Have you checked your assumptions about student learning at the door?

People in general, hold onto beliefs that are shaped by early experiences, the media, and faulty
influences. The following list is a compilation of research that may surprise you. Video games, eBooks,
playtime, and music are all a part of an educator’s repertoire.

Read on, and be prepared to put your traditional beliefs aside as science points to innovative methods
that indicate future success.

1. Playing scary and violent video games help children master their fears in real life.

Until recently, studies done with regards to children and video games usually centered on the negative
impacts and consequences of prolonged use. But a study done by Cheryl K. Olson that appeared in the
Review of General Psychology suggests that there are a lot of psychological benefits to video games.

There were other findings as well, comprising the fun of “unreality”- experimenting with a world where
natural laws are suspended- plus the fun of challenge, mastery, and playing with different identities.
These findings reveal that video games can be an alternate way to release negative emotion, and help
children alleviate their innate desire for risk and adventure.

3. Practical work in science provides children little or no learning at all

In an attempt to enrich learning, science curriculums often have practical work or labs that teach the
science concepts learned in the textbook. However, an in-depth review by Justin Dillon from King’s
College in London, found that practical work isn’t always as effective as it may appear on the surface.

A lot of labs are designed so that students follow a “recipe” or list of directions that don’t exercise
critical thinking skills.

There is no question that scientific curriculum needs to be enhanced in some way, but typical lab work
may no longer be the way to go. Of course, more research is needed, but it is unwise to assume that
simply because a class has a hand’s on experiment- that they are learning the crucial necessary skills.
4. Chess makes kids smart

Patrick S. McDonald, a great lover of chess and the Youth Coordinator for the Ontario Chess Association,
compiled a series of papers and research that highlights the benefits of chess, especially as it relates to
education. Honestly, there isn’t much negative to say about chess. It is an inexpensive game, a great
opportunity for socialization among many different age groups and levels.

It forces students to slow down, concentrate, use precise thinking, active both inductive and deductive
reasoning, as well as recognizing difficult and complex patterns.

Teachers who are in charge of children with mental and physical disabilities can also benefit from chess.
It is a game that does not discriminate, and no matter what level you learn to play, it helps children to
understand that ‘losing’ the game is as valuable as winning.

5. Gardening improves children’s desire to learn and boosts their confidence

The Royal Horticulture Society in the UK has started a campaign to bring gardening back into the school
systems. Thousands of schools have participated and some of the findings point to gardening as a crucial
learning tool for children. These are just some of the few findings.

Kids who garden show a better ability to concentrate.

Gardening helped use up surplus energy in active kids.

The process of growing something from seed to fruit helps teach children responsibility and managing a
living organism.

7. Teaching kids at a very early age is counterproductive to their learning

What is more beneficial–to teach a child how to use an object, or to allow them to explore the object
without direct instruction? The research outlined in Alison Gopnik’s article on Slate (dot) com gives us
some startling facts.
When children in a controlled study were given a toy that did multiple things like squeaking, play music,
etc., the children who had a teacher instructing them on how the toy worked did not explore it further
than the directions given by the adult. However, the students who were given the toy with no specific
instructions discovered the way it worked, as well as several different other mechanisms that weren’t
immediately obvious.

8. Music and movement augment children’s language capabilities during the preschool years

Music has a calming effect on children and adults alike. Though much of modern education focuses
primarily on visual sight for learning, the auditory processes are critically important for language
acquisition. The younger the child, the more important music becomes.

For example, when children learn nursery rhymes that are set to a steady beat; they learn to appreciate
the pacing of words and how to speak more clearly. Songs that are taught for the purposes of
remembering routines (like cleaning up or going to bed) activate the part of the memory that is used
when memorizing sight words and other rote principles.

Research shows that children who engage in music from a young age have a more finely tuned ability to
speak and communicate. Music must continue to be a part of a young child’s learning environment.

9. Green spaces or natural backyards elevate children’s learning through discovery

How important is it for children to play and interact with the great outdoors? Does it really make a
difference in the educational process? The research says yes. Not only is it critical for children to have
time to play outside, but the type of outdoor environment is important as well.

Research documented in Colorado University’s Journal of Children, Youth, and Environments noted that
students who were given access to green woodlands, ponds, and other natural habitats had an increase
in social cooperation and creativity, as opposed to the children who were given an asphalt yard with a
jungle gym.

Not only did the student’s enjoy the environment more, but the teachers also incorporated the outdoor
area into their formalized curriculum. It became a place to learn about ecosystems, science, gardening,
and preserving the Earth.
The more natural and open the environment, the greater the invitation for discovery through curiosity.

10. Drama and comedy in the classroom encourage children to listen and participate

Teachers are constantly thinking about new and innovative ways to encourage active participation with
their students. An engaged child is one who is more likely to absorb information, retain it, and make
real-life associations with the knowledge.

In order to engage students, several activities or processes need to be present. In Beyond the Journal,
authors and educators Judy R. Jablon and Michael Wilkinson outline the following:

11. Children who construct their own video games experience increased cognitive and social growth

In a primitive society, children learned necessary survival skills by mimicking their elders. It was
essentially, learning in action. In modern times, academics are often taught rather than “shown”-
removing this type of opportunity from the educational process.

However, research outlined in the Lookstein Online Journal indicates that children show cognitive
growth when they are given the task of creating their own video game. In order to develop such a game,
students must use prior knowledge, create links between scenes, and take control of their learning
through trial and error.

24. Children behave better when parents are involved in their education at home and at school

When a parent sends a child on the bus to school, it doesn’t mean that all learning is pushed to the
school. Parents are a crucial component to their child’s success. The NYU Child Student Center writes
about parents as the key ingredient to a successful school career.

Learning continues even after school is done. Parents can help their children with homework, reading,
extra enrichment activities, as well as be informed of school behavior problems or social situations that
need attending. When parents are active in their child’s education, this minimizes emotional
disturbances and other negative situations that can impair the educational process.
In essence, it is another way to create and active learning environment similar to ancient history.
Children must use logic, survival skills, and generate new ideas and solutions in order to complete the
game.

21. Rapping helps children learn the concept of place value in math

The Southwest Educational Development Laboratory put out a classroom math lesson that included a
rap song! It is not all that surprising that rap music helps with mathematical concepts. The steady
rhythm, and the cadence and rhyming of words make the song easier to remember. The concept is
written into the lyrics and the children can learn the song, and thus the mathematical rule.

Music is a proven method to aid learning. Classical music has been shown to help concentration, and
rhyming melodies are far easier to remember than a list of facts. It activates the auditory system,
allowing the child to use another one of their five senses to learn.