Spirit Magazine - August 2013 - (Page 77)

never finish the assignment. Willis also talks about the importance of an “achievable challenge.” ost effective video games are subtly designed to reinforce a player’s confidence; they encourage you to play until you finally succeed. This is why Seigel allows his students to retake tests and why he emphasizes interactive labs over problem sets. It’s his adaptation of the achievable challenge model, and a sharp departure from traditional learning, which some say is homogenous in a way that undermines growth. “Some children are not challenged because they’ve already mastered the knowledge. Others are disengaged because they’ve failed previously in the subject and do not believe they can succeed,” Willis says. Consequences are becoming particularly dire for the latter type of student. O ver the past three years, Seigel has studied the neuroscience of learning and come to the same conclusions as Small and Willis. He believes that having his students learn through “a kinesthetic approach”—active participation, hands-on projects, etc.—is a better way to reach more students. On a Friday morning in January, he has prepared a chemistry lab for his college-prep students. It instructs them to, first, measure the number of molecules in a piece of chalk; then, to draw a picture with it; and, finally, to remeasure the chalk’s molecules and calculate the difference. Simple enough, but there’s a problem. Only one of Seigel’s 15 students has actually done the homework: watching the video podcast he had made explaining the equation. “Guys!” Seigel groans. “Seriously?” His frustration is remarkably good-humored. Shaking his head as though to say, Kids these days!, he waves them off to work. In pairs, the students weigh the colored chalk and draw pictures on their lab tables—not in notebooks sitting on the tables, but on the tables themselves. This is standard practice for Seigel’s class, which is mostly paperless. The kids routinely use dry-erase markers and white boards—or, again, the tables—to record their calculations. They then photograph the work with their smartphones and upload the images to their folders in Google Drive. This helps them organize their work and allows Seigel to check it anytime and anywhere. During the molecule lab, the teacher roams the room, observ- http://www.WallyPark.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Spirit Magazine - August 2013

Spirit Magazine - August 2013
Contents
Gary’s Greeting
Gary’s Greeting en Español
Star of the Month
Freedom Story
From the Editor
Your Words
Your Pictures
Media Center
Eat Drink Sleep
The Numbers
Wise Guide
Business
The Greatest Show on Turf
Flipped Out
Your Adventure In Grand Rapids
Life Adventure In Grand Rapids
Calendar
Fun!
Spotlight
Community Outreach
Route Map
Rapid Rewards Partners
Flight Service
The “If” List

Spirit Magazine - August 2013