Through the concept of constructivism, a child is encouraged to learn through determining his own path of knowledge and individual process. Each child is different and special, just like their learning, and constructivism supports the idea that we construct our own understanding of the world we live in through generating rules and ideas based on individual experiences and trial and error. With the learning theory of constructivism, there are no flash cards or standardized tests. Instead, the child is supported to follow his instinct and create his own knowledge and strategies for understanding and learning. What is Constructivism? The history [...]

Read more ...

Observational learning is what it sounds like, learning through observing. The old saying, “monkey see, monkey do,” is fitting when discussing this learning theory. With the child’s internal motivation to learn and accomplish new things, observational learning is the first way of exploring her abilities. She see’s a caregiver’s smile and reciprocates it. She hears her parents’ voices and mimics the sounds. Observational learning allows the brain to tap into its inner need to excel and advance at the most basic level – watching and doing. Observational Learning and The Brain Albert Bandura, a leading researcher in the area of [...]

Read more ...

Every September, the incoming group of kindergarteners becomes ever so slightly older.  When I had my daughter almost twenty years ago, I remember a friend of mine exclaiming, “Oh, you’re so lucky, she’s birthday-blessed!” The term referred to her fall birth date, and the fact that she would automatically be one of the oldest students in her class. But in this high-octane world of parenting, we are seeing an increasing wave of academic “redshirt” decisions, especially for “Summer Birthday Boys,” in an effort to give them an academic, social, and athletic advantage by orchestrating their position among oldest and biggest [...]

Read more ...

A reader recently commented in response to this post about learning styles that he’d like to know more about learning styles such as what is a learning style, what is the definition of this term, what are the different types, what is the method to determine your learning style, and what tools can be used.  This article was written in response to his questions. Each person is different and special in his or her own way. Part of what makes an individual unique is how she learns and discovers new things. We use our senses to understand the world around us, and [...]

Read more ...

This is an amazing time we live in. Technology is advancing every day leading to new ways to do things, problem solve, and educate ourselves. As well as being extremely entertaining, digital games are also introducing youth to new concepts and areas of learning. In fact, playing video games may have great benefits for the educational system when used correctly. Video games came onto the scene in the 1970’s through the rudimentary Magnavox Odyssey, but when Atari Pong was introduced in the mid 1970’s, Atari started a video game movement that is still going strong today. Currently, Sony Playstation and Nintendo [...]

Read more ...

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. Types of Learning Styles There are three learning styles – visual, auditory, and kinesthetic and tactile. Kids that enjoy reading, are organized, [...]

Read more ...