How Play Helps a Kid’s Brain Grow | Jesse Ilhardt | TED

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Helen Chang

Fifteen years ago,

十五年前，

I walked into a classroom as a first-year preschool teacher.

是我成為幼稚園老師的 第一年，我走進教室，

Ambitious and eager to impress,

我野心勃勃且渴望讓大家印象深刻，

I created this Excel document

所以我做了一個 Excel 文件，

to track the things I thought mattered most for my students:

來追蹤我認為對我的學生 而言最重要的事物：

letters, numbers, shapes and colors.

字母、數字、形狀，及顏色。

Looking back, though, with what I know now,

不過，用我現在所知的 來回頭看這件事，

I wish I wouldn't have bothered with Excel or rote memorization.

我真希望當時沒有費心在 Excel 或死記硬背上。

I wish instead I had leveraged the power of brain-building interactive play.

我真希望我當時改成好好運用

大腦建構互動式遊戲的力量。

For years, we’ve known

從多年前起我們就一直知道

that play-based learning is far superior to rote memorization.

遊戲式學習遠勝過死記硬背。

Harvard's Center on the Developing Child tells us,

哈佛的發展兒童中心

以及其他無數機構都告訴我們，

as well as countless other institutions,

that play, and especially the back and forth interactions,

玩遊戲，特別是來來回回的互動，

the serve and return,

發球和回球，

the alternating comments, questions, gestures

輪流表示意見、提問、示意，

between children and adults when they play together,

當孩童和成人一起 玩遊戲時的這些互動，

that's what helps build neural connections in the child's brain.

能夠協助在孩童的 大腦中建立神經連結，

And in particular, they build the brain's prefrontal cortex.

尤其還能建立大腦的前額葉皮質。

That's the executive control center of the brain.

那是大腦的執行控制中心。

The part that manages emotions, solves problems, makes plans --

大腦的這個部分負責管理情緒、

解決問題、做計畫——

all things that children have to do when they play.

這些都是孩子在玩遊戲時要做的。

So when we think of it that way, play is actually hard work.

如果從這個角度來看，

玩遊戲其實是很辛苦的。

If learning is like a workout for the brain,

如果學習是大腦的鍛鍊，

then play-based learning is the heavy lifting.

那麼遊戲式學習就等同是舉重。

And just as heavy lifting builds muscle,

正如舉重可以打造肌肉一樣，

play-based learning builds the brain's architecture.

遊戲式學習則能打造大腦的結構。

So then where do us as grown-ups come in?

那麼，我們成人的角色是什麼？

It's those interactions when a child says something

在那些互動中，當孩童說了些話，

and a parent or teacher says something back,

而父母或老師回了些話，

those interactions help the child to persist, to stick with their plan,

那些互動能協助孩童堅持，

持續堅守他們的計畫， 繼續建造積木塔，

to keep rebuilding the block tower each time it falls.

每回倒掉又再重新搭建。

So it's the play paired with the adult interactions.

所以玩遊戲要搭配成人的互動。

It's like superfood for the brain.

就像是大腦吃的超級食物。

The research community in supportive play is so resounding,

支持遊戲的研究相當令人矚目，

I would expect to see children in nearly every household,

讓我預期應該可以看到 每個家庭中的孩童，

every preschool and kindergarten classroom

每間幼稚園教室中的孩童，

playing for most of their waking hours.

把大部分醒著的時間拿來玩遊戲。

But that's far from reality.

但現實卻完全不是如此。

We don't see widespread uptake of play among parents or teachers,

我們並沒有發現父母 和老師普遍能夠了解

玩遊戲的益處，

and sometimes we even see resistance.

有時，甚至會看到抗拒現象。

So what's going on?

那麼，這是怎麼回事？

What's driving us as parents and teachers to ignore the overwhelming research

是什麼原因讓我們家長 和老師完全不理會

壓倒性的研究，只因為 它和玩遊戲有關？

when it comes to play?

After years of teaching preschool, coaching teachers, coaching parents

花了很多年在幼稚園教課、

指導老師、指導家長， 並分析我自己的教養方式之後，

and analyzing my own parenting,

I've realized our best intentions are getting in the way.

我發現我們的一片好意反而是阻礙。

We live in a comparison culture,

我們生活在愛比較的文化中，

and we worry that our child won't be good enough.

我們會擔心我們的孩子不夠好，

Won't be good enough for the soccer team,

不夠好而進不了足球隊，

won't be ready for kindergarten,

沒有準備好進入幼稚園，

won't be as smart as their classmates.

沒有像同學一樣聰明。

And we worry that if our child doesn't measure up,

且我們會擔心，如果 我們的孩子不符合標準，

it will be our fault.

那就是我們的錯。

Our hyperfocus on our children and our students’s success is backfiring.

我們過度注意

孩子和學生的成功，反而造成逆火，

And it's exacerbated by two forces I see impacting

還有兩股力量火上加油，

我認為這兩股力量會影響 大部分的家長和老師。

the large majority of parents and teachers.

First, the need for immediate gratification

第一，需要馬上感到滿意

and quick results.

還要很快看到成果。

And second, our own discomfort with play,

第二，我們自己對於 玩遊戲感到不舒服，

either because we don't have the time or energy,

有可能是因為我們 沒有時間精力去玩，

or because we just don't know how to play anymore.

也可能只是我們已經忘了要怎麼玩。

On the topic of immediate gratification,

說到要馬上感到滿意，我會回想起

I think back to that Excel document I created as a first-year teacher.

我教書第一年時做的 那個 Excel 文件。

That document was the manifestation of my anxiety,

那個文件其實就代表我的焦慮，

because often when we feel anxious or out of control,

因為，通常當我們感到 焦慮或無法掌控時，

we revert back to what we can control.

我們就會回頭找我們能掌控的。

For parents and teachers,

就家長和老師而言，

we often revert to fact-based teaching

我們通常會回到事實教學，

because we see pretty immediate results that affirm our efforts.

因為我們能馬上看到成果， 來肯定我們的努力。

Whereas we can't see the connections in the child's brain

相對的，我們無法看到 孩童在終於讓積木塔

that fire when they finally get that wobbly block tower to stay standing.

搖搖晃晃地豎立起來時， 大腦中的連結如何被激發。

The immediate result of something like our child learning a new letter,

而孩子學會一個新字母 這種立即的成果，

it gives us this dopamine rush that then sets off a flywheel effect

會讓我們多巴胺激增， 接著會引發飛輪效應，

because as we see and feel the results of our work more and more,

因為當我們越是看到、 感受到我們努力的成果，

we subconsciously begin to prioritize that type of teaching.

我們在潛意識就會開始 把那種教學擺在優先。

Recently, my staff was coaching a group of school principals

最近，我的團隊指導一群學校校長

on the importance of play.

玩遊戲的重要性。

And one of the principals said

其中一位校長

that his teachers just weren't on board.

說他旗下的老師就是無法參與。

They said their students are too far behind to play.

老師都說他們的學生 進度落後太多，不能玩。

And those well-intentioned teachers,

那些有著一片好意的老師，

they were equating academic learning that their students needed

他們認為他們的學生 所需要的學校學習就等同

with methods that would show quick, concrete results.

能夠快速展現具體成果的方法。

They felt really proud and accomplished

讓他們能感到驕傲和有所成的 就是能夠跟學生的家長說

when they could talk to the students' parents

and say how many letters and numbers they learned that month.

那個月學生學會了 多少個字母和數字。

Because we as parents and teachers,

因為，身為家長和老師，

we share this universal desire for our kids to do well.

我們通通都會渴望 我們的孩子能出類拔萃。

And we will pour our energy and resources into making that happen.

而我們會投入心力和資源來實現它。

And that's showing up in our spending habits.

這一點從我們的花費習慣可以看見。

Marketers are preying on it as they advertise the latest and greatest toys,

商人會利用這一點來廣告

最新最棒的玩具、教學卡片、

flashcards, iPad apps for brain development,

協助大腦發展的 iPad 應用程式，

even kits that claim to teach your baby to read.

甚至還有聲稱能教你的寶寶 如何閱讀的套裝玩具。

Seriously, babies.

真的，寶寶呢！

And because we worry that our kids won't measure up, we fall prey to that.

因為我們擔心自己的孩子無法 符合標準，我們就會上勾。

The global market for educational toys surpassed 68 billion dollars in 2021

教育玩具的全球市場

在 2021 年超過了 680 億美金，

and is projected to reach 132 billion by 2028.

預估在 2028 年可以 達到 1320 億美金。

But those smart toys,

但那些智慧玩具

they're a far cry from the interactive,

完全不同於我先前

playful learning that I was talking about earlier.

提到的互動式遊戲學習。

That type of learning, the real gold standard of early education,

那種學習，幼兒教育的 真正黃金標準，

it's not immediate.

不是立即性的。

It takes time and it doesn't lend itself to a checklist or an Excel document.

得要花時間，且並不會 符合一張核對清單

或一個 Excel 文件。

The second force I see negatively impacting play-based learning

我認為對遊戲式學習 有負面影響的第二股力量

is that we, as grown ups, parents and teachers,

是我們這些成人，家長和老師，

just don't always like hearing that play-based learning

不見得都喜歡聽到

遊戲式學習可能會需要我們參與。

might require some of us.

Because that means it will take time,

因為那表示要花時間、

energy and skills that we don't think we have.

心力，和技能，

而我們不認為我們具備。

But not only is it worth our time, it can be done in really small doses.

但這種學習不但值得花時間， 還可以用小劑量來進行。

So take this simple example of bath time.

舉個簡單的例子，洗澡時間。

If I'm a busy mom who has a few extra dollars to spend,

如果我是個忙碌的媽媽， 也沒有多少額外的錢可以花，

I might pop my kiddo into the tub,

我可能可以把我的孩子放到澡盆裡，

remember that buying bath toys has been on my never-ending mental to-do list

想起好幾週以來，買洗澡玩具 一直在我心中無止盡的

待辦事項列表上，

for weeks,

so I whip out my phone

所以我趕快拿出手機， 用那五分鐘上亞馬遜網站，

and I use that five minutes to go over to Amazon

and buy the top-rated bath toys.

購買排行榜上的洗澡玩具。

And I'm not here to say that those bath toys are harmful for your child.

我並不是要來這裡告訴大家 那些洗澡玩具對孩子有害。

They're not.

並沒有害。

But you're busy.

但你很忙，所以你用 那五到十分鐘能做什麼

So what you do with that five to 10 minutes, it matters.

就很重要。

And you know what would be way better than scrolling Amazon

你知道什麼比滑手機 看亞馬遜網站更讚，

and even better than those bath toys?

甚至比那些洗澡玩具更讚嗎？

Three things that I can almost guarantee you have in your home.

幾乎可以確定你家中 一定可以找到的三樣東西。

Measuring cups,

量杯、

kitchen sponges and you.

廚房海綿，和你。

Because a couple household materials dropped into the bathtub,

因為，把幾樣家中素材丟到澡盆裡，

and this mundane routine

這種平凡的慣例就會變成很有趣

becomes fun and surprisingly energizing bonding time

且竟還有充電效果的親子相處時間。

for you and your child.

And bonus,

額外的好處：

instead of the manufacturer-designed toy telling your child how to play,

不是靠由製造商設計的玩具

來告訴你的孩子如何玩遊戲，

your child's brain has to do the heavy lifting.

而是由你孩子的大腦來舉重，

And that's that superfood for the brain.

那就是大腦吃的超級食物。

Now, over the past 10 years coaching parents,

在過去十年，指導家長的過程中，

I have heard over and over again

我一而再再而三地聽到

that parents don't feel good enough at their job, at parenting.

家長覺得他們不夠擅長於 他們的工作，即教養。

And there's so much pressure on us,

我們承受很大的壓力，

and sometimes it feels like we're supposed to innately know

有時感覺好像我們天生就應該要知道

how to get down on the floor and build our baby's brains.

如何實際去建造孩子的大腦。

And over the past few years,

過去幾年，社群媒體世界快速普及，

the social media world has exploded

with even more advice for parents and teachers.

有更多給家長和老師的建議。

How to affirm children's feelings but still set clear boundaries.

如何肯定孩子的感受 但仍然能畫出清楚的界線。

15 ways to use a cardboard box in your classroom.

在教室中運用紙箱的 15 種方式。

And DIY Halloween costumes that are sure to win the school costume contest.

還有自己動手做萬聖節服裝， 保證贏得學校的服裝競賽。

And as I rattle those off,

我一口氣唸出這些時，我可以想像

I could just imagine the rolling eyes from parents and teachers,

家長和老師在翻白眼，

and I share that frustration.

而我也同樣感到挫折。

Because sometimes all the chatter

因為，有時，所有這些喋喋不休

only makes us feel more pressured to get it right.

只會讓我們更有壓力要把它做對。

When it comes to our children's learning, though,

但，就我們孩子的學習而言，

we don't have to be the perfect Etsy parent

我們不用扮演完美的 Etsy 家長

or the perfect Pinterest teacher.

或完美的 Pinterest 老師。

We have to prioritize interactions and be OK with them being imperfect.

我們得優先考量互動， 並接受它們不完美。

Because it may seem silly to admit that we don't feel good

因為感覺會很蠢，所以我們不想承認

我們並不擅長和自己的孩子玩，

at playing with our kids,

but as adults, it's not always intuitive.

但對成人來說， 玩遊戲並非那麼直覺。

Sure, most of us played a lot when we were little.

的確，我們小時候很會玩，

We'd tie the blankets around their neck

我們把毯子繞過脖子，在屋裡 像超級英雄一樣跳來跳去。

and bound around the house like superheroes.

But as we grew up, that type of play wasn't encouraged anymore.

但隨著我們長大， 那種玩法不再受到鼓勵。

And just as with any skill that we don't use,

正如同任何我們不再使用的技能，

we risk losing it.

會有失去它的風險。

A couple months ago, my colleague and I,

幾個月前，我和我的同事一起

we were leading a workshop for parents and teachers.

主持為家長和老師做的研討會，

And we brought materials like shaving cream

我們帶了很多素材去，如：

刮鬍膏、塑膠吸管、鈕扣，

and plastic straws and buttons

and pipe cleaners

以及煙斗清潔刷，

and just asked the parents and teachers to play,

並請家長和老師用它們來玩遊戲，

來創造。

to create.

Everyone froze.

大家都呆住了。

Then, slowly but surely, people started to create.

接著，確實大家慢慢地開始創造了。

And by the end of the session,

到了活動尾聲，

their faces were lighting up as they shared their creations

他們容光煥發地

和活動上的其他人分享 他們的創造成果。

with the rest of the group.

And it reminded me that as adults,

那提醒了我，身為成人，

we have to let go of our expectation that we get it right.

我們得放下，別一直期望要做對。

Because if we opt out of play,

因為，

如果我們選擇不去玩，

based on what we know about how important our interactions are

根據我們現在所知的，

我們的互動對孩童的發展十分重要，

to children's development,

if we opt out of play,

如果我們選擇不去玩，

it has major implications for their brain development.

對他們的大腦發展 會有很重大的影響。

Now I know that finding the energy

我也知道

要有動力去和我們的孩子 及學生玩遊戲並不容易。

to play with our kids and students can be hard.

Even in small doses,

即使只是小劑量，

it takes our undivided attention.

也還是需要我們專一的注意力。

But it’s so worth it.

但好值得。

Because in all my experience and research,

因為在我所有的經驗及研究中

I haven't found any evidence

並未發現任何證據證明

that making the homemade cookies for the school bake sale

為學校的烘培販售活動在家做餅干

matters for your child's brain development.

對孩童的大腦發展會很重要。

I haven't found any evidence that sewing that winning Halloween costume

我並未發現任何證據證明 縫製得獎的萬聖節服裝

means they'll do well in school.

表示他們在學校能出類拔萃。

But what does matter

但真正重要的，

is that the interactions leave space

是互動能夠留下空間

for your child to learn, to persist, to play, to experiment.

讓你的孩子能夠學習、

堅持、玩樂、實驗。

You have the power to have an enormous impact on their brain development.

你有能力可以大大影響

他們的大腦發展。

You are helping build the network of neural connections

你是在協助建造神經連結的網路，

that lay the foundation for all of their future learning.

為他們未來的所有學習奠定基礎。

So this week at bath time,

所以，我希望這週到了洗澡時間時

I hope that you'll put aside the top-rated toys,

你會把排行榜上的玩具擺一邊，

forget that mental to-do list for a moment,

暫時忘掉心中的待辦事項列表，

grab some measuring cups,

去拿一些量杯、

some kitchen sponges, and give it a try.

一些廚房海綿，試試看吧。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）