Category: Brain Development

Posted on

When Learning and Fun Collide

When learning and play collide, magic happens. I’ve seen it happen in the classroom, at home, and out in the wild. As a parent and teacher, not much makes me happier than to see children having fun and learning while they do it. 

Last week, we headed out of town for a few days with my husband’s family. We mostly did fun recreational activities— swimming, hiking, playing games, etc.— typical things you might do on a vacation. But lucky for us, there was a children’s museum where we were staying, and we got to spend one of our mornings there. Not only was the museum fun for the kids, it was packed with educational opportunities throughout the entire museum. My kids range in ages from ten years old down to four years old, and all five of them were entertained the entire time we were there. 

Each room in the museum had a different theme, providing a plethora of learning opportunities. There was something there for everyone— even the adults in our family played and learned!

In the construction room, there were different kinds of blocks and things to build with. There was a wall with pipes and tubes you could use to construct a path to send a ball through. There was a 3D printer, actively printing something, and a display next to the printer showing different kinds of printing methods and types. 

In the farm and animal room, you could learn how to milk a cow or plant a garden. You could also become a veterinarian and x-ray different animals— with real x-ray images displayed on the screen. 

In the America room, you could learn all about the constitution and our Founding Fathers. You could also play with an interactive map that showed and taught about different landmarks around the state. 

The science room was my favorite! There, we learned how a tornado was formed, experimented with magnetic force, created frozen shadows, played with light refraction, learned about sound waves, and put together a model of the human body. 

There was a dinosaur room, full of information and experiences about dinosaurs, volcanoes, and earthquakes. The library room had lots of cozy little spots and shelves full of books to read. The mining room taught kids about pulleys and levers as they moved “rocks” from one level of the room to the other. There was a barrel lift exercise that led to a lesson about levers and fulcrums and how changing the pivot point makes a difference in ease of lifting the load. 

In the music room, kids could play on a giant floor piano, play some drums, experiment with different notes and pitches, and learn about different sounds. The art room provided different mediums to experiment with. 

They even had a “gym” where kids could practice basketball, throwing, pull ups, rock climbing, balancing, or test their jump height. Parents could be spectators on the mini bleachers they had in the room. 

There was a theater room, complete with a stage, costumes, and music. The bank was a fun way to learn about money, and the grocery store was a fun place to learn about healthy food choices. The car shop let kids perform maintenance on a (pretend) car, and the airport let kids learn about flying a plane. 

With so many different things for kids to do, it’s no wonder we had a hard time pulling our kids away for lunch, and with so many things for kids to learn about, it’s no wonder the parents were eager to let the kids participate! I’m sure the kids didn’t realize how much knowledge they were taking in while they played— they were having so much fun. But as a parent, I loved letting them run and explore, learn, and experiment as they played, knowing that their minds were working and learning as they figured out how to do things at the museum. 

It made me think about how so much of what we learn comes from daily living, where we are experimenting, problem solving, and figuring it out as we go. Sure, we can sit in a classroom for the duration of the school day, and we really can learn a lot while there, but there is definitely something to be said for the learning that happens outside the classroom. So often, people don’t see learning as fun, but in reality, there are so many opportunities around us that can provide fun, engaging, and educational experiences for kids and adults alike. And the magic that happens when those three things intersect is unlike anything else.

Posted on

Make it Make Sense!

A few nights ago, I was sitting with my son while he read out loud to me. He is in first grade, so he is still trying to figure out words, sounds, and rules of the English language. He really is a great reader, and he’s catching on quickly, but with so many rules and exceptions to those rules, he’s had some frustrating moments. 

On this night in particular, he was reading a sentence that had the word ‘clean’ in it. His initial pronunciation was something along the lines of “clihaahn”. When he couldn’t figure it out on his own, I stepped in to help him. I told him how to correctly pronounce the word, then explained that when there is an ‘e’ and an ‘a’ next to each other, it will make an ‘eee’ sound. … and then we got to the next page, where there was the word ‘great’ waiting for us, and the little lesson I’d just given him was no longer valid for this new word. Imagine his confusion when I had to explain that sometimes the ‘e’ and the ‘a’ make a different sound together. 

Take, for instance, the following words: clean, great, heart, early, and head. All contain the ‘ea’ digraph… and none of them sound the same! Or take into consideration through, though, tough, cough, and bough. Again, same letter combination, but all pronounced differently. Make it make sense!! 

Not only do we have digraphs that make different sounds, we also have homophones— words that sound the same, but are spelled differently and have different meanings! Sheesh! As if it wasn’t complicated enough already. Trying to keep it all straight is enough to drive a grown person crazy. Thinking about this is flashing me back to my teaching days when the core curriculum required me to teach a certain set of homophones to each grade level. Let me tell you: teaching seventh graders to understand the difference between capitol and capital, principle and principal, there, they’re, and their, and allowed and aloud was quite the task! I found myself coming up with all sorts of creative ways to help them remember the difference between words. 

As someone who has been speaking and reading the English language for a while now, I feel like I have a pretty good grasp on how to pronounce most words. My brain has been programmed and wired to be able to read a word, determine which sound(s) the letter combinations will make, and pronounce the word, all in a matter of fractions of a second. It’s really quite remarkable that our brains can do what they do! Honestly, it’s so automatic that I really don’t even think about the process of figuring out how to pronounce a word anymore. That is, until I’m sitting with my kids while they read, and then I am reminded of just how complex our language is. 

I’m reminded that I, too, was once in the position of not knowing which ‘ea’ words made a long ‘e’ sound, which made a long ‘a’ sound, and which made a ‘eh’ sound. I once struggled to make sense of the letters and words on the pages in front of me, too, and that’s okay. It’s in the struggle of learning that we make sense of things and train our minds to remember the rules and parameters of our language. 

Every time I’m in a position of helping someone learn how to read, I am reminded just how tricky it can be. These reminders have prompted me to be a little more patient and kind. So when I want to loudly exclaim, “Gahhh! Don’t you know that read and great don’t sound the same and don’t rhyme, but phony and bologna do?!”, I tell myself that learning this language is hard, and it’s going to take practice and time for new learners to figure it all out. It’s a slow process, but one that is undeniably worth every single bit of effort, time, and mistake along the way, for teaching someone to read is setting them up for a lifetime of success.

Posted on

Homework Isn’t Just Worksheets

We can all agree that there are pros and cons to giving kids homework, and that it really should only be given if it’s meaningful. Reading, for example, is homework I’m never mad about. Building reading skills is crucial for life long success, and the more kids do it, the better they will be at it. Sending home a coloring page, however, doesn’t seem as meaningful to me. Fun? Sure. But a good use of precious after-school time? Not so much. 

I saw a social media post the other day that got me thinking about things that aren’t assigned as homework, but maybe should be. Skills that are important for every day life, people skills, and problem solving skills. Grading them would be subjective, and participation and effort would matter more than the outcome, but what is learned/gained would set kids up for long term success beyond the walls of the classroom. 

How would something like this be assigned and evaluated? I suppose it depends on the skill being practiced. Perhaps teachers can create a “menu” of possible skills for students to choose from. Maybe some teachers would want to assign everyone in the class the same task to work on. Some might even want to create “task groups” where small groups of students are all given a certain task and can help each other and cheer each other on. Evaluation might look like parents signing a log, pictures, written reflection, or some other tangible or observable result of the student’s practice. 

What kinds of things would be assigned? I think this depends on your students’ needs and situations. Obviously, a high school teacher is going to assign some things that are geared more toward older kids, such as learning to balance a bank account, whereas a kindergarten teacher might assign something like learning to tie shoes. 

Here’s a few ideas to get you started:

  • Learning to balance a bank account
  • Learning to make a phone call and set an appointment or order food— not everything has to be done through an app
  • Going to the store to make a purchase— selecting your items, conversing with a cashier, and sticking to a budget are great skills
  • Cooking a simple meal (with adult supervision)
  • Spending time outside— fresh air does wonders for both the body and mind
  • Doing a puzzle or playing a board game with at least one other person— teamwork, cooperation, and good sportsmanship are essential
  • Sitting down to eat a meal as a family— a great chance to have good conversations
  • Helping with household chores— those skills are needed!
  • Helping people
  • Learning how to write a letter, address an envelope, and send it in the mail
  • Go to the library, get a library card, and check out some books
  • Free play— giving kids unstructured play time is SO important for their imaginations
  • If possible, learning how to maintain a yard
  • Learning how to give and receive compliments
  • When it’s an appropriate age, learning to ask someone out on a date, face-to-face
  • Finding a good sleep routine
  • Screen-free time— it’s good for so many reasons
  • Spending time at a retirement or assisted living facility— the older generation can teach us so much
  • Meditation 

Some might argue that parents should be incorporating these skills into their family’s routines and lives, but not all family situations allow for things like this, and unfortunately, not all parents are supportive and involved in their children’s lives. 

And yes, teachers already do so much, using their days to teach core subjects. But I don’t know of a single teacher that wouldn’t mind devoting at least a little bit of time to helping their students build skills that will set them up for life long success. 

Regardless of where you stand regarding these things being assigned as homework, I’m sure we can all agree that the rising generation needs support, guidance, and encouragement as they navigate life and learn essential skills. 

What else would you add to the list above?

Posted on

Learning Can Be Fun?

I typically only have one of my kids home with me each afternoon, but yesterday my kindergartner was home sick. My preschooler was excited to have a buddy at home with her, and insisted they play with our magnetic tiles. I got them out of the closet and expected them to start building and creating with them. Instead of doing that, I was surprised to see that they had begun to sort the tiles by size, shape, and color. My teacher heart leaped as I watched them unintentionally engage themselves in a pre-math activity. Learning without them knowing it’s learning? Yes, please!

These kinds of activities are a win-win for both kids and teachers (or parents). The kids are going about the task, having fun playing, all the while learning or practicing skills or knowledge they have learned. Oftentimes as teachers, we purposely set up these kinds of activities for our students. We try to plan and execute fun, engaging ways to teach our content. We intentionally create opportunities for fun in our classrooms— sometimes students can hardly believe that they are actually having a fun time at school! 

Sometimes these kinds of activities and learning opportunities happen naturally, without us even trying, such as what happened with my kids and their magnetic tiles. These unintentional lessons can be a gateway to further learning as kids experiment with methods, concepts, and ideas. They can lead to increased problem solving, hypothesis forming, and further investigation. 

If we can get students to become active participants in their learning, they are more likely to remember what is being taught. Connecting an experience to a concept allows for the brain to create a new synapse or neural pathway. It’s amazing! Allowing the brain to work cooperatively with the hands, eyes, ears, and other senses heightens the learning experience and makes it more memorable. 

When we allow kids to push the limits of learning on their own, amazing things happen. If we let go of some of the control over an activity or task, oftentimes students will take control and learn more than we had planned for— which is never a bad thing! It’s hard sometimes to let go and allow students to explore, but the reward can be great if we do. 

Giving students the opportunity to take initiative with what they are learning lends itself to students becoming more engaged and interested in the learning process. It’s especially amazing if they get to a point where they forget or don’t even realize that they are learning or doing school work. Having fun and learning? A golden combination, for sure!

Posted on

Four Square Slap Jack

We’re down to the last few weeks of summer break where we live, and we’re feeling it! Since I don’t have the energy to take all five of my kids to the splash pad or pool every day, I’ve had to use my creative energy to come up with activities for them to do. That’s not to say that I provide them with entertainment every second of every day— they have plenty of time to use their own imaginations and come up with their own fun. Sometimes they just need a little encouragement from me! 

I recently saw a fun idea that someone had posted, and decided to put my own twist on it and share it with you. I’m calling it Four-Square Slap Jack, and the goal of the game is for players to be the first to put their hand down on a paper whose category was NOT called out. For example, players have four papers in front of them, each with a different shape printed on it (circles, hearts, stars, and triangles). The caller calls out a category, and players race to put their hands on any other paper than that which was called. So if “hearts” was called, they place their hands on circles, stars, or triangles. 

This activity is great for younger kids, as it helps with shape recognition as well as hand-eye coordination, both of which are great skills for kids to learn and practice. It’s also a great activity to promote careful listening. I know I’m not the only parent or teacher who loves a fun game that is also educational! I’ve attached the game and instructions below— feel free to print off a copy and have fun. 

Oh, and as an added bonus, this game is great for days when you’re completely exhausted and just can’t muster up the energy to run around and play with your kids— it’s easy to play while relaxing on the couch!

This game can also be used in the classroom as a group activity or even a whole class activity.

** The printable game is free to download, but please do not re-sell, distribute, or claim as your own.**

Four-Square Slap JackDownload
Posted on

The Great Cell Phone Debate

Last week, our school district sent out an email containing their new cell phone policy. My kids are still too young to have a phone, but I read through the document so I was aware of the changes. For elementary and middle/junior schools, cell phones must be left in backpacks and settings must be that they cannot receive notifications during school hours. If a student needs to contact a parent or guardian, they must either go to the office and use the school phone or they can take their cell phone to the office and use once they are in the office. Smart watches are ok to be worn, but must be set so that they cannot receive or send notifications. For high school students, rules are the same, but phones can be used during class changes, lunch break, and before/after school hours. 

The new policy was received with mixed reactions, as one would expect. I was at a neighborhood gathering later that day, and it seemed to be a big topic of conversation. All of the adults were happy about the policy, but all of the teens I spoke with were less than thrilled about it. Which, honestly, is exactly what I expected the reactions to be. 

The teens were not excited about not having instant access to their phones. “But what if my mom needs to text me during the day?” one of the girls asked. To which I told her, “If it’s a big enough emergency, she can call the front office, and they will get a message to you! If it’s not a big emergency, then it can wait!” … She was not excited about my answer. 

I think her response was rooted in more than a fear that her parents wouldn’t be able to immediately get hold of her; I think it was based in panic that her phone wouldn’t be right with her at all times. We have all become so used to having our phones in our hand, pocket, or purse at all times that the thought of being without it often causes an uneasiness and uncertainty. It’s an interesting phenomenon that is unique to this period of time. 

From a teacher’s perspective, I see some great benefits from this new policy. I love the idea of phones being completely out of sight and not on them all the time. Digital distraction is real. I haven’t been in the classroom for eight years now, so this problem wasn’t nearly what it is now, but I would have really loved not having to ask students several times to put their phones away— and I had a no phones policy in my classroom! The idea of having my students be more present in class is one I can get behind. The focus that can come when a device is not attached to someone is incredible. There is also the problem of devices being used to cheat on assignments or tests. I’d like to say that all teachers are super aware and on top of things that are happening in their classrooms, and would be aware enough to catch a cheating student, but I think we all know that just isn’t the case, unfortunately. Not having phones immediately available is a good thing when it comes to sneaky students who want to cheat. 

I remember allowing my students to use their phones to read (I taught English, and we did daily reading time). We also often had times where I allowed students to listen to music with headphones while we did independent work— most of them had music on their phones, so it worked really well and made for a very quiet classroom. Sometimes phones came in handy during writing/research assignments when we weren’t in the computer lab and someone needed to look up a quick fact or something. Even though phones were useful for these things, I don’t see a no phone policy being a problem today, as most secondary students are issued their own school-owned Chromebook that they can use. And honestly, reading from a real, physical book is quite a treat and is not all that inconvenient. 

The other question that arises is should the district be able to dictate this kind of thing for teachers? Should teachers be able to institute their own cell phone policy within their own classrooms? Obviously, most teachers would likely be on board with phones being out of sight during class, but there are some teachers that do allow for occasional phone use and have a little more flexibility. I don’t know if there are any easy answers here.

What I do know is that when at school, students need to be focused and present. The texts, posts, and games can wait. Education is crucial, and it’s alarming how many students today don’t think it is. We cannot avoid phones and other digital devices— they are almost a necessity for living in today’s modern society. But we can be better about when and where we use them, and I know we can definitely be better about how, when, and where we allow our children and students to use them. Their young, developing brains do not need screens all day every day. In fact, they’ll be better off with minimal screen time. 

While this great cell phone debate is real, is a hot topic, and doesn’t have easy answers, it’s one we face today. Where do you stand on this issue?

Posted on

Avoiding the Summer Slide

Just looking at the name, the term “summer slide” seems like it might be a fun thing! Summer? Slide? Wahoo! In reality, though, a summer slide in the context of education isn’t as fun as it might seem. When we talk about a summer slide, we are referring to what happens when students get an extended break from learning. Sometimes it is also referred to as the summer slump. Without constant practice, many students tend to regress and forget some of what they have learned during the school year. 

Keeping information fresh in their minds will help kids to more easily jump back into learning in the fall when school starts back up again. In addition to an easier transition back into school, summer learning practice helps kids’ minds stay active and growing. This can be done through various methods. Below, you will find a few ideas to help your kids stay on track during summer break and avoid the summer slide.

For mid-upper grades:

  • Encourage daily reading. Most public libraries have a free summer reading program, offering prizes and other incentives as kids read books. You can also download my free summer reading tracker here.
  • Find and print some pre-made worksheets. The inter webs are teeming with options, many of which are free! You can easily find a plethora of downloadable worksheets for any grade or any subject. Some good websites to try include Pinterest, Teachers Pay Teachers, or Super Teacher Worksheets.
  • If you’d rather have a book of worksheets for your kids to work through, rather than printing off a bunch, there are many options for practice workbooks that can be ordered through Amazon or other retailers.
  • Print off or create some building block challenge cards and have your kids use their imaginations to create whatever the card suggests. Some ideas might be to use blocks to build a house, car, flower, animal, and so on.

For preschool-lower grades:

  • Incorporating learning into their play time is a great way to get them engaged and excited about learning practice. 
  • Puzzles are a fantastic way to keep young (and more mature!) minds active and engaged.
  • Cut out several paper shapes of varying sizes and colors. Have your kids sort them by shape, color, or size. You can even have them order the shapes from largest to smallest or smallest to largest. 
  • Practice letter and number writing using different mediums such as play-doh, pipe cleaners, string, etc. 
  • Do an alphabet search and match activity by writing all 26 letters (lower case) of the alphabet on a large piece of paper. Use 26 sticky note sheets and write all 26 letters in upper case. Hide the papers around the house and have your kids find them then match the upper case letter to it’s correct lower case partner. 
  • Using the same idea as the alphabet search and match, do a number search and match, where you have kids match the numeral form to the word form of a number (ex: 1 and one). You can also write numerals on a large piece of paper. On sticky notes, draw dots or shapes to match the numerals you have on the larger paper (ex: 5 on the large paper and five dots on a smaller paper).
  • Incorporate math into snack time by having your kids count out how many crackers, marshmallows, apple slices, etc. they have on their plates. 

The options are endless, and they don’t have to be expensive or fancy. Sometimes the best activities are the simplest. The goal is to provide kids with opportunities to keep their minds active and engaged during the summer months, with the hope that come fall, their minds will be able to more easily transition to learning mode.