Vygotsky - What Does He Know About Kids Anyway?

When we talk about child development, a common name heard is Piaget. But another theorist had an awful lot of good insights about child development. Vygotsky. Vygotsky agreed with a lot of what Piaget had to say about children's cognitive development. But there are several unique points that Vygotsky brings to the table.

The Zone of Proximal Development

What? Okay, that sounds very fancy. But it is really very simple. The zone begins where a child can go no further ON THEIR OWN. But the zone is about support. You see, Vygotsky was all about understanding the impact of support, guidance, and cultural impact on cognitive growth. So, the zone is about what a parent, a mentor, a teacher, a grandparent can do to take a child to the next level of learning. When you look at the picture above, you can see the "teacher" gives the child the tool he needs to reach further than he could on his own.

Unlike Piaget, Vygotsky felt that the impact of leaders in a child's life was paramount to their learning. The zone is about the opportunity to take a child to the next level of learning, taking them to a level of growth they cannot get to on their own. Simple.

And how do we adults do that?

For one, KNOW where the child you are working with is at. What are they capable of on their own?

Now comes Vygotsky's SCAFFOLDING. Scaffolding is the "how" of taking a child up that zone of proximal development. How do we adults do it? Vygotsky was big on language, using our words to educate and encourage. But scaffolding is simply the assistance, the guidance, the rules, the skills that we can teach our kids.

Here is an example. A child can play with blocks, but a parent or educator can open whole new worlds by demonstrating or explaining ordering, creating patterns, sequencing, etc.

What's the point? When we recognize the importance of the zone and the power we adults have to help enhance learning, the opportunities are endless for how we can help our kids grow and learn in ways they could never do on their own.

Consider in the days to come all the amazing ways you can take your child through the zone of proximal development and to amazing heights.

The Outsiders: Why You Should Read It With Your Kids

My daughter is recovering from a concussion so she is unable to do much of anything, including reading. As an 8th grader, she was assigned The Outsiders to read and her teacher suggested I read it to her during her recovery. It’s been a long time. In fact, so long that I have decided I either never read it or just saw the movie. In truth, the only thing I can remember is C. Thomas Howell and Matt Dillon. So, what does that tell you?

But this book was so good; we read it in a weekend. I decided to let my son, 9, join us. He only lasted through the first chapter. In truth, the book focuses more on the main character’s insights and feelings than the action sequences. So, he got bored quickly. And it was good thing because this book deals with a lot of violence, death, complicated emotions and societal issues. What was I thinking? 13 is a much better age for this one.

The Outsiders weaves its tale of social class, personal losses, family, friendship and honor, choices good and bad, and the limited options of the poor. I don’t think my daughter will ever complain again about not having enough. To see the poverty, economic, cultural and emotional, that the characters experience is to peek into the lives of the very poor and disadvantaged. S.E. Hinton paints a picture with no violins playing in the wings. Her (yes, S.E. Hinton is a woman) story is raw and honest and wrenching. A fact your child might find interesting is that she began the book at age 15, finished it at 16. By her high school graduation she had a publisher. That in itself is an inspiration.

Reading this with your child is an opportunity to talk about class and bullying, about impulsivity and choices in adolescence and about hope. The theme of lost hope is another powerful message in the book. Do you give up hope or do you continue to look for the sunset? In truth, these issues are ones most teens wrestle with. Themes of how to fit in, what is your group, being cool vs. being honest about who you are and how you feel are all common issues of adolescence. Yet another reason this book resonates generation after generation. It understands adolescence.

Just last week a young girl in our community, 15 years old, committed suicide. She had lost hope after a loss. My heart breaks for her family, for her, for her peers. Hinton reminds us all not to lose hope, to see the beauty this world has to offer, to remember to keep believing. Try reading it with your teen. It will open up a whole new world of discussion, will remind you of the challenges of your own adolescence and will offer you and your teen yet another bond.


learn more about the book and the movie here.