What Do Young Children Think About: The development of inquiry and invention by Susan Engel, Ph.D.

Children are born with a voracious appetite for information- they look, listen, touch, taste and explore whenever possible. This hunger for knowledge is the engine that drives cognitive development. By the time children are three, they can explore not only the physical world around them, but many things they can neither see nor touch, the past, the future, and the world of rules and customs, among other intangible concepts. During the third year of life, a new skill emerges- the capacity to invent. They invent while playing, telling stories, and navigating everyday life. Yet these two powerhouses of intellectual achievement are often ignored within school settings.
 
In this fascinating interview-style webinar, renowned author, researcher, and lecturer, Susan Engel, Ph.D., will describe the development of curiosity and invention and discuss how the social and physical environment either encourages or discourages the process. Susan will guide you in exploring how schools can build on children's early capacities to inquire and invent, and how this paves the way for children to pursue ideas. She will talk with us about why the capacity to pursue ideas should be at the center of the process of education.
 
Join us to:

• Understand the developmental origins of inquiry and invention

• Learn about the environmental influences that shape the growth of both curiosity and invention

• Acquire a new way of thinking about the role of ideas in the classroom