Learning as Adults
I was recently thinking about the way adults learn and why is it that we find it so hard to change practices even though we learn so many new ideas, strategies and principles. One reason could be that we only give ourselves time to read and understand new ideas, but don’t wait long […]
How can I Use Art Spirals to Facilitate Learning?
We have used different art and craft activities to promote learning in the classroom. Art spirals are the depiction of images or pictures on spiral pieces of paper. The art spiral activity can be introduced as an individual or group activity and can target skills like information processing (organizing, prioritizing and critical analysis […]
How Can I Make Homework Effective?
Homework is assigned to strengthen and promote learning and to teach students to take responsibility for their own learning process. To design homework that strives to attain these goals, can be a daunting task for many. Here are five strategies that can help you make homework effective.
The big ‘3’: Bear in mind three […]
How Does STEM Help Foster Innovation?
In a world of high-stakes testing, it is difficult to stay true to best practices in how students learn math and science. Yet, successful STEM teachers do. They create student-centered environments that require learners to think, act, and be scientists and engineers. Effective STEM instruction uses students’ prior experiences to connect the standards […]
Always Learning…
I’ve been speaking English my whole life. Reading and writing since I was about 5 years old. And yet, I find that I still have a lot I can learn.
Did you know?
The commonly used phrase “Five items or less” is actually wrong. It should be “Five items or fewer.”
A lot of people use […]
Formative Assessment: Why?
According to Lang, et al (2008), the formative assessment process came about from educators working on ways to accelerate student achievement and to help predict how well students will perform on standards-based statewide tests.
Lang is right on target, however, the general perception often is that standard-based learning and formative assessments should only be […]
Where Can I Get STEM Materials For My Classroom?
STEM education is an interdisciplinary approach to learning in which rigorous academic standards are integrated with real-world lessons to provide students with the skills to compete effectively in the global economy.
By using the preceding definition as the basis for all STEM instruction, it is easy to understand why specialized materials and equipment are […]
Can the Teacher’s Mood Impact Student Performance?
It is not uncommon for students to attribute your outburst in class to a bad mood or an “off day”. No matter how hard we try to hide it, students have an uncanny sense of ability to detect our moods and emotions. The problem, if and how our mood affects or influences student […]
Why is Long Term Memory So Important for Learning?
Long term memory is the ability to both store and recall information for later use. For example, the ease we have in spelling our first name vs. our need for practice to spell the name of the state where we live backward.
After a decision is made to keep the data, it is forwarded […]
How Can I Use Poster-Making to Facilitate Learning in the Classroom?
Art and craft activities have always been a favored medium to stimulate and develop creativity within students. Poster making and poster presentation is one such activity that is common in many classrooms. How can we make it even more effective to facilitate learning? Let’s take a look at some innovative ways by which […]
