Five years old or thereabouts; some chapters on the psychology and training of little children

Front matter

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IVE YEARS OLD

Preface

In view of the activity and interest at present displayed in child-welfare schemes and nursery schools it is important that we should all realise that, unless such plans are based on a true knowledge of the nature and possibilities of the little ones concerned, much harm may be done and many opportunities will certainly be lost. The day is long past when it could be maintained that the education of the early years can be safely trusted to the maternal instinct. We all now recognise that instinct requires to be supplemented by knowledge ; and the essential knowledge is to be obtained only by close study of the child. In a former book, The Dawn of Mind, I described the beginnings of such a study; in the present work I have set forth some of the further results which I have obtained during the last three years. Each child, no doubt, is different from all others ; yet the path that all traverse in the course of their intellectual development is broadly the same, and the aim of this book will be attained if by its means the windings of that path are to some extent illumined for those who aspire to guide the little wayfarers.

MARGARET DRUMMOND.

Moray House Training College, Edinburgh.

i

CONTENTS 1

CHAP.

PAGE

I. INTRODUCTORY ......

II. MENTAL AGE ......

III. THE UNCONSCIOUS MINI) ....

. 24

IV. THE MOTHER TONGUE .....

. 45

V. the mother tongue (continued) .

. 62

VI. A MONTESSORI EXPERIMENT ....

. 81

VII. WRITING, READING, AND SPELLING

. 103

VIII. NUMBER . . . .

. 119

IX. SICK CHILDREN ......

. 136

X. THE NURSERY SCHOOL ...

. 154

LIST OF OTHER WORKS

. 178

Index

. 179

TABLE OF NORMAL DEVELOPMENT

FTRST FIGURE, BOYS : SECOND FIGURE, GIRLS

Age. 7 days

1 month

2 „

3 „

4 „

5 „

18 „ 2 years

H

Weight I Height in cum f eren ce cumference

in lbs. Inches. j n Inches . i n inches.

23, 22%

10*, 10

12%, 12

15|, 15*

17%,' 17

13%, 13

22|, 22 26%, 25|

30, 29% 32%, 32*

15, 14%

18, 17% 18.*, 18

19, 18*

20£, 19|

14, 13*

15,

14*

16,

15$

16*,

16*

17, 16|

17*, 17

18%, 18

18%, 18

19, 18%

20& 20%

Sucks vigorously. Kicks

and moves arms freely.

Sneezes. Can raise head.

Reacts to sound.

up head for short time and

turns it.

Eyes follow moving object.

Begins to notice strange

rooms.

Hands moved more freely.

in response.

Looks attentively at objects.

Examines own hands.

Examines hands and feet.

Begins to use two hands

together.

several minutes.

Stretches out arms to be taken. Makes man}' sounds.

Waves in response.

Tries to get objects. Plays

Peep.

Understands simple commands.

Attempts to stand. Creeps.

Four upper incisors. Stands alone.

Runs about freely. First words. Likes pictures.

Sixteen teeth. Says short sentences of two or three words. Scribbles with pencil. Reasoning.

Knows name and use of many common objects.

Twenty teeth.

Uses words Why? and When ?

Much initiative.

Some appreciation of time and space.

Can name some colours.

Knows letters. Can skip.

Can count.

Permanent four molars. Can read, spell, and write simple words of one syllable.

Knows days of week apart from special teaching. Can copy a diamond.