How the Child Mind Develops

Radio Record, Volume IV, Issue 9, 12 September 1930, Page 5

How the Child Mind Develops

MISS M. G. THORNTON, of _ the r Teachers’ Training College, WelHington, gave a very interesting and valuable account to 2YA° Qhildren’s Sessions Advisory Committee, of which she is a tember, when she told of the Yesult of tests made at Kelburn School .with children between the: ages of 5 and 11 years The advisory committee, in its desire that the sessions should fulfil to the greatest degree possible the purpose for which they are intended, at the previous meeting set up a sub-commit-tee to make full investigations and: submit yecommendations. It was inthis connection that Miss Thornton ‘attzied ont the tests. .In reporting on the result, Miss Thornton ‘said: "The tiny tots I took in little groups and then individually For Staridard 1, I asked them to dramatise a 2YA children’s session. They acted the parts of the Uncles and Aunts and the listeners-in. For Standards 2, 3, and 4 I gave a question-. aire, and this is.a summary of the re sults: The interest of the children varies aceording to the age. From 5 to 53, the dominating interest was the Nursery Rhyme and Nursery Jingle. ‘From 54 to 64, the nursery rhyme in- terest was still very strong. The in‘terest in birds and animals, domestic and wild was dominating. I asked them what stories they liked best, and they said about animals and birds. From 6} to 74 they were interested . in children and grown-up people and people who do things, such as the man ‘who drives the car or aeroplane, peo *’ ple whom they come in contact with in their daily life, synch as tradespeople, ete. Seven and a half to 84; the boys ef this age, when they were dramatising 2¥A, sald: ‘You cannot have 2YA | without the: machinery,’ Some of them had to go in a corner and work the machinery. That is the mechanical interest developing. They were also interested in children and people. . Birthday greetings at this age are very important. The children who were acting the Uncles and Aunts called greetings to children from Auckland to Invercargill. They were irtereste1 | in places, showing very definitely that children of this age are realising there are other people in the world beside themselves. "Standard 2. They were interested in what has gone before; consolidating the previous stages. They did not show definite interest in anything new. Sthndard 8 showed a definite interest in \the Maoris. Of course, that shows the influence of the school work. Standard 4, 103 to 114, wanted stories of history, pirates and adventure. Throughout all stages, fairy stories are of great interest. When I asked them whether they liked adults or children performing, the majority voted for child performers."