Have you noticed how different kids' backpacks are these days? And no, I'm not talking about the size or style - I'm talking about what's inside.
When I was in my primary and secondary years of schooling, my back-to-school shopping list contained items like #2 pencils, highlighters, fat pink erasers, a spiral-bound planner, a 2-inch binder, several reams of ruled paper, and maybe some folders and dividers.
All of these things were necessary to keep track of old and new assignments, in-class notes, daily handouts, and the coveted semester syllabus that would only be handed out once: don't lose it!
But things have changed. Kids now have smart phones and computers, electronic text books and digital calendars. Assignments are posted online, and papers can be researched and completed without setting foot in to a library. Students can skype their foreign academic pen-pals in real time instead of waiting weeks for paper mail.
Other parts of the world - different cultures, languages, methods of learning and teaching, ways of thinking and living have become so immediate and accessible that change in every realm (including the contents of a backpack!) now occurs at the speed of light.
The question these days, then, is not "how can we make kids focus and learn in a manner that follows tradition and present society " but "how can we make what we've learned from tradition and history relevant to an ever-changing social and economic educational environment?"
A lecture I attended a few months ago that focused on "educating students with learning challenges" played this animate by Sir Ken Robinson. The goal was to illuminate the concept that it's not that the kids with learning challenges are failing in our system, but more that our system is failing those kids - and more truly, all kids. Check it out!
Another thing I learned from the lecture, is the importance of Private SAT tutoring and how it can tremendously increase the mental preparation of a child. The SAT is a test that has changed over the years, becoming more and more focused on logic and reasoning, thus increasing the difficulty
Another thing I learned from the lecture, is the importance of Private SAT tutoring and how it can tremendously increase the mental preparation of a child. The SAT is a test that has changed over the years, becoming more and more focused on logic and reasoning, thus increasing the difficulty
5 comments:
Society is dynamic. We should always be ready on how to prepare our students to be able to cope with the ever-changing world they're living in.
Priorities changes with time and we should also look forward as the technology changes.Just make sure to use these things in an appropriate manner.
Speaking of technology in education, there is a new online marketplace where students and tutors can interact purely online. It's called Tutor Universe (www.tutoruniverse.com) and members can search tutors all over the world and set up online sessions using a 'virtual whiteboard' to break down problems, edit papers, talk with sound/video, etc. This is one of the positive ways that technology is moving in education and students can really benefit from a convenience service like this one. The technologically savvy kids of today probably appreciate this more than a face-to-face meeting with a tutor. Definitely something to check out!
I agree, there are phones and computers that help students now days in preparing for the exams. My own daughter has opted for the LSAT Prep online. This way she is able to study from wherever she is and also whenever she gets a free time she can practice online.
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