Mind In The Making Analysis

Galinsky, E. (2010). Mind in the making: the seven essential life skills every child needs. New York: HarperStudio.

Review of Mind in the Making presented by Victoria Molinar Vega, Undergraduate, University of Arizona, College of Education

General Summary

Ellen Galinsky’s text, Mind in the Making, highlights the seven essential life skills that every child needs. Each chapter identifies the skill, gives a working definition for the skill, and contains different sources and studies that reveal significant insights into the science of early learning, in addition to small excerpts from not only her personal life but other parents and educators as well. In each chapter the author also shares recommendations as to how we, as future educators or parents, can hone and evolve these skills in our early learners. The seven skills seen as essential, identified by this author, based off collaborating with students, parents, educators, and researchers, are as follows:

1. Focus and Self Control

2. Perspective Taking

3. Communicating

4. Making Connections

5. Critical Thinking

6. Taking on Challenges

7. Self-Directed, Engaged Learning

In-Depth Summary of Chapters

Focus and Self Control

The first chapter goes into detail on focus on self-control. First and foremost, it is important to note she intentionally uses the word ‘focus’ as opposed to attention because it has what she calls an “inclusive meaning”(16). Ellen Galinsky states that she came to the conclusion that focus and self-control are central to other essential life skills she discusses in the text. That if we want to achieve our goal amid everything else that is going on, we have to learn to be focused and we have to learn to have self-control. It is possible to have knowledge of ...

... middle of paper ...

...wn thoughts aside form relating the research to her personal experiences? How did she come up with this particular set of skills (explain introduction skims this) how do these skills relate to children’s long term success. The exerceptions were often too short in that they did not provide the whole picture/what exactly were they illustrating? There is value in these pages, but at the same time the majority of the suggestions were basic, for example “create an environment where reading is important” elect computer games that promote paying attention. Talk about shapes and numbers with your kids. These in my opinion are not compelling ideas

Felt like a sample platter.

In my opinion it also became very distracting when

Conceptually this book works.

Conclusion

Every child needs lemonade stands throughout childhood: caring strongly about interests beyond oneself.