Integrated
technology
Kids today are born in the age
of the Internet. Most of them are technologically savvy. Therefore, to be able
to connect with these kids better, educators should not lag behind. They have
to learn to speak their language by becoming more aware of the technologies.
Integrating technology basically means exploiting the interests of the child
and strengthening their technical skills. In addition, the connectivity that comes
with the use of the Internet makes it imperative for teachers to stress on the
significance of Internet safety.
Cooperative
learning structures
Instructions that are teacher-centered
are no longer successful. Educators today use a more learner-centered approach.
Cooperative learning helps in sparking engagement in classrooms by promoting
interaction among fellow students. The educator, rather than calling on one child
at a time to respond, facilitates involvement of all the students in peer discussion
of the materials and lessons in small groups, ensuring thus their active participation.
Differentiated
instruction
Educators can customize
learning to cater to different students with different needs. Basically, there
are three major learning styles: kinesthetic, visual, and auditory. Teachers
can differentiate by creating assignments that match the readiness levels of
students, offering the right extension or intervention activities as needed. Letting
kids choose activities as per their areas of interest and giving choices to
kids would be a great way to keep them motivated.
Goal
setting
Involving students in the
process of goal setting is another rewarding strategy to motivate them to take responsibility
of their own learning. During the early stages, goal setting has to be
performed in a clear and simple way – for instance, an open conversation with
the students about their interests and progress in particular areas. Teachers
can facilitate goal setting as well with the help of anchor charts, organizers
and the like. Basically, helping kids reach their goals requires teachers to offer
frequent feedback and provide enough time for self-reflection.
Cross-curricular
teaching
In the past, traditional methodology
taught subjects in isolation. Today the methodology of cross-curricular teaching
of several subjects simultaneously is found to be a more effective. It helps students
acquire learning skills and understand concepts much more efficiently.
Of course this approach does
demand a lot from the teacher. It is easy to blend subjects like science, math
and social studies with writing and reading. But it is indeed challenging to blend
all the subjects at once. However, the method really works: not only does it tell
the students what they must learn, but also engages them in uncovering and exploring
the information in a meaningful and logical way.
Evaluation
procedures
Assessment of learning is a
process of data-gathering that is used by educators to help personalize
instruction to match the needs of the student. Summative assessment does not
always offer a clear picture. Also, it will be too late to use the data
gathered thus for constructive remedial measures. The educator is under
compulsion to move on to the next goal, leaving several students behind who have
not completely grasped the previous material yet.
To prevent this from happening,
educators can evaluate how the students learn while they teach, using
questioning strategies, observations, classroom discussions, learning logs,
exit tickets, peer assessments, slate work, self-assessment and the like.
Following
these strategies will ensure the overall development of the children, helping
them reach their optimal levels of performance and intelligence.
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