Active Learning: Why it's Important for Students, Teachers and Parents Alike

The Cox Cubs studied the phases of the moon in October. They especially loved learning about the Gibbous Moon and going home to ask their parents if they knew the name of this odd-shaped phase!

Now, in March, we are studying the Solar System. As we discussed the planets and the children moved them all around to their correct order on the SMART Board, one student asked, “When we look at the planets, do they have phases?” I promised that we would research and find the answer to that important question together.

I was amazed at the transfer of knowledge from one unit of study to the other by a 6-year-old: Academic integration and correlation at its best! Content that has been stored in a child’s brain is retrieved and connected to new information allowing him to develop a question that will create expanded learning opportunities. 

Children love to learn. After all, each of us is created with an innate ability to receive and process information, first in rhythm and rhymes. Usually our first verbal memories involve songs, chants or nursery rhymes. Little brains love rhyme and rhythm!

Then as children grow, they become more curious and inquisitive about the world around them. Every mom has spent the entire day answering the unending questions of a small child. Children want to learn! By 5 years of age, most children are ready to extend their verbal knowledge to include reading and writing. They can think more abstractly now and can understand new concepts of time and space. The proof was in the planets!

As they grow, we teach them many concepts and facts. But along with the content, we must also teach them how to learn. Every child needs to progress from being a learner of directive teaching to being a self-learner. We teach how to learn by leading our students to explore safely, to research excitedly, to observe carefully … and by loving to learn ourselves. The content that is learned, as well as the learning behaviors that develop, are absorbed from home and school.

Learning is an active process. Even in the most structured learning environment, the mind is active. Teachers and parents who model and nurture good learning habits are more likely to see healthy learning in their students. So love to learn yourself, and most likely, you will see that great mindset develop in your student!

By the way, since the phases are caused by the alignment of the object in relation to the sun as it is viewed from earth, planets can have phases. So can children – make certain yours are eagerly learning in every phase!