Attention spans can be cultivated from an early age to commonly heard objections towards subjects like science and math, such as “It’s boring” or “I don’t like doing this”. So we have an approach that says: They won’t find it boring if they think it’s a game. So we use computers, board games, and favorite cartoon characters to build a child’s interest and attention span in Math, Science and Reading.Fortunately for us, research demonstrates that children learn in different ways. Our option of teaching through a varying set of tools and approaches should allow us the opportunity to make learning fun for children. Here is some research on the eight different ways a child may learn:
Learns by listening, reading, verbalizing, enjoys discussion, like word games, books and records, and remembers verses lyrics and trivia.
Thinks conceptually, using clear reasoning, looks for abstract patterns and relationships, likes experimenting and testing things, likes classifying and categorizing.
thinks in tones, learns through rhythm and melody, enjoys playing musical instruments, remembers songs, and notices non-verbal sounds in the environment.
likes mazes and jigsaw puzzles, likes to draw and design things, likes to build models, and likes films, slides, videos, diagrams, maps and charts.
processes knowledge through bodily sensations, communicates through gestures, moves and fidgets while sitting, learns by touching and manipulations, likes role playing, creative movement, and physical activity, enjoys fixing and building things.
understands and cares about people, is the social child, has lots of friends, and learns from cooperative learning experiences, and likes group games.
enjoys working independently, likes to be alone, appears to be self-motivated, and needs quiet space and time.
investigates experiments, questions, and finds out about elements of science, the phenomena of the natural world, weather patterns, growing things, animals, conditions that change characteristics (water changes from liquid to solid when frozen).
The Center for Best Practices in Early Childhood Education – Western Illinois University reports that over a decade of research has demonstrated that use of computers and interactive software in developmentally appropriate activities creates skills in:
Research validates that use of computers with one-on-one coaching or mentoring using a variety of learning tools can be an engaging and effective form of learning in early education. RARE Learning, Inc. Is built around such research.
The RARE Program is built on the premise that one-on-one coaching or mentoring is the best way to ensure that children benefit from technology tools for learning. Parents can play a remarkable role in spending time with their kids, even if its 20 minutes a day, in guiding the child’s use of the internet, learning software, or educational video.When a parent makes sense of the material for the child, learning is more effective. In terms of relevance, parents can ensure that they take the learning concepts form the educational tools and translate those into the child’s environment for them to understand and appreciate the meaning of their world.
The RARE Learning, Inc. Program ensures that parents that enroll their children into the program receive progress reports periodically to track their child’s learning. Whether as an Early Learners’ Day Out Program, or as a Summer Program, the program offers communication of the child’s weekly and monthly accomplishment by discipline areas. The progress report will measure the child against his or her own past achievements.
As a parent, you may write to us at RARE Learning, Inc. (info@rarelearning.com) to gather more information about our program and how to implement the program for your child at home.