Tips for Parents to Help Their Kids Learn Beyond the Classroom
Tips For Parents To Help Their Kids Learn Beyond The Classroom
Guest post by Laura Pearson
Children learn in many ways. One process by which they intake information is by listening and watching, which is supported by classroom education. But the most valuable way that children learn is by engaging and exploring. Hands-on activities outside of the classroom can help a struggling student better understand complex concepts. Here are a few examples.
Mathematical Merrymaking
Math is a huge struggle for many students. Those without analytical minds may find these concepts difficult to master. Thankfully, there are a few ways to teach mathematical skills without leaving your child or students banging their heads against the calculator.
Hiking is an excellent example. Blue Ridge Outdoors recently highlighted a middle school teacher who utilized his campus’s running track and natural landscape to illustrate concepts in math. For example, you might have students calculate how long it will take to hike three miles carrying zero extra weight, 25 pounds of extra weight, and 50 pounds of extra weight.
Another way to take arithmetic outside of the classroom is to get into the kitchen. Whether you realize it or not, you make mathematical calculations every time you fire up the oven. From determining the correct temperature for your meatloaf to getting the right balance of baking powder to flour for your cupcakes, math is crucial in everyday life. Although some researchers find that, across the board, children who learn in and outside of the classroom retain about the same amount of information, skipping the blackboard does make learning more interesting.
Unlearned Skills
There are some skills that you don’t learn — they have to be discovered and developed naturally. Hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills are excellent examples.
You can use a number of tools to help young children — and older kids with developmental delays — develop these skills. Drones, for example, can help your children make a connection between what they do with their hands and what happens to their flying machine. In addition to being a fun toy, drones also help kids improve their tech skills and learn to evaluate risk versus reward. They can be complicated, however, so do your research; Watchdog Reviews has a list of the best drones for kids — most are under $50, making them an affordable learning tool.
Benefits of Non-Classroom Learning
The classroom has its place, but you are doing yourself and your students/children a disservice if you confine their education to a desk and chair.
Just a few of the many benefits of non-classroom learning are:
Creativity and imagination. A child given the chance to do things such as build and explore outdoors has a unique opportunity to envision themselves as, for example, explorers, archaeologists, or members of an ancient civilization.
Relevance and classroom connection. Teaching a child about bullfrog behavior is one thing, but allowing them to experience it in the real world can create lasting memories.
Better behavior. According to UK-based Creative Education, taking learning outside the classroom can result in fewer behavioral problems and better attendance.
Health and wellness. Education outside the classroom often looks like play. Children get to run, jump, and, as in the example above, hike their way toward knowledge. All of this physical activity is not only good for the brain but, the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion also says it’s good for the body, too.
Classroom learning is not everything. While it remains the standard in American education, parents and educators should consider leaving the walls behind at least occasionally. Students with an opportunity to do hands-on projects without the constraints of the classroom get to make connections, use their imagination, and work their minds and bodies.
Guest Post by Laura Pearson
Image via Pexels