Post by quincyessex on Aug 7, 2011 23:15:45 GMT -5
Being the almost 18-year-old sister to a 9-year-old with autism, a 7-year-old and a 3-year-old can get quite annoying sometimes. But before it gets annoying, it becomes fun and exciting to listen to what they have to say and to watch them run around and play. They all have their separate toys and videogames and movies, yet they still work together to just simply have fun. They combine their imaginations and the sparks fly. These boys live in their own parcosm, only emerging into the real word when they feel like it. If my brothers were to meet Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman, they'd say that they are going to be very smart when they get to be my age.
Recently, a lot of the school systems have been switching over to project-based learning. Although it's strange to suddenly be immersed in projects, I feel like it helps me learn the material better. I can apply the information in my own creative way, explaining it in a way that's easy for me to understand.
As a student, I feel that project-based learning starting at an early age and continued through high school can keep the creativity of students going, as well as even improve it. With projects come questions; with questions come answers formed purely from creativity. Bronson and Merryman spoke about how when students hit middle school, they reach the age of boredom in school. It becomes hard to focus on the material because they get bored. In turn, the flow of questions they asked before middle school stopped. Bronson and Merryman stated, “They didn’t stop asking questions because they lost interest: it’s the other way around. They lost interest because they stopped asking questions.” I find this to be very true because of my own experience. I don't ask a lot of questions, and in response, lose interest. When the lessons are based around projects, the majority of students tend to do better as well as learn what the teachers are trying to teach them.
So here's the question: should projects be a bigger part of the education curricula? The answer: YES. Projects help to stir the thoughts and ideas of students and allow them to apply the information in a way that helps them learn it. If instituted in elementary and middle schools, the imaginations of the students will excel, helping them succeed later in life.
Seeing these three little boys play in their parcosm and sharing their thoughts with the real world makes a sister wonder how far they'll go in life. They love learning and being able to bring home good grades to show their mom. “Look, mom! I got them all right!” they shout, and mom hangs it up on the fridge for every guest to see. With it being proven that creativity plays a big role in the learning process, it would kill me to see their imaginations and their interest in learning disappear simply because they can't be creative with their answers.
Recently, a lot of the school systems have been switching over to project-based learning. Although it's strange to suddenly be immersed in projects, I feel like it helps me learn the material better. I can apply the information in my own creative way, explaining it in a way that's easy for me to understand.
As a student, I feel that project-based learning starting at an early age and continued through high school can keep the creativity of students going, as well as even improve it. With projects come questions; with questions come answers formed purely from creativity. Bronson and Merryman spoke about how when students hit middle school, they reach the age of boredom in school. It becomes hard to focus on the material because they get bored. In turn, the flow of questions they asked before middle school stopped. Bronson and Merryman stated, “They didn’t stop asking questions because they lost interest: it’s the other way around. They lost interest because they stopped asking questions.” I find this to be very true because of my own experience. I don't ask a lot of questions, and in response, lose interest. When the lessons are based around projects, the majority of students tend to do better as well as learn what the teachers are trying to teach them.
So here's the question: should projects be a bigger part of the education curricula? The answer: YES. Projects help to stir the thoughts and ideas of students and allow them to apply the information in a way that helps them learn it. If instituted in elementary and middle schools, the imaginations of the students will excel, helping them succeed later in life.
Seeing these three little boys play in their parcosm and sharing their thoughts with the real world makes a sister wonder how far they'll go in life. They love learning and being able to bring home good grades to show their mom. “Look, mom! I got them all right!” they shout, and mom hangs it up on the fridge for every guest to see. With it being proven that creativity plays a big role in the learning process, it would kill me to see their imaginations and their interest in learning disappear simply because they can't be creative with their answers.