♥Monday is washing (laundry) day
♥Tuesday is baking day
♥Wednesday is art day
♥Thursday is fixing and building day
♥Friday is cleaning day

Technology in Early Childhood Education

     Along with speech and uprightness, the development of technology (tools) is one of the hallmark characteristics that distinguishes human beings from animals. Tools, communication devices, complex living structures and transportation have evolved with human consciousness over millions of years. We are now at the point in our technological development that most people can no longer keep up – a technology is ‘obsolete’ long before the general user even understands it fully.

     Rudolf Steiner, founder of Waldorf Education, made some observations about technology that are quite relevant to this discussion. He said that human understanding must keep pace with technology and that we as users must become the masters over the machines, i.e., operating machines we can understand and control. When we do not exercise control and understanding over the machine, we give up an essential part of our human power.

     Young children learn to know the world through repeated direct experience, exploration and imaginative play. Tools that the children use must therefore be understandable to them through direct experience, exploration and imaginative play. The child must be able to develop control over the tool in order to establish confidence in his/her ability to function effectively in the world.

     For this reason, the appropriate technologies for early childhood include the following: needle and thread, hammer and nail, screw and screwdriver, hand drill, sandpaper, rasp, saw, shovel, hoe, rake, rope, crayon, pencil and paper, tape, knitting needles, egg beater, grain mill, butter churn, rolling pin, and other tools which require active human power.

     As children grow through their middle childhood years, they grow into other technologies, such as wood carving tools, pottery wheel, simple engines they can build, things with small motors, and go-carts.

     When children approach adolescence their ability to think abstractly enables them to begin to understand the inner workings of computers and the theories of computer science. At this point, they can build their own computers, learn programming and design simple programs. This keeps them in control of the machine and ensures that they have an experiential understanding of how it works, even when someone else has designed the machine and the programming.

     In the early childhood classroom, children play, explore and create. With all the tools available to them to do that using their own power, it seems superfluous and even counterproductive to introduce a technology (computers, televisions, tape players, CD players, DVD players, radios, tape recorders, etc.) which remove from them their human powers of direct creation.

     The image of computer as ‘just another tool’ is used often to justify their use in education. It IS a tool – a very advanced, complex and powerful tool. It is a tool that children cannot use with the same direct, simple effect as a hammer, or a needle and thread. The child’s sense of cause and effect is thwarted by unseen processes which he or she cannot directly experience and thereby understand.

     The early childhood classroom rings with the joy and sincerity of children playing and working together. In this play, the awesome processes of growth and learning are swiftly bringing children to new levels of ability, compassion and understanding. The more their world is created by human love and activity, the broader become their feelings of confidence in their own capacities.

     Soon enough, they will be developmentally ready to master electronic technology from a sense of themselves that is well-grounded and sure-footed. For now, practical work, imaginative play and genuine, long term relationships with teachers and children give them the tools of self-mastery they will need and use for the rest of their lives.

What you will find at Briar Rose Children's Center:

♥Natural toys whose use is determined by the child
♥Large outdoor play area with trees
♥Flower and vegetable garden
♥Work area with real tools
♥Large, versatile indoor play area
♥Wool dying, spinning and finger knitting
♥Organic/vegetarian lunches and snacks

What you won't find at Briar Rose Children's Center:

     Briar Rose Children's Center provides a foundation for future learning by developing a child's physical strength and coordination, thoughtful social interaction, and artistic skills and experiences. We also provide a home away from home by creating an environment in which children feel loved, comforted, welcomed and valued. Our Waldorf program is led by a certified Waldorf Early Education Teacher.

♥To provide children with a broad and deep experience of the world.
♥To lay foundations for independent, creative thought.
♥To recognize and nurture the soul and spirit of the children.
♥To enable children to develop self-discipline.
♥To meet the child as an equal and recognize the unique, timeless Self of each child. To create a program that addresses that unique Self and gives it dignity.
♥To create a community in the classroom that fosters cooperation and warmth in personal relationships.
♥To build physical strength, coordination and balance as a basis for cognitive learning.