The Active Learning Foundation Update
Tom Jackson -Director
December 28, 2006
An Effective Tool - Student Centered Learning
Schools have a lot of concerns. If you were to
survey school districts across the country concerning problems they have you
would find many similarities. Among the problems that would most likely show up
on many of the lists would be classroom behavior management issues, low test
scores and unacceptable drop out rates. With this in mind I would like to quote
from a letter that was in the USA Today which addresses these areas. The writer
is Richard J. Parker, Executive Director of Partners in Education located in
Eureka Springs, Arkansas.
"Far too many schools lack student-centered learning in which the
objective is to engage students directly in the educational process.
Student-centered learning takes students from the role of spectators to that of
players in their education.
Student-centered learning will move our public schools beyond the traditional
approach to education - primary reliance on teacher talk, note taking, textbook
chapter reviews and the regurgitation of endless facts on tests. Traditional
teaching methodology all too often force-feeds information to students,
generally with little concern for helping them understand its relevance and real
world application."
Primary reliance on traditional teaching methodologies all too often leads to
student boredom and apathy toward learning, accompanied by poor academic
performance, greater behavioral problems and an increased dropout rate.
However, research has demonstrated precisely the opposite regarding
student-centered learning. Kids enjoy school more because they are actively
involved in their education, overall test scores improve and behavioral and
dropout problems decline."
What we find is that by adjusting teaching styles, schools can address some
of the problems that they face today. This does not require a complete
restructuring of education nor does it require a large influx of money. No, it
simply asks the teacher to move from using primarily passive based teaching
strategies to an active learning educational model. All three of our books, Activities
That Teach, More Activities That Teach and Activities That Teach
Family Values use this active learning teaching strategy to teach life
skills to children and youth. Plus many of the activities can be adapted to
enhance core academic subjects.
Student-centered learning can be achieved through the use of active learning
teaching strategies. This approach can help to increase test scores, reduce
classroom behavior management problems and reduce the drop out rate with very
little additional teacher effort and virtually no increase in funding. Isn’t
that what many school districts and other children and youth serving
organizations are looking for?
Teacher feedback from those who have used this teaching strategy along with
the activities in our books has been very positive. Teachers report increased
retention rates, an improved classroom climate and students who look forward to
coming to class. I’ll take those results anytime!
Tom Jackson, Director
What Works In Prevention!
All of us would like to use the most effective prevention programs, methods
and strategies in our work with kids. At Cornell University Medical College’s
Institute for Prevention Research a longitudinal study involving 6,000 students
was conducted by Dr. Gilbert Botvin that will help you determine what to include
in your prevention efforts. The study found that programs which focus solely on
factual information surrounding the dangers of drugs are not effective in
reducing drug use. It also found that the teaching of resistance skills has a
positive short-term effect, but needs to be repeated periodically. The most
effective prevention programs were those that focused on general life skills
such as goal-setting, decision making, friendship-making, critical thinking and
others. The bottom line was that skill building works! We here at the Active
Learning Foundation are pleased to see this study since it validates what Tom
Jackson has been saying in his workshops and books for the past ten years. When
you incorporate active learning to teach life skills in your programs, you are
utilizing a research-based approach that works.
"Tom Jackson’s workshops are fun, practical and simply the best!"
This statement is from a letter we received recently from an organization
that had Tom in to work with their staff. Wouldn’t it be great to hear Tom and
see his activities in person? If you know someone who schedules trainings or
helps with a conference, suggest that they have Tom come and present at the
event. Call and request a speaker’s packet for more information. If travel
costs are an issue, then give us a call and we can help by letting you know when
someone else in your part of the country is scheduling a presentation and you
can schedule your workshop right before or after theirs. This would give you an
opportunity to split the travel costs. To request a speaker’s packet or
inquire about scheduling a workshop call Janet Jackson at 888-588-7078.
"More knowledge is gained from making the map than following the
map!" Dave Kastberg, Geography teacher
at Ellsworth High School in Wisconsin
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