A quality education is crucial to a child’s development and success. It teaches them to interact with people from different backgrounds, learn to accept differences, and become responsible members of society.
Access to education is a fundamental human right. Unfortunately, many children are denied this privilege because of conflict, natural disasters, poverty and isolation.
Learning Styles
Many people believe that children learn best when taught in their primary learning style. Some of these learning styles include visual learners who prefer to access information through pictures, diagrams and written instructions; auditory learners who prefer talking things through; and kinesthetic learners who like to move, use body movement and manipulate objects.
Quizzes, tests and online self assessments can help reveal your child’s preferred learning style. But as for whether learning styles really work, the evidence is mixed.
A number of studies have found that the ways people learn are more influenced by their personality and how they approach study than their preferred learning style. However, other research has shown that it’s important to tailor teaching methods to each student. Using analogies 6 or praising effort instead of intelligence 7 are good examples of these methods. This helps students feel more engaged and improves their understanding of the subject. It also increases their retention of new knowledge.
Teaching Styles
There are several teaching styles that teachers can use to engage students and deliver learning. Teachers often select their preferred style based on their personality and curriculum needs. A graduate degree program can teach teachers how to determine which style will best serve the learning needs of their students.
Lectures are ideal for introducing new concepts, but research supports more student-centered instruction to keep learners engaged. This involves more discussion, questioning and hands-on activities.
Teachers using the delegator style encourage group work on projects that are related to lesson themes. They may also use cooperative learning to enhance student comprehension. This is a modern teaching approach that shifts responsibility to students, but it can be criticized for eroding teacher authority. This style is ideal for a laboratory or inquiry-based classroom and it is well-suited to science and math lessons. It is not well-suited for English or history lessons that require more memorization and visual demonstrations.
Assessment Methods
Assessments help educators evaluate a child’s understanding of the curriculum. They can also highlight a child’s strengths and identify areas that need improvement. Assessments may include observations of children’s behaviors, interaction with other students, performance tasks, portfolios of student work and standardized tests.
Educators use formative assessments on a regular basis to check in with the children and give them real-time feedback about their learning. They may also use formative assessments to determine whether their teaching methods are working.
Authentic assessments assess children in their natural settings and activities, instead of in an artificial setting like a classroom or laboratory. Observational tools like checklists and rubrics provide a structured way for educators to evaluate children’s skills and behaviors. Performance tasks, such as putting together puzzles, show a child’s abilities in a real-life situation. Portfolios of children’s artwork, drawings and paintings, or photographs documenting a particular activity showcase their growth. Educators also use one-on-one conversations with the children to get a more detailed understanding of their knowledge and skills.
Curriculum
A curriculum is the framework for what students will learn over a given period of time. It also defines how the knowledge and skills that have been gathered will be taught and assessed. It can be developed from scratch or based on a published program. The curriculum should include learning goals that are both age-appropriate and aligned with recognized early learning standards. It should also be culturally and linguistically responsive to the children in the program.
A quality curriculum enables educators to provide meaningful activities that are child-centered and focused on learning through play. It should support student curiosity and build on their prior learning experiences. It should also help them make connections between subjects such as science, history and geography. It should be based on the philosophy that each child is a powerful learner and that they can reach their full potential in a nurturing environment. It should also encourage collaboration between students and their families by incorporating family-centered activities.