Whoosh
11/23/2019
In Spanish classes, Lower School students are occasionally heard saying “Whoosh,” while they run a hand over their heads. This is helpful behavior, because what they mean is, “You lost me somewhere.”
If students are listening, watching, or reading something they understand, they are building an implicit understanding of the language, whether or not they can identify individual words, and certainly without necessarily being able to translate into English. Translating is a completely different skill area, but even so, we often ask “¿Qué significa …?” or, “What does ... mean?” Asking the question slows the teacher down, and an observer might notice that the teacher asks not a student with a confused look, but rather another one who is sitting nearby. A student may not always be willing to admit that she doesn’t understand, or that he is lost in the flow. When the teacher stops to check comprehension, there is a chance for extra processing time, as well as the opportunity for students to get verification that what they think they understand is correct. Another way to make sure that students are understanding is to ask them to draw pictures of what we are reading or of the story that we are telling. Last week, the fifth graders drew pictures of the calacas (skeletons) in a story about Day of the Dead as they progressed down a street. Today’s pictures are supporting a story about a bad baby with grades three and four, and of the adventure when our heroes inadvertently joined the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, with our fifth-graders. Maybe we should all be checking for comprehension in daily life, because most of the problems in our world come from times that we are sure we’re being clear, but others understand something completely differently, and we end up talking past one another. Playing in the Woods
11/9/2019
In today’s society, children are becoming more and more disconnected from the natural world. With the help of television, computers, video games and cell phones, children have developed a lack of interest when it comes to spending quality time outdoors. Research suggests children without direct experiences in nature will miss out on crucial opportunities to enhance their overall well-being, health and relationships. Learn more about the positive benefits of playing outside with your child below. Supports CreativitySeveral studies have shown that children who play in nature develop more capacities for creativity, intellectual development and problem solving. The same studies also found that kids who engage in playtime outdoors also play more cooperatively with other children. Improves AcademicsAccording to the American Institutes for Research, studies in the U.S. show nature-based experiential education can support student gains in language arts, science, social studies and math. It was even discovered that students who participated in an outdoor science program actually improved their science testing scores by 27%. Increases Physical ActivityImagine a child playing in a small patch of the woods, where trees can be used to build forts, or utilized as cover during a game of hide-and-go-seek. Children who are exposed to diverse natural settings, like parks and playgrounds, are more physically active and aware of nutrition than children who are not. Improves Social SkillsWhen children are free to roam the outdoors with unstructured playtime, their social skills will increase significantly, and their ability to get along with other children will greatly improve. Unstructured play outside will help your child learn to share, negotiate, problem solve, and most importantly, work with others as a team. Reduces StressLike adults, children can feel more relaxed after a long walk around the park. Researchers have found that the presence of green plants and green surroundings can reduce anxiety among highly stressed children. Improves Self ConfidenceIf your child suffers from low self-esteem, try exposing them to nature on a daily basis. Studies have found that inner city children who have access to green spaces have an enhanced sense of peace, self control and self discipline, especially in girls. |
Specialist & Enrichment Teachers Archives
February 2021
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