tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023803000478958088.post76194282645863322..comments2023-10-19T05:34:19.425-04:00Comments on Little House in the Big Wood: Back to SchoolWendyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11557512606416161272noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3023803000478958088.post-27942433349102985712010-11-04T23:01:11.396-04:002010-11-04T23:01:11.396-04:00People only learn 1% or 3% of what they know insid...People only learn 1% or 3% of what they know inside a classroom. That is a fact that astounds most folk. It would help if I remembered the statistic correctly. By "learn" I don't mean spelling or math or science. I mean everything we know--how to tie shoes, where gas is cheapest in town,the wind blows your hat or napkin away, etc. So, while as a teacher, I do strongly support school, I do support non-stop learning. Experential learning is best.<br /><br />We don't "teach" a child colors, we say, "Let's get a red apple." Or, "Let's put all the blue cars in this pile, and let's put the blue blocks there, too." Well, I did it that way. I cannot imagine a child being more than two or three and not knowing colors. <br /><br />Critical thinking and problem solving are "learning skills." My daughter was trying to tell me the color of something at school. She was pondering what color it was while she ate her snack (4 yrs). Finally, she said, "Light black!" I was more proud of her thinking that way than I would have been if she knew the correct word which I immediately gave her--gray.She was making connections, not just repeating a fact.She knew the word, but found a different way to express it. <br /><br />You sound very balanced in your approach to your teaching and their learning experiences. I would hate the snow once it got deep and ugly.Practical Parsimonyhttp://www.practical-parsimony.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.com