The fact that your 5 year-old can name all the state capitals, can add and subtract double-digit numbers, and identify nouns and verbs in a sentence might be hindering her ability to get into college when she’s ready. In fact, a 5 year-old who, instead, spends time pretending, playing with toys and peers, and [...]
Posts Tagged ‘Learning’
Key to Getting into College-Play
Posted by ginac on March 18th, 2012
Posted in Eclectic Homeschooling, Learning Methods 
Tags: Learning, play, play-based curriculum, Unschooling 
Comments OffTen Ways to Change Education
Posted by ginac on March 12th, 2012
What if we scrapped standardized tests? What if we dropped tests and quizzes altogether? What if we quit categorizing children by grade-level? What if we got rid of desks? What if we got rid of teachers? What if each learner had a personalized project and a team of mentors? What if we quit treating learning [...]
Posted in Homeschool, Interdisciplinary, Learning Methods Tags: Change education, homeschool, Learning, Project-based learning Comments OffWhat Higher Education Can Learn From Video Games
Posted by ginac on February 2nd, 2012
Game-based learning motivates students both in and out of the classroom Game-based learning is so effective because the actual progress built into any game is the actual lessonóbe it the skill and dexterity needed to shot a precise arrow to the knee of your opponent in Skyrim, or the strategy and technique needed to maneuver [...]
Posted in Learning Methods, Teaching methods, technology, Video Games Tags: classroom, Computer Games, Education, Learning, Video Games, World of Warcraft Comments OffLearning to Love Learning
Posted by ginac on January 31st, 2012
One of the greatest challenges for anyone in the business of inspiring, mentoring, or otherwise working with young people is to impart the love of learning. Education is often seen as a tool or a requirement, not as a freedom; a chore, as opposed to a luxury–rarely as a source of enjoyment. Homeschoolers and independent [...]
Posted in Homeschool, Learning Methods, Literacy, Online Tools, technology Tags: homeschool, Learning, literacy, love of learning, technology Comments OffFive Bold Learning Ideas to Challenge the Status Quo in the New Year
Posted by ginac on January 3rd, 2012
Happy New Year. A new year is always an opportunity to look ahead with optimism. Everyone can make a positive impact on our lives and world. Whether or not we actually make (and follow-through on) new year’s resolutions, here are five bold learning ideas that challenge the status quo in ‘education’. Embrace all or just one [...]
Posted in Activities, Homeschool, Interdisciplinary, Learning Methods, Literacy, Make, social change, TED Tags: Empathy, Learning, Share, TEDx, TEDxYouth, tolerance, Toys Comments OffGuest Post- Alternate Education Options
Posted by ginac on November 28th, 2011
Alternative Education Some children take to school like a duck to water. From kindergarten upwards, they just seem to fit in: they work hard, please their teachers and play well with their peers. Other children may start off enjoying school, but as the years progress, find they clash with aspects of formal education, perhaps beginning [...]
Posted in Eclectic Homeschooling, Global Homeschooling, Learning Methods, Teaching methods Tags: Alternate education, homeschool, Learning Comments OffGuest Post – Teaching Basic Financial Literacy
Posted by ginac on November 19th, 2011
Elaine Hirsch is kind of a jack-of-all-interests, from education and history to medicine and videogames. This makes it difficult to choose just one life path, so she is currently working as a writer for various education-related sites and writing about all these things instead. Kids are like sponges. When they’re young, kids will soak up [...]
Posted in Literacy, News, Teaching methods Tags: Economics, f, Family Costs, Financial Literacy, Learning, Money Management, Teaching Comments OffUnschoolers Already Know This: Youth Don’t Like Learning STEM in Classrooms
Posted by ginac on November 16th, 2011
Harry Potter fans may remember the 5th Harry Potter Book (The Order of the Pheonix) when a government appointed teacher (Professor Umbridge) at Hogwarts School changes the learning process in her classroom so that kids only learn theory and not practice. Disappointed students preferred to practice what they’ve learned and found the in-class reading and [...]
Posted in Eclectic Homeschooling, Learning Methods, News, STEAM, Teaching methods Tags: alternative education, Education Reform, Homeschooling, Learning, NPR, Science Friday, STEM, Unschooling Comments OffScoop.it! Disruptive Learning
Posted by ginac on November 5th, 2011
Scoop.it is a fun way to share online articles, videos, photos, etc. around a topic. It is free, easy to use, and fun to curate. We’ve curated an eclectic collection of disruptive learning articles on our Scoop.it specially for SpottyBanana viewers. In our case, disruptive learning means nonmainstream, non- traditional learning ideas outside of the [...]
Posted in Activities, Art, Eclectic Homeschooling, Learning Methods, Literacy, Online Tools, STEAM Tags: content curation, disruptive learning, Eclectic Homeschooling, Learning, online tools, Scoop.it, spottybanana Comments OffFollow SpottyBanana on Facebook
Posted by ginac on November 1st, 2011
SpottyBanana’s Facebook fan page is a great place to find and share learning resources, learning news, events, insightful articles, polls, and more. If you aren’t on our fan list yet, you’re missing out on a large part of the conversation we have with our readers each day! Don’t be shy. Share your learning photos, stories, [...]
Posted in Activities, Just for Fun, Online Tools Tags: community, Facebook, Learning, social media, social networking, spottybanana Comments Off
