INSIDE THIS ISSUE... Page 2 Motivating Children to Love Learning
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M A R C H
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Page 3 Summer Camp Page 4-11 Classroom Updates Page 12-13 Spanish Page 14-15 Technology Page 16-17 PE Page 18 Music Page 19 Achievements Page 20-21 Drama Page 22 Spotlights Kids Page 23 End of Year Show Page 24 Calendar
QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER FROM MILLHOPPER MONTESSORI SCHOOL
Excitement for and love of learning is what all parents and teachers want for their students. As a teacher I find nothing more exhilarating than having my students’ eyes twinkle with excitement or laugh with delight during a lesson. Because children are innately curious , they are usually eager to embark on a learning challenge if they feel a sense of safety and can take risks. If students know it is safe to try, they have a greater expectation that they will succeed. There is actually a neurochemical released in the brain associated with fear that will inhibit learning. Stressful and challenging activities can be embraced by students as long as they know it is safe to try. Another component to motivating learning is to have the task or challenge relevant, according to Kathleen Cushman, author of “Fires in the Mind: What Kids Can Tell Us About Motivation and Mastery.” Her findings from years of interviewing students were that students need to feel that the learning task matters and has a value. Her group of teachers, students, and scientists developed eight conditions that they felt were vital for learning. The first is for the student to feel that he is okay and the second is for the learning to matter. Beyond the first two the list expands to requiring the activity to be active as well as having to use the skill or knowledge being acquired. The students need to feel that they are being stretched. They also feel the importance of having a coach and mentor. Finally, they need to be able to reflect and think back on what was learned and be afforded the time and opportunity to plan ahead on what will come next. (Continued on page 2)