REFLECTIVE JOURNAL
(A reflection of the book, Theories of
Childhood, by Carol Garhart Mooney)
I
enjoyed reading the Theories of Childhood. The content of this book was
interesting and the writer explains the theories of some experts clearly with
the classroom experience or some examples so I could understand the meaning
well. Beside, the first reason why I decided to read this book because I also
interested with children. I could identify the best way how to treat and teach
them as their ages adequately. I think the explanation of the chapters would be
useful to parents and teachers whom teach children also.
The book is separated into five
chapters. I think all of chapters are best. It contains of the opinion by
different experts, it is very important. Those are amazing to analyze and make
a good sense with the real life. And then, it explains about theories of early
childhood, how they grow, they understand something and how to teach new
materials that really important to survive of life. Those are increase my
knowledge and much more understand by the right way to teach early children
that make them enjoyable, have fun and relax in a good environment which
supports learning process in purpose.
The
first chapter begins with the theories by John Dewey. He explains that
education should be child-centered; education must be both active and
interactive and education must involve the social world of the child and the
community. I also learned that teachers must be trust of their knowledge and
experience so they could provide appropriate activity to children confidently. I
could understand that teach a child must to know their world, not only fun but
has a benefit to them to learn it.
The
second chapter is the theories by Maria Montessori. She has some opinions that
early childhood teachers should provide real tools; keep it accessible so they could
find and put away what they need; create a good atmosphere in the class. I
agree with her opinions because I have done it to my class. The result was good
and my students could active in the learning and teaching process and creative.
The
third chapter is the theories by Erik Erikson. He explains the development of
emotional, social and mental health. I could not understand what the writer
means in this chapter even it has much more explanation about psychosocial so
it is too hard to me to understand well. This chapters is the hardest chapter to get the message by the
expert because the writer explains it by the sentence that complicated and
difficult to understand quickly to me.
The
fourth chapter is the theories by Jean Piaget. This chapter which makes me
interested with the book actually the quotation by him “The teacher-organizer
should know not only his own science but also be well versed in the details of
the development of the child’s or adolescent’s mind”, I don’t know it touched
my heart so I had borrowed this book to copy from library of FKIP Pakuan
university. I have the quotation also that inspired by this experience to make
me interesting to read much more until the rest of the book. “Something that
you love will be a good reason to you to do your best”.
Piaget’s
thought that neither position explains learning by itself nor the child’s
interactions with his environment, it creates learning process. I really agree
with him because children could not teach by spoon feeding only, it could make
them not creative and impossible to have opportunity to do something by
themselves. This behavior has the effect to them to do it immediately in their
life.
The
last chapter is the theories by Lev Vygotsky. He argues that much learning
takes place when children play; language and development build on each other.
He also believed that a child on the edge of learning a new concept could be benefit
from interaction with a teacher or a classmate. I learned that the personal and
social experience could not be separated, those are important to balance a good
future.
That’s
all about the Theories of Childhood that I read. I think on the scale of 1-10
(1: easy, 10: difficult) how is difficult this book to me is 3 because I have
found new vocabularies or unfamiliar words in every chapter especially in the
third chapter. When reading a book, an annoying thing when I found new words
although it is good to increase my knowledge but still unpleasant so it is
motivating me to study hard to remember new words. Hopefully when I am reading
a book I can read it enjoyable without look up the dictionary oftentimes,
perhaps only several times is not a big problem.
This
book is very useful. It makes me more understand about childhood so I know the appropriate
activities to apply to children in the learning and teaching process. I
recommend this book to all parents, teacher and everyone who want their
children be better and have a good preparation to face anything in the real
life adequately. I have a motivation and love reading by read this book. I will
be a teacher later so I have to find other books that related with this book and
increase my knowledge about education field so I could be a professional
teacher.
Book tittle : Theories of Childhood
Author :
Carol Ganhart Mooney
Publisher : Redleaf Press
Date published : -
(2000)
Number of page : 102
Genre (Type of book)
– Circle one : Education book
