Inspiring the love of learning in active learners of all ages.

Learning Styles & Children

Our brains translate everything around us and turn it into useful information, and we each have a learning style that works best for translating that information. Understanding a child’s learning style can aid in their ability to learn and also enhance their future abilities. According to Family Education, 20 to 30 percent of learners remember through hearing, 40 percent retain information visually, and the rest either have higher memory retention after writing something down or through real-life activities. Read the rest of this entry »

No Testing, Please: We’re Teaching (and Learning)!

Teachers in Ontario, Canada, recently called for a ban on standardized testing (“Standardized Testing, Perception, & Reality”). It appears there is increased interest in abandoning the test mania that has dominated education for the past fifteen years. A high school in New Hampshire has decided to eliminate midterm and final exams (“Finals and Midterms are Out of School in Plaistow”). Donald Woodworth, principal of Timberlane Regional High School, estimates that teachers will pick up eight additional instructional days by eliminating midterms and finals. If anything, his estimate is low. Read the rest of this entry »

Memory Games

The last days of summer are slipping by and kids are gearing up for heading back to the classroom and continuing down the path of learning. Get them jumpstarted with some fun memory building activities that will entertain and educate on ways to memorize facts and use their powerful brains. Read the rest of this entry »

Self-Efficacy

Albert Bandura may be most well known for his work on social cognitive theory and observational learning.  But it’s important for educators and parents to know about a buried treasure at the heart of social cognitive theory – self-efficacy beliefs.  Self-efficacy is what helps nurture effort, perseverance, resilience, serenity, and optimism in the face of adversity. Read the rest of this entry »

Standardized Testing, Perception and Reality

With increased backlash against excessive testing both in the US and in other countries, elementary teachers in Ontario have taken a stand, asking that standardized testing in grades 3 and 6 be suspended for the next two years (“Elementary teachers call for a time-out on standardized testing”). Read the rest of this entry »