ABSTRACT

How does a child's mind work? And what should parents know about it to help them in their daily interaction with children?

This book is a fascinating, non-technical introduction to the mental life of the child. Written in a simple, accessible way for those without an academic background in philosophy, the book explores and explains key elements of the child's mind without overwhelming the reader with complicated theories. Some of the areas discussed are:

  • how children learn concepts
  • the acquisition of beliefs, skills, knowledge and understanding
  • the place of memory
  • can we teach thinking skills?
  • what is intelligence?
  • imagination and creativity
  • the development of emotion
  • connections between home life, education and the school curriculum.

chapter |10 pages

Introduction

chapter 1|21 pages

What is the child’s mind?

chapter 2|24 pages

Concepts and concept learning

chapter 3|14 pages

Beliefs: maps by which we steer

chapter 4|8 pages

Do minds develop?

chapter 5|20 pages

Who needs intelligence?

chapter 6|17 pages

What is thinking?

chapter 7|16 pages

Imagination and creativity

chapter 8|27 pages

Motivating children

chapter 9|20 pages

Educating the emotions

chapter 10|17 pages

The whole child