The Active Student

Our students today are always "on". They multi-task much more than I ever did as a child - texting, gaming, Instagram, twitter, selfies, social media......they are in a constant state of heightened "stimulation".  Students have become acclimatized to this state and may actually learn better when active. I recently took a course on Mindfulness and just taking time to be aware of the present moment. I believe that our students need support with this as well. This post on Edutopia pertains to ADHD students in supporting concentration but what I like is the implication for all students that learning can occur within a non-traditional setting. Students should be given the opportunity to move and, as educators, we do whatever we can to keep our students engaged. Have a look.

The Power of Play

I recently watched this video and considered its implications for what we see in our classrooms on a daily basis. I agree with Dr. Gray that play fosters independence, self esteem and sense of capacity to solve problems. The way children play has changed. Many students play video games with friends online. Would this form of play elicit the same results? Or is there something more needed - like more sensory/tactile-kinesthetic opportunities, social context, etc to develop coping skills? Within a classroom, I believe we can foster a similar play context through the use inquiry-based learning, regardless of grade level. Have a look at Dr. Gray's video.