Sunday, June 27, 2010

Learning Computers vs sit still and be quiet

How often do young children take a computer and seemingly use it by second nature?  If you have not tried it, let a 4 to 6 year old use your computer and see what all they can move and rearrange for you.  Yet those same children sometimes cannot do math or write.  Part of this is because they do not see you or other older people writing or doing math.  Think of the difference in the movement of sitting quietly in a classroom doing math and working on a computer.  In a math class, the child is told to sit quietly and sit still and think.  Children think while moving.  Just because adults want them to sit still and be quiet does not mean, quiet and still is best. We are losing too many children in our schools.  Talk is made about needing something different yet the schools are allowed to stiffle learners with quiet and still. I am not saying children should learn math on computers, but rather that they should be allowed to move while learning. I am not suggesting unlimited noise that disturbs other learners.