Dear Lucy Linguistics,
I am so glad that professor Jerskey recommended me to help you in choosing your book. As she said, it imparted a lot of knowledge and understanding to the idea I had about language.
And I say idea, because not until I took this class and actually started reading the book, I gave language the credit it really deserves. To be honest with you, even though I came from another country and I had no clue about what speaking another language was going to be like, and after putting so much effort into it, I never really took the time to acknowledge the significance my own language had, how it defined me as person, and its close relation with thoughts and behavior.
This book, "The Philosophical baby" is based in two important aspects that have always captured me, the mind, which I consider fascinating, and children, which I consider adorable and inspiring.
If you are looking for a book that talks about how language and the mind correlate, how this combination is perceived and absorbed by children, and how smart, thoughtful and conscious they are, then, this is the right book for you.
Alison Gopnik, the author, uses experimental methods to explain what children's minds can tell us about how we became the adults we are now. She also clarifies the misconceptions and wrong ideas we had about children, which were in fact influenced by Freud and Piaget, the "father" of developmental psychology. According to them, children were not only selfish, immoral and irrational, but also they didn't have the ability to differentiate between reality and fiction, but thanks to her research, she has been able to prove them wrong, and I have opened up my mind more and think of children as smarter, sensitive and rational little human beings, from whom I can learn perhaps even more that I would ever learn from an adult.
Let me tell you Lucy, at first, when I started reading the book I was a little confused because even though everything the author was saying about children was very interesting, I wasn't finding any connections yet with language, but as I continued reading, Gopnik emphasized in one chapter or the other how the mind and language intertwined. How could children express their thoughts and feelings if it wasn't for language? I learned, that even from the moment babies start saying their first words, they are already producing language which gives them the power and ability to imagine, and how good can children be at imagining and pretending, right? In fact, Gopnik says that children who have imaginary friends are better at predicting the feelings and thoughts of real people. How amazing is that! Their imagination besides influencing their language also contributes to their learning.
Overall, the book has impacted me so much, it target it lots of aspects that have to do with my psychology major, but it has also influenced and changed my perception toward children and language, as I told you before, it helped appreciate my own language, my culture, the one I grew up with and shaped me helping me become who I am and would never let me forget where I came from.
Therefore dear Lucy, I think, if you decide to choose this book, it would not only teach you about children and their big, tireless and creative minds, but it would also help you like the class and even remember it once is over, as a class that imparted knowledge not only to your brain but also to your life because it actually opens your eyes to the beauty and value language and all the people around the world have. Enjoy!
Sincerely,
Carolina Pauletto.
Hello Carolina,
ReplyDeleteI thought your presentation was very informative. I loved the part when you said that it was completely normal for a child 6 years of age and below to have an imaginary friend. I think kids are being pushed to mature much quicker, and the imaginary friend is a way for kids to remain children. In addition, the connection that you made to between children and the "ability to imagine", gave me a new perspective about children and their brightness. I thought that their minds were free from consciousness until a certain age, but you dispelled that theory. It seems like every time I read a blog post, I learn something new that I could utilize.
Thanks!
i agree with Eric on that your presentaion was very imformative, but he stole my post! (just kidding) i also wanted to talk about what you said on children and their imaginary friends. because i took developmental psychology, i am aware that it is okay for a child to have an imaginary friend. what i didn't know was that children who have imaginary friends tend to be more sociable than those who do not. now that i think about it, this does make sense, and parents shouldn't make their children move on past their imaginary friends before they are ready to do so. your book was actually my second choice in the event that i couldn't find the book i am reading now. im glad you like your book, it shows!
ReplyDeleteI agree with all of you. It is really very informative, children who have imaginary friends are better at predicting the feelings and thoughts of real people.Some studies have indicated that children who have imaginary friends tend to be "bright," and certainly we know they are creative and imaginative. interesting book!!
ReplyDeleteTwo thumbs up on your presentation! I felt you were on point with your information which allowed you to get your point across. I must say the aspect of your presentation that I remembered the most is when you spoke about children and imaginary friend. I have a little cousin and I remember when he was like four he always spoke about this friend name "Carl" who is of course imaginary. I thought it was somewhat funny and I always use to ask him "Hey Terrnell where’s Carl" and he would just simply reply he sitting or he is running. I thought he was crazy in the head, most of my family thought he was. Then I notice as he got older "Carl was gone. I ask him one where did Carl go and he said he moved. I just thought your presentation helped me understand the subject of having an imaginary friend
ReplyDeleteHi Carolina, I wounder if this book mentions something about children of genius; I mean, do you think that there are children who are more intelligent than other.
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ReplyDeleteHi Karo, one more time..sorry for missing your presentation!! Reading your component for it, I come to realize that it must have been one hell of a presentation because you talked about children and their imaginary friends. I think is so cool that psychologist study children and aspects of bein a child.. I grew up around many kid(nephews and nieces) and sometimes I would see one in a separate room talking "alone" and would wonder why the reason .. i never got to thing that it was somethin bad but I did not know how to approach it. My question is : Do you remember of having an imaginary friend ?
ReplyDeleteI was suprized that deaf children who have deaf parents learn sign language as a native language. Also, I was interested about imaginary friend. your presantation was good. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Carolina, i want to congratulate you for you presentation today. I know how hard it is to stand in front of a class, and present something, and you did a great job. The facts, about kids with imaginative friends are amazing, they actually impacted the way in which i see my sister now. I don't believe my sister is special anymore lol.
ReplyDeleteHey Carolina, i might just read this book lol its sounds like a really good book. It's interesting how kids with imaginary friends seem to be more in tune with other things than children that dont. To be honest with you kids with imaginary friends freak me out lol but i guess they benefit from this. Sorry i missed your presentation :(
ReplyDeleteHi Carolina! I wanted to tell you how great your presentation was. You really conducted yourself proffesionally and your enthusiasm about what you had learned really was infectious. Your connection between childrens imaginary friends and language was so interesting and also makes me wonder why I never had any. One question though, what other ways to children improve their own language. Is play time and stimulation a big factor?
ReplyDeleteHi Cosette, absolutely! Children learn and develop different abilities through playing, in fact when you use music combined with a game or activity to teach a child memorize let's say the alphabet, they will not only enjoy it, but also remember it easier and the same applies for all words and phrases! making a child feel good and smart about their efforts is crucial in their development. Children always want to feel important, and we are to make them feel unique!
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