Why Learning Through Imitation is Significant to Child Development

Episode S3E14: Show Notes.

Learning through imitation is significant to childhood development, but children don’t choose which examples to imitate, which can create challenges for parents and teachers. Today we sit with Stephen Spiltany, an influential teacher and author in the Waldorf education space. In this episode Stephen serves as a guiding voice, sharing details on why children imitate, how their imitations aren’t based on virtue but rather the result, and ways parents and teachers can cultivate methods that’ll lead to constructive imitation. We begin the show by hearing why it is crucial to understand the role of imitation for young children. After understanding that imitation is the primary way young children learn, Stephen tells us why children sometimes imitate the worst parts of their parents. Although adults can make themselves into better humans through their own decision-making processes and efforts, children don’t have the neurological development to achieve this. Stephen tells us that it’s the mindfulness and awareness of teachers and parents that can help children imitate positively. He goes on to detail how teachers and parents can create change in the imitation habits of children, but reminds listeners that change is an eventual outcome and cannot be made after one lesson. To hear more about child development through imitation, tune in with us today!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Introducing our returning guest, Stephen Spiltany.
• Why it is crucial to understand the role of imitation for young children.
• How seeing children imitate the worst parts of a parent can be triggering for the parent.
• Why “autopilot” mode is often the example parents offer to their children.
• The importance of developing yourself as a parent or teacher.
• Why imitation is so significant from a developmental perspective.
• How habits become ingrained in children.
• Why children can’t learn a new habit the first time around.
• How to cultivate better practices to encourage new, better imitations from children.

    Stephen Spitalny's Books

 -Conscious Parenting: A Guide to Living with Young Children

- Connecting with Young Children: Educating the Will

- What's the Story? Storytelling with Young Children as a Path Toward Living Happily Ever  

    After

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

We Nurture Collective

We Nurture on Instagram

We Nurture on Facebook

LifeWays North America

Stephen Spiltany

Stephen Spiltqny on Twitter

Santa Cruz Waldorf School

Books by Stephen Spitalny

Conscious Parenting: A Guide to Living with Young Children on Amazon

Website

Instagram