Got Standards Don T Give Up On Engaged Learning !

Kindergarten Article Summary

Got Standards? Don’t Give Up on Engaged Learning! The article I chose to summarize is titled Got Standards? Don’t Give Up on Engaged Learning! The articles main point was to explore the importance of integrated learning. This article also analyzes “the role of child initiative and decision making, and integrating standards into engaged learning” (Harris Helm, 2008). There was one statement in the beginning of the article that resonated with me. “Even in classrooms in which standards and required curriculum are prominent, there is still a place for rich, integrated learning experiences that truly engage children such as projects. When children are engaged, they are excited, curious and intensely involved in learning

It explores how standards and engaged learning go hand in hand along with child initiative and decision making and planning. The article goes into detail about how to integrate standards into engaged learning. I also thought it was great that the article discussed how engagement increases the ability for the brain to remember. When children are actively engaged in their own learning activities and environment, they are taking in more information, analyzing it, exploring it, storing it and practicing that content in their own learning style. Within the presentation, I found connections where it states how “state academic standards for kindergarten are becoming increasingly widespread.” It goes on to say, “formal academic teacher-directed instruction has overshadowed the need for children’s active learning based on socialization, imagination and creativity.” This portion of the slideshow related to the importance of engaged

The article states that “Teachers most often combine approaches to curriculum as they plan their week. For example, a teacher may plan a unit on magnets in the science area; a lesson on learning how to stop drop and roll during large group time and independent child choice time during which children may choose to continue their work on a project on turtles” (Harris Helm, 2008). I thought it was great that the article gave examples of curriculum and lesson plan ideas. It made connections on specific learning experiences. The article also addressed how “teachers can take the first steps to rich integration of standards and required curriculum into engaging learning experiences by making sure they have a clear understanding of what children need to learn and then anticipating how they might learn these in the learning experience” (Harris Helm, 2008). This as an important piece of the article for me because it talked about how teachers can gain understanding about a child’s knowledge and use that to promote their development individually within learning experiences. Early Learning Standards can be connected to each of the child’s goals as they are reaching new developmental milestones as well! This article was very resourceful, instructive and educational to me. I would also recommend this article to coworkers and colleagues as