­
matiogni vehne rei sd esignteodh elypo um akei nformdeedc isiaobnosu yto urc hild's
intelledcetvueallmo epnta ndb ehaviIotir s.n oti ntendaesad s ubstiftourat ney t reatment
thamta yh avbe eenp rescribbyye odu rc hilddo'cst oIrfy. o us uspetchta yto ur chhaisla d
medicoarld evelopnmteaplr oblewme, u rgyeo ut os eecko mpetepnrto fessihoenlapl.
Mentioonfs pefciicco mpanioersg,a ntiizoanosra, uthoriitnti heisbs o okd oesn oti mply
endorsembeynt th ep ublisnhoerrd ,o emse ntioonfs pecicfiocm panioersg,na izatioorn s,
authoriitmipelsty h atth eeyn dortshei s book.
© 2003b yK athHyi rsh-PaPshe.kD,a. n,d R obertMai chnicGokl inkoPtfh,. D.
Allr ighrtess ervNeod p.a rotf t hipsu blicamtaiyob ne r eproduocret dr ansmiitnta endy
formo rb ya ny meaenlse,c troonrmi ecc hanicianlc,l udpihnogt ocopyriencgo,r dionrg ,
anyo ther informatiaonnd r settorrisaeygvseat le wmi,t hotuhte w rittpeenmr issioofnt he
publisher.
Printeidnt heU niteSdt atoefAs m erica
@) @.
RodalIen cm.a keesv ereyff ortto u sea cid-fre,er ecycplaepde r
IllustrabtyPi hoinGslu zy
Bookd esigbnyT arLao ng
LibraorfyC ongreCsast aloging-in-PuDbaltiac ation
Hirsh-PaKsaetkh.,y
Einstenienv er uflsaesdch a rd:sh owo urc hildren lreeaarlnl-ya wnhdy t hey
needt op lamyo re and memloersiIszK ea thHyi rsh-Paasnedk RobeMritcah nick
GolinkwotfithD ianeE yer.
p. em.
ISBN1 -57954-695-1h ardcover
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participatIi.Go onl.i nkoRtfo,b ertMai chnickI.I E.y er, DiEa.n,e d ate.I II.
Title.
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2 4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3 ha1r dcover
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WE INSPIREA NDE NABLE PEOPLTEO I MPROVE (8008)4 8-4735
THEILRI VEASN DT HEW ORLDA ROUNDT HEM
C ONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS lX
INTRODUCTION Xlll
CHAPTE1R
TheP ligohftt heM oderPna rent 1
CHAPTE2R
BrainchHiolwd B:a biAerse W iretdo L earn 16
CHAPTE3R
Playitnhge Numbers:
How ChildrLeena ranb ouQtu antity 38
CHAPTE4R
LanguaTghee:P owero f Babble 60
CHAPTE5R
LiteraRceya:d inbge tweetnh eL ines 97
CHAPTE6R
Welcomteo L akWeo bego:n
TheQ uestto D efinIent elligence 162
CHAPTE7R
Who Am I?D evelopian gS enosfe Self 125
CHAPTE8R
GettitnogK nowY ou:H ow Children
DeveloSpo cailI ntleilgence 181
CHAPTE9R
PlaTyh:e C rucibolfLe e arning 205
CHAPTE1R0
TheN ew Formulfaor E xceipontalP arenting 244
NOTES 269
INDEX 287
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
THISB OOK WASW RITTEBNY US,its t'rueb,ut wiats a lso
writtbeyno urc olleagiunde esv elopmepnstyaclh goylW.oe rei t nfoort
thee xceelnltr eseatrhcahot u rc olleaghuaevsep roducweed w,o uld not
have bienea n posittoip orno motteh ec ausec hoifl dhoWohde.nw e got
thei detao w ritteh ibso okw,e knewt hatth e resweaasro cuhtt heer to
support thteh actih dielad lreeanr wni thoeuxtt rcal asasnedsf ancyt oys,
andt hasto ciooetmiondaelv elopmiesn ktea y a speocfts ucceusls jfaudst­
menti nl ief.Al lw e hadt od ow asa ssembtlheea rgumeantn,dw e even
had hewlipt thh aWth!e nw e wouldt elolu rc olleagaubeosu tth ipsrj o­
ecti,tw asi nvabrliyta hec asteh atth evyo lunteetrore eda idt t,oe ndorse
ita,n dt oh elups i na ny wtahya tth ecyo uld. wAen tdo otkh emu po n
the eorffE.a chch aptperro fitferdo mt hei npuwte w ere gibvyee nx perts
int hea rewae werew ritianbgo uWte. r eceivweodn deurlff eedbacokn
2,
chapt1ef rro mJ oel GoradnodHn e rmaWne ineFro.r c haptewre con­
sultJeodh nB ruearn dS anrdaT rehubw,h o quiclyka nswedr aenyo ft he
questiwoen pso seadn,dN oraN ewcombew,h ow ask inedn ougthor ead
thee nticrhea eprtH.e rbG insbuKragr,e Wny nn,No raN ewcombJea,mes
Hiebearntd, Nancy Jhoerldpaewndi t ch hapt3e,ars dwiodn deurlfr e­
searbcyhK elly MRiixc.h aredneVzkrye atdh roucghha pt5ea,rn d Frank
Murarya ndN ancyL avigrneea d thrcohuagpht 6e.Mra rshWae inarub,
lX
Julie HubCbaarrodDl,w ecka,n dK imC assiwdeyr ei nvuaalblfeor t heir
helipn c hapt7ear sn d8 A.g eliNkiic oploouloaul ertuestd o a w ealtohf
inofrmatioonn p lafyor c hapt9ea,r c hpatetrh awta s ailnssop ibryei dn ­
formatiofronm DorothyS ingearn dS usaBnr edeakmp.O ne oft he
lessownes h avel earniendw r itibnogok sf ort hep opular pirste hsast
spaclei mitatainod"n resa dabilpirteyv"eu nsft r mo acknwoledgianlgtl h e
wondrefurle seatrhcahct o ntribtuott ehdiv so lmue.W e apologiinza ed ­
vancteo o urc olleaguesr ewsheoaswreec w he reu nablteoi ncluFdie­.
nalltyh,a ntkosJ effPaseJko,sPha seBke,n jP aseakn,d M ichelRleei me,r
who retahdr ousgohm eo ft hem atertioam la ke siutrw ea sw rittienn an
accessainbdel neg agiwnagy .
Funidngfo rs omeo fo urr esearrcevhi ewiendt heb ooka,n df or its
writicnagm,efr omg ranfrtosm t heN atiolnS acienFcoeu nadtiotnob oth
ofu sa ndf rom aN ationIanls tiotufCt hei lHde altahn dH umanD evel­
opmengtr anttoK athWye. thantkh esaeg encfioersu nderstanding the
improtance wteh palta coen d issenmaititnhge f indionfgo su rr esearch
andt her eseaorfco ht heirnsa w ayt hamti ghhta veb eneifcieaffelc tosn
thel ivoefsc hilednrS.u ppoorfta nothseorrc ta mefr omo urg raduastteu ­
dentasn dl aboratcoorodyri natowrhso,w erei nstrutmaeilnn h elpiunsg
toa ssmbelet her elevlaintatet ru.rT eheya lspor voideudsw itmhu chw on­
derfsutli muolna.It itw asa j oyt ow orkw itMhe rediMtehy erD,e deA ddy,
KharPae ncMea,n dyM aguirDei,a nDee layn,eS hannon PruSdaerna,
Saliknda,n d RacPhuellv ermMaanr.y annBeo werRso,b ertas'esc retary
att heU niversoifDt eyl waar,ei se xcellaetrn ets ponding wittho alacrity
our" wen eetdh iyse stdearyr"eq uesWtes .t hanoku rs upleartiHvoen ors
studtesn-botahtT empleU nivresiatnyd a tt heU niversoiftDeyl awar­e-
fort heiinrs iguhlct ofmments.
We alsfoee ll ucktyoh avfeo unda w ritwehro i s aald seov oeplmenatl
psycholoDgiiasntEe,y erA.l tohughs hew asl iterianlK layt hyb'asc kyard
teachiatnTe gm pleU nivery,ss ihtei sa s cholaarn dw ritienrh ero wnr ight
andi tw asa pleaes tuorw orkw ith her. The ustm hardeeae g ooofd
teamc,o nasnttliync ommunicatainodnc onstanitmlpyor vinugp on each
otherw'rsi ting.
Oura genBta,r baLroaw esnteihna,sb eeanw ondefurls keptailacll ong,
andw hen wgeo tt heg reelni gfhrto mB arbawrea k,n ewi tm eansto me­
thinFgo!ru tnatefloryu s, she upslw aicteahdm arvelopurse sRso:d ale!
LouC inquiAnmoy, K ovalsaknidS, u eD ucharmuen derstwohoadtw e
X = ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
weret ryitnog daon dg ave usf rteheed oamnd f eedbactkh aftac ilitated
itasc ocmplishment.
Andf inawlel yc,o ulndo tn elgectm etnot ioonu rw ondreuflf amiiles.
KathyJ'esffi so urp rob onol egrael prnetsaetiavnedo fficiablo ostHeerr.
childrJeons,hB ,e jn,an dM ikeyf,ur nishuesdw ithm anya necdoatneds
muchs uppoarntd,h erc ousPihni liCsrsaam eirso neo ft heb esetd irtso
we havee ver worwkietdhR .o bertcah'isl drAelnl,i saonnd Joradlasno,
contribugtreeda ttlohy e ru nderstanodfci hnigl darnednc hildhood and
contintuoet eachhe rt hev irtuoefys o unagd ulotohd.
We aree spieaclfloryt unattoe hamvoet he(rasn gdr andmothwehros )
servea so urr ole modKealtshy.g' rsa ndmothHeelre,n u,n dersttohoed
valuoefp lya.S hew ast hefi rsttot eachhe r htoowr idaeb ike aanbdou t
iccer easmo upO.u rm otheJrosa,an n dA nnea,r ev ibrainntv,o ldv,ae nd
enaggewdo menw hog avues a sc hildjruesnet n ouhg ropteo v entuoruet
butn ote nougthoh angou rseeslTv!h eys ervaesds ecure fborao sueras t ­
tachmeanntdc ontintuobe e o urs trongaedsovtc ateSsoe .v einf n oo ne
elslei ktehsib so ok( thouwgeh s urehloyp et hedyo !)a,tl eaosutrm others
wilTlh.a ta'g sr eafete ling!
ACKNOWLEDGMENTSx i
INTROD UCTION
'
ITS NWOO NDERt hapta reanntedsd ucaatroteri sra endfrd a zzled.
Weh avbee ecna ugihnat w hirnldow fic ultural aasbsouhumotpw t ions
tor aiasneed d uctahtneee xgte neraWteia ortneo. lt dh afta sitbsee rt ter,
thawtem usptu slhe arnailnoagntag r appiadc Wee.a rteo ld wteh at
musmta keev emriyn uotfoe u crh ildlrievcneo'sus n tth,ao tu crh ildren
arlei ekme ptryo omtsob efi llbeytd h aed uwlthsos eravste h ien terior
desigonfte hresli irvT ehess.ae s sumpatbioocunhtsi ldarnhedno wt hey
leaarrnae tc omplete otdhdmese sswaicgtohem si fnrgo tmh hea lolfs
acadewmhee,r e dcehvielldo pemxepnehtra tvrsee seahrocwhc ehdi ldren
groawn lde aTrhnib.so otke lthlsest yoo rfd evelopfmreotnmht se c ien­
tispto'iosnf vt i eIwtt.h uosff earnsa ntindooottne l tyot hheu riercdh ild
buatl stoot hheu rrpiaerdea nnthd u rriteeda cher!
Thes eefdostr h ibso owke rfei rpslta nbtaecdik nt hmei d9-810s,
whePnr ofessoErl kDioanfTvd ufti sdU nivecrasmitetoP y h iladteol phia
speaabko huitcs l assiThce HbuororkCi,he idl Pdr.o feEslskoihrna dhd i s
fingoenrt hpeu losfte h per oblleomnb ge fotrheed "e caodfte h ber ain,"
whepna rewnetrsteo ltdh ehya tdo p utth ecihri ldbrreandi'ensv elop­
menotn t hetior- ldioHs etw .o rraibeodtu htae d ultifoifcc haitlidorne n
ast hebye gtaona ppedarra pienBd a bGya pa ttwihriepl aetr icipiant ing
ana rroafay d ult-oarciteinvtrieetdvi aemfspo eprdr eschoolers-every-
X 111
thifnrgo cmo mpustceire tnocc oeo kicnlga stsose osc cer Hlieasg ues.
warnsiinggan psp eaerveebdne fopraer ecnotusgl edqt u icchki ladr-irneg
adviwcietj hu tswtok eystornotk heIesn terIn( eKta.tw hayas)j unior
profeastHs aovre rCfoolrldde ogiern,eg s eoanr" chhu rrciheidl darnedn ,"
Iw atsh ritlohl oesPdtr ofessodru rEihlniksgsip neda ktionuIgrw .a s also
ap areonftt w yoo uncgh il,dJroeasngh4e,,a n Bde najg,2e W. hilIek new
thaPtr ofeEslskoiwrna dts h eeotricragilhlatyb ofiuntd imnogr deo wn­
timwei th cohuirl darnedn enjmooyrpieln agy tIia mlesf,oet lhtpe a in
ofh urrpiaerde Envtestr.iy m mey f riendst ewmloelau blodu t another
arctl aosras n,o tshoecrcl eera gfuotero ddlIwe orrsr,ti hemadyt c hildren
woulbdel ebfeth iinntd h reu stho ward success.
Asa d evelopmpesnytcahlo lIko ngeitwsh taP,tr ofessorw asE lkind
corraebcottu htpe l iogfht thm eo den-rdpaayr eanntcd h iYledit.tt o ok
altlh ken owleIhd agtdeo r estihstete mptattopi uosmnhy c hiltdroeon
faarn tdo o Ufsaisntcg.h idledv elopamsme yng tu idIle e,tt h epml ay.
And1 6y ealrastI ea rmh, a pptyor epotrhtam tyt woo ldseosnt(s nI ow
have tbhoyrbseo)et hha vgeo ttienntt ohc eo lloefgt ehsec ihro iacned
arhea ppyi,n tellaingvdee yrnc tr,e apteiovpel e.
Att hsea mtei mIe( ,R obewratrsaa )i smiytn wgco h ilwdhriealnp e r o­
fesastot rhU en iverosfDi etlya wJaorred(.yn oJwo rdwaan9s)a nAdl ­
liswoan5s . Ir ememberm yws hoeinnn tervtioae twteedapn rd ivate
schoaonlIdw ondewrheedt hIhe arfd a ihliembd y n otte achhiinmtg o
reaBdu.ht e w a4s!T hec ulthuardwe o rekdi tesff eocntm ed,e sptihtee
fatchta Ist h ouhladvk en owbne ttIew ra:asd evelopmental psycholo­
gist.y eIAtr n eds ibsetceadIuk snee twh aptu shcihnigl cdarbnea nc kfire
ancdr eachtiel dwrheodn r elaeda rnIitnn'ogstt. h awtes aatth ome. We
diodu srh aorfme u siccla sasnerds e ligiinosuutcsrt ibounwt,e t riteod
dratwh lei nient hsea nadtt heex trtahaswt o ulhda vtea kaewna tyh e
childcrheeinrs'hspe lda ytime.
Whenm yc hildwreeroneff ered coed baclllarsaostoae m s dance
counctlruybb ,l etwIh weh isBtultiewt . a sen'atst yos a"yn oT.h"ei nvi­
tatiwoenresem bosAsneddm !a noyf m yf riends'p acrhtiilcdirpeant ed.
Buta,sIh ave lseinanercfrdeo mm yc hild(rneo2nw0 a n2d4 t)h, ey trea­
surtehdte i mteh ehya tdo p laayth ome waintdth h epiere Rresc.e ntly,
myd aughstheytrlo ylm det haastac hislhdpe,l ayage adm wei tthhfi en ­
gerosnh ehra nidm,ai gnitnhgat th ewye raef amialnyed a chha adr ole.
Shel ovtehdag ta meM.ys olno vtehdee x tsrtaa iwrech aasbdee fowree
XIV INTRODUCTION
renovoautkrei dt cbheecna iuwtsa ess u cahg repalta ce to play hide-and­
seeAkn.dt hebyo trhe mempbleary iinnsgi bdoexw ear eceiwvietdh a
deliovfea rnay p pliaanndtc uer niiitnn gtt oh epirri vhaitdee away. Did
themyi sosub te catuhsedeyi dtna'ktte h odsaen lcees saonnldse ahronw
toi nteirnma acttu wraeyw si tthh oep possietxHe?a ve stuhfefyse or­ed
ciaflollrya cokft hfeo xtorrbo otxs teIpd ?o nt'hti snokM. y s ognr ad­
uatferdo amn I vLye agcuoel laengideas l remaadkyi anc gon tirbution
tos ocitehtryo huigmshe mberisnht ihTpee afchoA rm eircpar ogram.
Myd aughstteiartla, fl i ne collheegsreh ,ao rfdev ooelsu nwtoerekr
throhuegirhn volvweimteahrn atp ceir sciesn tBeort.h areh acppya,r ing,
anrde sourpceeofpulle .
Wet eyloltu h etshei snogt sh ayto kun otwh aetv ewne t,r aitnoue nd­
dersthaonwcd h ildgrreoanwn dd evpe,lh oaodu dro ubitnts r yitnog
forgbea laa fnocuresa nfdo oru crh ildWreet ney.lo lut hetshei nsgos
thayto uk now thaartne o yatol uo wnhee yno uf ollyoowu" rg utan"d
sa"yn ot"ot heatx tarcat itvhiaattlty lh oet hkeird s arWee t deoliln gy.o u
thetshei nsgots h awth eyno ucrh ildgrreoownl dtehre,ty o,oc ,a lno ok
bacakn tde yloluh owi mptoarnttht ei me sthhaerwyei dtf hr ieanndds
familwyat so t heamn tdh edierv elopamnhedon twh appy it made them.
WHY THrsB ooKN ow?
Thep agoefst hbios owke rweri ttteosn h atrhere e marksaotbrloyef
chidledv elopwmietpnhat r ents, parnapdco tliimtcaikyose nT.reh rels a,s t
4d ecahdaevswe i tneasnus nepda rablulreoslfste c di ensttiufiodcnyi n­
fanatnstd o ddlaenrwdse h, a ve pbreiielvne tgoebd ea p arotft hriesv o­
lutwiiotnoh u cro lleaargouuetnshdw e o rlAsd s.c ienetaicsht mswo,ir teh
tha2n5y eairnts h ree sefiaerlcadhn, ad sp areonutersls vweesg ,e nuinely
wanttoh elcph ildarnepdna regnetttsh eliirvb easc k.w aWneyt o ut o
knowt hset oorfyh o wc hilddreevne sloot ph ayto uc amna kwei se
choibcaessoe nds cienetviifdieacnn ctdeh eanp pyloyu krn owleadtg e
homei,nt he classirnpo oolmi,fc oicarehn sid l dren.
Mucho fw hatth mee driae poarbtosru ets earcchhid leodvn e lopment
contaonilnaysg raoifsn c ienttriufiNtceh w.ss t oraineadsd v ertisements
tell ptahrateton ybtsus ib ledt btrearai nntdsh aitn faannttdso ddlers are
mathemagteinciauHlse erwsee. s etth ree cosrtdr aWiegc hhta.tr htte e r­
raiofnh ow chirledalrleelanyar swn e h elypo tuo m ovfreo mt hsec ien-
INTRODUCTIONX V
tifjiocu rntaol sp raacptpilciacloa ftt ihoren esas recSht.o ckweidt h
"teacmhoambelena tnsd" sewchteiryoeonc usa "nd ischoivdedsrek ni lls"
iny oucrh ildtrhebinos,o w ki elmlp owyeorut or estihstete mptattoi on
trtyoc reaytoeu ngge niuasnedws i ll ebqeutytioepurt or aihsaep, p y
healatnhidy n,tl ieglcehnitl dren.
WHOA REW E?
Kathy Hiresahr-nPaeaP dsh e..kfD rotmh Uen iverosfPietnyn snyilav a
inP hiellapdhAi par.o feasTtse moprl Uen iverisnPi htiyll apdhesihaie,s
direcotfto hreT e mplUen iverIsniftaLyna tbR .o berMtiac hnick
Golinrkeocfefi hvePerhd ..fD roCmo rnUenlilv erisnIi tthyaN ceaw,
Yorakn,d d iretchteIs n faLnatn guPargoe jaetct th Ue niverosfi ty
DelawianNr eew aWrekb .o tahr ien ternarteicoonganislzclehydo alnadr s,
weh avweo rkteodg etohnre ers esairnc1ch9e 8 0I.na ddittioso enr ving
ase acoht hebre'slsti s taenncdeh ri ld-raediavsrowiren, g h warviet taennd
editate odt oaf1l 0b ooaknsmd o rteh a8n0a rtiicnpl reosf esjsoiuorn­al
nalWsit.h o ur colilnet ahgfeui eewsle da ,r dei scovtehrseit nogor fy
humadne velopment.
Weh avseh aroeudvr i eownsv airouass peocfct hsi dledv eleonpatmt
profesmseieotngiasanl c rotshseg lobFeu.n dbeydy outra·dx o llars
through gfreadnweteras ar,dle e termtio"n geidv e abnadsc hka"tr hee
fruoifot uslr a bwoirtsph a reanntpdsr ofieosnsaTolgse.t hweesr t uhdoyw
chilldreealnra nn g-u-aamg yesterfieaoacutc so mplbiyts hhaeeg doe f 3!
Oure arlbioeoHrko wB aibeTasl hka bse etnr ansilnatftooe uldra nguages,
perhbaepcsa ouuseren thusfiooarus trmo piicsco ntagious.
Asw em entioenaerdlw iece arin,d enwtiitfyhh a ssplaerdew nhtofs e el
asi tfh eayrt eyr nigt om akteh meo sotu otf l imiotfetdre,un s hteidm e.
Asw ew errea isoiuncrgh ildwreet,no ,oe ,x pieernceevdem ro-unting
pressSuormee.t iwmeme asd mei staiknoe vse resdcuhlainndwg e,a lways
notiwcheosd u ffearsaer de sWueld ti:Wd h.y B?e caouuscreh ildren were
cranaknydt iraendds trePsasreedn.it asih nagrj do bI.to ftene afseiletr
tog ot ow orEkv!e tnh ouwgehn evuesre fdl acsahrw disto hu crh ildren,
alfli ovfet heamr teo ilet ktnroahwio nwte ord e,a adn wdr itaen,ld o ve
lenairng.
Wea rael so jboyDi rn.e dD Eiyaenarep , s ycohgoiwlshto teaatc hes
TemplUen ivearnsidias tn ya cclaaiumtehdoo fsr e vebroaolok nsm oth-
XV! INTRODUCTION