Judah wrote:

My kids are just starting in school. My son is in 3rd grade and my daughter
will start Kindergarden next fall.

Please advise on how I can ensure that my children grasp the knowledge
presented to them.

Ask higher order questions on Blooms Taxonomy (analysis and synthesis
questions) about the material they are presented. They need to know the who,
what, when , but the why and how shows understanding.

Don't push abstract concepts on young children!! Earlier is not better! Read
some Piaget. Don't teach little kids algebra (my 140 + IQ daughter struggled
through algebra in 7th grade and would have done fine in 8th. Even though
she's good in math (A in second semester Calculus as a first semester freshman
at Penn State) she's not confident in math because of that experience.

Due to the pressures of standarized testing students get more information and
less time to work on basics. Make reading and writing fun and practice at
home. Have your kids write the grocery list and do the grocery shopping. Have
them estimate what the total bill will be as they go through the store. Have
them play imaginitive games not on the computer. Make sure they play outside,
turn part of the yard into Mars or something and they can build vehicles to
explore. Ask them to write down what they do "on Mars" for you to read when
you get home from work. Write notes to your kids to convey information. "
I'll be home at 6:00 and then we can go to the store".

Contray to the uninformed opinion of other posters teachers really do study how
minds work. Make sure your kids DO when they are learning. Lecture format has
a 5% retention rate whereas adding a simple write it down increases it to 30%.
The more interactive the learning the higher the retention. For kids who have
a tough time spelling marching the words out to a tune really helps. Also make
sure your kids drink enough water as brain research has shown that dehydrated
brains don't absorb knowledge (most schools now allow the kids to carry water
bottles if they are clear plastic).

Margy



Thanks.

"Tom Sixkiller" wrote in
:


"Michael Houghton" wrote in message
...
snip
Well, if in sending my kids to public schools all these years (they're
all in or past college now) I'd seen even ONE that comprehended HOW the
young minds grasps knowledge I'd say "most". That's not been me
experience.


I won't deny that there are a significant number of teachers whose
ability to teach is questionable, but many teachers actually give a
damn about their students, doing their best to *teach*. Oh, and "rote
learning" is not so nearly ubiquitous as you would claim.

"Giving a damn" is completely worthless if they don't know _HOW_ it
works.

Your tirade is so full of manure that it is laughable -- or would be
if you weren't expressing a range of opinions that are painfully
common.

You don't have a clue what you're talking about.


yours,
Michael



Best,

Tom