Redleaf Press (RLP): Why did you write Teaching Numeracy, Language, and Literacy with Blocks?

Abigail Newburger (AN): I was talking to a friend one summer about how a teacher of teachers could get education theory across to her students. Finally, my friend said to me, "You know, theory isn't what teachers want. They want to know how to do it." This made me think about how to teach theory with a "how-to" approach, which is what we tried to do in this book. We have written a how-to book that gives the readers knowledge about appropriate educational theory without a lot of education jargon.

RLP: How do you think your book will help teachers of young children?

AN: We hope that the book will help free teachers of young children from the fear of standards and show them how to incorporate standards into the classroom. Our book Teaching Numeracy, Language, and Literacy with Blocks helps teachers learn to watch children and see how they behave at different stages of development. It shows teachers that children are avid learners who naturally learn what is right for their developmental stage when they are given stimulating and appropriate materials to work with. It also gives teachers many examples of open-ended questions and ways of promoting language development. It is our desire to help teachers teach in positive ways that make learning the joyous experience it should be.

RLP: Why is block play so important in the development of young children?

AN: In the first chapters of the book, we go into detail about why block play is important. Let me say here that block play, particularly with Unit Blocks, addresses all the domains of child development. Block play provides excellent large- and small-motor activity as children lift and move blocks around, reach to build a high tower, and/or crawl along the floor with a tiny car on a road made with blocks. Children practice weight and balance concepts, both physical (for example, carrying boxes and piles of blocks or discovering how to balance long blocks on top of each another) and cognitive (for example, when they build using symmetry.) This is, after all, the basis of algebra, which is based on the equal sign. Children learn geometry through exploring shapes and what they can do with them (for example, making a square from two small triangles.) The Unit Blocks, both in their names (half unit, double unit, quadruple unit) and in the way they are designed, teach math language and understanding. They also provide counting practice. Children learn social skills through working and pretending together. In addition, they learn to respect and value what others have made. In block development, children gradually learn elements of art and architecture. They learn about arches and doorway construction--how to provide stability so they can build higher. They create imaginary worlds--houses, towns, all kinds of buildings. Stories flow from their creations and are acted out in great detail and with much imagination. Children experience natural laws, such as, if you build too high, your building will fall. The things children can learn from playing with blocks are endless and it is no surprise that a love of blocks never fades. If you give older children and adults lots of blocks, they still enjoy creating marvelous structures.

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