In our last blog post, we talked about 10 different types of learning journals that can help students think. Today we will extend that list by providing 10 more examples of learning journals. To read part one of this post, please click here. 11. Five W’s Journal. This journal is framed through the iconic five W’s questions: who, what, when, where, and why. Students simply start with a concept, then ask and answer five questions,…
Read More »A learning journal is an ongoing collection of writing dedicated to learning–that is, writing done for the purpose of learning rather than the purpose of demonstrating learning. Learning journals are often named for a specific purpose and/or format, such as a creative writing journal. Even a personal blog can be a kind of journal if the blogging is done in order to promote, deepen, or extend learning of some kind. There are as many types…
Read More »Creativity is an incredibly valuable skill. All too often, we outgrow our imagination with age due to an encroaching sense of self doubt, an ingrained belief that it’s an impractical pursuit, or firm guidance from more experienced grown-ups advising engineering over art school. Although almost everyone would agree that creativity is important, budget cuts to areas of education like art and music programs demonstrate differently. Creativity should be encouraged along with technical knowledge, since the…
Read More »Many of the back-to-school tips available are targeted towards teachers, but it’s essential for students to have a great support system in place at home as well as in the classroom. The more informed your family is by asking your child’s teacher questions, the more seamlessly students can transition from summer to school. Below are some questions parents can ask teachers to better clarify what is happening in the classroom. Some of these questions may…
Read More »September has arrived, and the feeling of fall is in the air. With the changing of the season comes the opportunity to put in place some back-to-school habits that can help your children build their literacy skills. Here are four practical ideas to help your family kick-off the school year. 1. Keep Up With a Reading Log Many schools request children to read at home several times a week. Even if the school does not…
Read More »We live in a world of screens, and in this digital age full of so many devices and distractions, it’s become one of the things parents worry about most: How much time should kids spend staring at their phones and computers? When it comes to technology use, what’s the right balance between privacy and self-discovery? Research continues to provide answers on how parents are navigating this world with their children. A recent study that looked…
Read More »In practice, proficiency-based learning can take a wide variety of forms–there’s no universal approach! The following principles of proficiency-based learning describe the common features found in the most effective proficiency-based systems, and can therefore help teachers and schools learn how to best understand and utilize this method. All learning expectations must be clearly and consistently communicated to students and families. This includes long-term expectations like graduation requirements and standards, short-term expectations like learning objectives for…
Read More »in Culture, Mental Health, Parent-Child Advice, Stress management
According to social scientists, a mindset based on self-doubt leads to two common coping mechanisms among children and young adults. The first is called “self-handicapping,” which is when students underperform as a way to shield themselves from the psychic consequence of working hard yet doing poorly. The other is “subjective overachievement,” which is taking heroic measures to guarantee a successful outcome, and attributing that success solely to effort. The overachieving variant of self-doubt is common…
Read More »As young children begin to take notice of gender equality and the differences in social expectations for gender roles, the ways in which their teachers interact with them become more weighted. These interactions also create long-lasting effects in other areas of their lives, at times limiting their self-image and their perception of the opportunities that are available or appropriate for them. This trend is especially apparent in the shortage of women who pursue education and…
Read More »Imagination is what drives all creativity in our world; it enables clear thinking and inspires our sense of humanity. Imaginative play comes naturally to children, but it’s a habit of mind that needs to be taught and reinforced later in life. While imagination is vital to a clear mind, it’s not something that’s widely taught or understood, especially among older students. In a 2007 study of prospective teachers, 68% said they believed students needed to…
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