|
Readin',
Writin' and Surfin'...the Web
Elementary school-21st century style
Today, with just a few keystrokes, children have ready
access to such Web sites as Wikipedia, an online
encyclopedia with more than a million articles that
users can learn from and add to. Multi-media software
such as Power Point (used in many upper elementary
classrooms), helps make a project on the ancient Mayans
come to life with words, music, photos, even rotating
3-D diagrams of ancient ruins.
Although these tools for learning may seem a little
foreign to families-particularly those whose memories of
school research projects include the heavy-duty
Encyclopedia Brittanica and pyramids constructed from
sugarcubes-the foundations of elementary school learning
are still much like those of days gone by.
Old school meets new school
We can only guess at the types of technology and jobs
that await today's kindergartners. The Internet and
e-mail, staples in many homes and workplaces today, were
cutting-edge just a decade ago.
What teachers do know is that a solid understanding of
the basics- reading, writing, mathematics, science,
social studies and the arts-is still what young children
need most.
To help children be truly successful in an ever-changing
world, elementary school learning needs to offer
children practice with the tried and true, plus provide
them with opportunities to use technology and to sharpen
the skills that are essential to everyday living and
working. Consider these examples of how old school is
meeting new school at the elementary level:
As our neighborhoods and work worlds become more
diverse, an ability to speak a language other than
English and understand the world's many cultures is
becoming a necessity-both for employment and
citizenship. So, although kindergarten still includes
finger painting and practice with the ABCs, these
experiences may incorporate early foreign language
skills such as combining azul, rojo and amarillo
(Spanish for blue, red and yellow) to make new paint
colors or learning that "A" is for abuela (grandmother).
Elementary mathematics, which many adults remember as
mostly the skill-and-drill memorization of addition and
multiplication tables, now involves abstract thinking,
answering open-ended questions, and seeing math's
connection to the everyday world. For example, fifth
graders may be given this problem: "How many half gallon
cartons of ice cream can fit in a freezer?" To find the
answer, students first need to figure out what they
already know (e.g., what a half gallon of ice cream is
shaped like). They then begin to brainstorm about how to
solve the problem. "What tools will I use to measure the
half gallon and the freezer?" "What size freezer do I
need to fill?"
This type of lesson allows children to practice
traditional math skills such as geometry, measurement,
fractions and multiplication.
It also requires them to think creatively, to
problem-solve, to work with classmates, to experiment,
and to know where to go for more information. These
"soft skills" will help them as they move ahead in
school-whether juggling the increased school workload,
friendships and extracurricular activities that come
with middle school (goal-setting, time management) or
collaborating with teens and teachers in other school
districts on Web-based research projects (people skills,
problem-solving). "Soft skills" are also what today's
employers say they look for in the people they hire.
Even writing, which seems like a fairly straightforward
skill, is now taught to help students understand its
many real-world purposes, both traditional (personal
communication and essay) and modern (composing brief,
but informative e-mail and text messages.)
Tools for schools
Technology, especially computers, is becoming
commonplace in most elementary classrooms. Students may
use computers to compose written work, find answers to
questions, learn about places around the world and
practice basic skills, such as reading, listening and
math.
Increasingly, computers and other technology will play
an increasingly important role in creating rich learning
environments in which students to learn.
For permission to reprint this article, please contact
the
Capital Region BOCES Communications Service.
<back |
Instructional
Services