The Power of Observation

September 12 2010 by Jake Frodsham in School Section |No Comments

Recent blog posts from K¹² colleagues jump-started my thoughts about the information age and butterflies. So, how do those beautiful winged creatures relate to technology in the 21st century? As Stephanie noted, it was one of those small beauties that reminded her to stop and notice what’s around her. If you have children, you undoubtedly remember moments when they tugged persistently on your shirtsleeve to get your attention, saying something like, “Look, Mommy, what’s that?” What your child was pointing to could have been a fuzzy caterpillar crawling underfoot, a glistening rock on the edge of a stream, or even a pile of deer droppings. Whatever it was, your child was interested, your child wanted to know more, your child wanted to share her observations with you, and your child wanted your attention at that very moment.

As a parent, you are your child’s first teacher. You also play a powerful role in helping your child appreciate the power of observation, the first step in “doing science.” In fact, that’s where all learning begins. From infancy onward, the human brain is taking in an incredible amount of information. As children grow and experience the world, they learn how to make sense of the world around them by organizing this information and making meaningful connections. Here’s where the “stopping and noticing” comes into play. When a child makes an observation, she’s trying to figure out how this relates to everything else she already knows. By reaching out to you, she’s actively engaging your knowledge. She wants you to stop and reflect as well. Of course, she expects you to be as fascinated as she is with hummingbirds or dog poop, but your child also expects you to share your wisdom. She wants to talk about this observation: What is it? Where does it come from? What do we do with it? What’s it made of? And so on…… Folks, this is the magic of science. It starts with observations, develops into questions, and leads to connections between the known and unknown. It begins anew each time we notice the world around us. And, the potential for making these new discoveries is magnified when more than one human brain focus on something together. It may be a shared experience with parent and child, brother and sister, teacher and student, or scientist and engineer, but the basic ingredients are the same: Take time to stop, observe, reflect, engage someone else, start a conversation, ask questions, construct ideas, and explore further. I recently had the pleasure of spending the weekend with my one-year-old grandson, and I was reminded about those critical “teachable moments” when observation becomes the pivotal first step toward greater understanding. Of course, he doesn’t talk yet, but he’s definitely listening and absorbing everything that’s happening around him. We were watching lovely swallowtail butterflies land on a butterfly bush, where they grasp flowers, hold on, and sip nectar. Fascinated, he reached out to touch a flower, too. With his tiny fingers, he simulated what the butterflies were doing with their slender legs. I explained that the butterflies were having dinner, and then he touched his own mouth, making the connection to nourishment and food. We continued to observe as butterflies moved among the flowers and continued probing for sweet nectar. He made some new discoveries that expanded his understanding of nature, all because we stopped to observe – together. As we consider what’s in the future for our children, there’s no doubt that new developments in the information age will revolutionize how we live, work, and play. What won’t change, however, is the power of observation as the foundation of science, engineering, and learning about the world. That said, find some moments with your own kids this week and make them memorable – stop, observe, share, and learn together.

Learning Centre

Navigate Through Locations to Find Source of Education