AWAKENING CHILDREN'S MINDS: How Parents and Teachers Can Make a Difference

Children inherently want to be acceptable members of society, and Berk asserts that parents, and then teachers (in cooperation with parents), can assist children enormously in reaching their potential. In this fascinating if somewhat clinical discussion, Berk (professor of psychology at Illinois State University) begins with an interesting lesson about child development theory. She compares major schools of thought (Piaget and Freud) with the research of Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky, who believed that both children's genetic inheritance and their social experiences influence their social and intellectual development. After laying out the practical components of her sociocultural ideas (e.g., "scaffolding," whereby the parent or teacher appropriately supports a child's developing ability during one-on-one interaction), Berk explains why kids talk to themselves, the benefits of make-believe, the deplorable state of child care in America and parenting challenges in modern U.S. culture. She has a compassionate and informative chapter on children with disabilities focusing on ADHD, followed by a lengthy chapter on how teachers can implement sociocultural precepts. She ends with a q&a applying her ideas to frequent parenting concerns. Concentrating on children ages two and eight, Berk illustrates her concepts with observed dialogues and cites many studies and examples. Instructive and even inspiring, the book may prove too academic for the common reader, but educators and motivated parents will find much to explore. (Oct.)