Interview with Jane Katch

The Educators Award Committee of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International awards and Educators Award each year for a book written by a woman that has the potential to influence education. Jane Katch's book Far Away from the Tigers recevied Honorable Mention for 2012. This interview conducted by committee member, Dr. Joye Sterret, May 28, 2012 via email was posted in the closed network to members. With Jane Katch's and Dr. Joye Sterrett's permission, I'm sharing this discussion for all educators.  In your book, Far Away from the Tigers, your approach to education seemed to be to have the children learn by play and exploration and by guided questions from you.  Please elaborate on your philosophy for teaching young children. Jane Katch:  Lev Vygotsky, the famous Russian child psychologist, wrote that “In play, a child is always above his average age, above his daily behavior; in play, it is as though he were a head taller than himself.”  In watching young children for over thirty years, I have found this to be true.  Children in play learn social skills, learn to construct knowledge for themselves, and learn to stretch their language skills.  I believe that as their teacher, I can help them to learn these skills by providing an environment that encourages creative play and by having conversations with them which help them make new discoveries.  I can provide literacy activities, such as the story telling and the story acting I describe in my books, (which was invented by Vivian Paley) which help them understand what they need to explain in order to have others understand them and also help them to listen carefully to the stories told by their peers.  When children talk about what goes well and what does not go well in social interactions, they sit longer and listen more carefully than at any other time.  These conversations expand their ability to understand the point of view of another person, explain their own opinion clearly, and come to a compromise.  I believe that this is critically important in our world today.  What do you learn by observing young children at play and what are a few of the things you try to teach them? Jane Katch:  While they are playing, I watch to see what is going well and what is a problem to them. Then when we meet as a group, usually at snack time, we talk about what happened.  If there has been a conflict that was not resolved, I like to find out both sides of the problem and present them equally.  (Sometimes it is challenging for me to see both sides of the conflict —for instance, I might say, “So John, you had that block and you had planned to put it on the building of the roof for a chimney and you really wanted to do that.  And Suzy, you really, really, needed that kind of block and there weren't any more like that so you thought the only way you could get what you needed was if you grabbed it out of his hands, right?”  Then everyone in the class brainstorms ways that problem could be solved until the two sides find an idea they both can feel good about.  It usually is something I never thought of before.  So everyone is listening to the problem, trying to understand both points of view, and many kids come up with solutions.  I think this ability to explain ideas, listen to the ideas expressed by others, and come up with solutions is probably the most important thing I teach.  Once they are used to it, the kids amaze me with their problem-solving skills.  Please tell us how your classroom is structured for working with young children. Jane Katch:  In a full day kindergarten, we have time for free play every day, when the kids can choose what they want to play.  Blocks, dramatic play, sand, and water are essential!  They play for at least forty-five minutes every morning.  We also have large group times, small group times, and quiet time every day.  We do math and literacy in those periods.  We have two recesses, a half hour each, twice a day—and we go out in all but the worst weather.  I know this is a very broad question, but what should parents and grandparents do to raise well-adjusted children? Is there an attitude or approach to child rearing you can describe? Jane Katch:  I think that two things are very important for young children and both parents and grandparents can make a big difference by building them into their kids' lives—play and books.  By play, I mean really free play, so kids can learn what they love to do, what they don't like, how to solve problems, and what to do when they are bored!  I also think that reading to kids is essential so they can have the motivation to become readers themselves.  Research has shown that grandparents can be particularly helpful with this. You have written several books about teaching children. How do you organize your writing life? For example, do you keep extensive notes on daily interactions with the children? Jane Katch:  When I write, I always choose a question I want to understand better--something that puzzles me.  I don't like to write about what I already understand.  I use my writing to look deeply at a problem that puzzles me.  Then I begin to tape conversations and play in the classroom that come up around that subject.  I might put the tape recorder in the dramatic play area or in the block area so I can hear more carefully what is taking place there.  I also tape our group discussions.  I do that because I know I can't remember them word for word—and the kids always say things I never would have thought of.  That's what makes it so interesting to me!