Research -- StepUp to Learn

Playing action video games can improve children’s skills beyond those taught in the game, extending to more general learning capabilities. 

After years of creating and collecting, second grade teacher Erin Klein experienced a catharsis. In a recent article about her experience she wrote, "Entering my classroom one day, it struck me. The space looked more like a teacher storage facility than an inspiring place for students to work together and learn. I knew this needed to change."

The Aleutian Islands are part of the state of Alaska. Many adults who read this little known fact may not be able to recall it later. Now, imagine asking 4- and 5-year-olds to learn and retain it. That’s exactly what researchers required of preschoolers in a new study exploring interactive learning and children’s memory.

 

In the StepUp programS, we say that self-evaluation is the key to motivation.  In other words, when children feel empowered to do meaningful work and feel the satisfaction of a job well done, then they develop the ability to evaluate their work.

Allowing your brain to rest and reflect on the things you have just learned may help boost future learning, a new study shows.

A teacher of mine once commented, "language begins with the idea in the mind of the child."  I have never forgotten the truth of that moment.  

Early childhood is a crucial time for children’s reading and writing development. Children who lag behind in the early years usually encounter considerable difficulties throughout their academic careers. A recent study tested an exploratory write-to-read method in first grade classrooms as an alternative reading program.

We usually think of math and reading skills as two distinct abilities; you’re either good with numbers or words. A new study may debunk this notion that our brains are either adept at math or reading.

Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple, swore by a fruit heavy diet and sometimes dabbled in fruitarianism (a diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds). Jobs often referred to his fruit-heavy diet as laying the foundation for his creativity and success.

Curiosity may kill the cat; but when it comes to learning, it stimulates the brain and enhances learning. Researchers reveal what happens in our brains when our curiosity is peaked and why this leads to better learning.

A recent study published in the Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, investigates how families have supported their children’s early literacy and how this support has evolved over the past century.

A classroom full of children waving their arms up and down, jumping, and tapping to the beat may sound like a gym class, but these movement exercises are actually designed for the classroom to help children learn math and writing.