Margaret Donaldson

Although influenced by his work (she even started her career at his Institut pour les Sciences de l'Education in Geneva) Margaret Donaldson is here rejecting or, at least nuancing, some of Jean Piaget's theories.
Don't worry if you are unfamiliar with those theories! Not only does she explain them before criticising them but, there's also a welcomed Appendix where she outlines them in details, developing their key concepts. Thus, even if the whole deals with complicated quarrels relating from show more child psychology to linguistics, she remains accessible to the common reader. Follow a book that is short and quickly read, but a fascinating insight into children's minds. First, for its questioning of Piaget's ideas regarding their cognitive abilities -at least up to the age of seven. Then, and above all, for the consequences upon education of such questioning. Indeed, if understanding clearly how children think and reason is important for understanding how they learn, it is crucial for helping how to implement better way to teach. Are schools taking such ideas into account? That's another issue... Published more than 30 years ago, this short little book is interesting and insightful. It is above all still highly relevant. show less

Although this is more or less 40 years old, Donaldson's work is still hugely relevant in education today. The points she makes are well researched, clear and sensible and she makes great pains to bridge the gaps for the reader between Piaget's perhaps unfamiliar and esoteric tenets and her own observations, beliefs and criticisms of his work. As a teacher in a deprived area of EAL children, it has been an affirming experience for me hearing how reading and language are vital skills, show more necessary strong foundations and pathways to more critical and higher-level learning and thought. It was also interesting to have illuminated the issue of decentralisation and perspective taking - skills you are aware of but perhaps put on autopilot, when in fact they should be given greater attention and consciousness. show less

"-Janey, sa pappa. Jag måste skicka dig till England.
Tyskarna är för nära nu, det är osäkert för dig att stanna här.
Janey visste att det var krig. Hon hade ofta sett soldater och stridsvagnar passera på vägen, men det var alltid vänliga soldater som vinkade och log. Striderna verkade vara så långt borta. Ingen hade oroat sig för den saken, men nu plötsligt var alla så ängsliga. Något var annorlunda.

Janeys flykt från det krigsdrabbade Frankrike misslyckades. I stället show more hamnar hon, ensam och övergiven, hos en sur gammal gumma, som i själva verket inte alls vill veta av henne. Vad ska hon nu ta sig till? Tänk om tyskarna kommer! Skulle de ta henne till fånga? Eller ännu värre - skjuta henne?" show less