THE EDITOR, Sir:
POLITICIANS AND bureaucrats like to talk big about improving education. However, apart from Eddie Seaga, very few of them truly understand the direct link between the natural human development cycle and how children learn.
Take for example, how many politicians and bureaucrats knew that, based on research, the best time to acquire or a least start learning a second language is between the ages of 6-11 years old? Well, given that foreign language is not taught in primary schools we can assume the answer, not many.
Since the 1950s, cognitive, social, motivational, and moral psychology have been influenced greatly by the work of Jean Piaget, Erik Erikson, Abraham Maslow and Lawrence Kohlberg, respectively. These four developmental theorists have helped to unlock the basic theory on how we as human beings are developed.
Erik Erikson described the ages 5-9 years old as the Industry vs. Inferiority stage. If cultivated, this is the stage at least the Industry aspect, where children naturally crave academics and have the desire and motivation to take part in many activities such as sports, drama and music. However, where are the facilities to encourage these natural wants? Very few good ones exist and so our children are choosing inferiority which can also be defined as poor standards.
I am, etc.,
MICHAEL BROWN
Miguelbro@yahoo.com
Washington, DC
Via Go-Jamaica
