What is This Childhood?

Quick Look

• Fascinating insights into the journey through language that young children take from their very first words through to their first steps in critical thinking
• Helps parents and teachers learn how to preserve a child's spiritual connection to the world through the interactions they have with children
• The author, Carol Toole, has over 40 years' experience as a teacher, storyteller and parent educator

Explores the changes in a young child's consciousness as it develops through their experience of language, revealing key insights to help parents and teachers preserve a child's wonder in the world.

Description

The first words a child speaks reveal a link between word and experience, and experience and meaning.

In What Is This Childhood?, experienced teacher Carol Toole explores the consciousness of the young child through language development, often in their own words. Toole highlights that children's experience initially is one of perception rather than understanding. Yet, as their speech develops, children learn more about self-consciousness and critical thinking.

Through learning about the language journey that children take, parents and teachers will discover how to enliven their speech and interactions with children, thereby preserving a child's sense of wonder and spiritual connection with the world

Author

Carol Toole has been a teacher, storyteller, puppeteer, writer and parent educator for over 40 years. She now provides language and movement therapy to primary school children and oversees the literacy program at the Austin Waldorf School in Texas, USA.