Parents and teachers engaging kids: Moving from the 4Ws of education (Who, What, When, and Where) to the Why and How

adam Hartley | Community Submitter By adam Hartley | Community Submitter
on August 31, 2010 at 1:36 PM, updated October 14, 2010 at 8:39 AM

If I were to tell you that you had five minutes to email me the following information, could you do it?

What is the capital of Turkey?
What is the population of Turkey?
What are the top two exports of Turkey?
What body of water is Turkey near?

You could if you had the tools in front of you that many of our K-12 students are accustomed to using. Computers, cell phones, iPod Touches or any other multi-media device that many of our students own can provide information such as this in seconds. Answers to the questions above were once only attainable by going to the library, looking up information in grandma's old encyclopedias, or reading the social studies textbook when homework was assigned. Now, after three clicks on a Google search, this information is learned within minutes.

While the Internet has changed virtually everything we do in life, from shopping to communicating with friends, Michigan's K-12 schools have been slow to catch up and take advantage of today's technology. While there are glimpses of transformation (i.e. The Department of Education's Project Re-Imagine), many of our classrooms are still spending the majority of the time teaching information like the questions above. If we are going to engage kids this school year, the who, what, when, and where of education needs to move to the why and how.

As the school year begins, parents and educators are facing the ever growing challenge to keep kids engaged. Our student population, who have grown up in a world where phones have never had cords, conduct these Google searches on a daily basis. Parents and teachers are competing with Facebook, Nintendo DS, and Sony Playstations. Children absorb and process information in a fundamentally different way than how we did when we were in school. The 4W's of education, while still relevant, should now take a back seat to the questions of why and how. Why are the exports from Turkey important to us and how does this information connect to the world we live in?

As we begin a new and exciting school year, let's set out to engage kids and make what they learn worthwhile and relevant. Here are five examples of how parents and teachers can engage kids this year.

1. Utilize the learning tools your kids want to use.
My youngest son had to conduct a science experiment last year and was not very motivated to complete the assignment. As soon as I placed my laptop and a camera in front of him, he created a power point and worked on it all night. He was using the tools that he wanted to use. Teachers and parents must realize that students are being asked to power down when they arrive a school. When ipods and cell phones are turned off, engaging kids can be difficult.

2. Allow for Autonomy
Not all kids are the same and we all learn differently. We must allow kids to take control of their own learning and allow teachers to use their own skills and interests within the classroom. Differentiating how a lesson is delivered, or how a student is assessed, can be engaging for both the teacher and the student. Autonomy can translate into empowerment, and when we are empowered, we are engaged and we learn!

3. Ask the Challenging Questions
Anyone can Google the Underground Railroad and tell you the who, what, when, and where. But can they discuss discrimination and how it still exists today? Can they share with peers ways they can be a hero like Harriet Tubman and help those students that are being bullied on the playground? Moving away from the majority of the time being spent on the 4W's of education can lessen the time spent on lower order thinking skills (remembering, understanding), and give teachers more time to teach higher order skills (analyzing, applying, evaluating, creating) that our future generations will have to rely on.

4. Advocate Collaboration
In the world of the 4W's, a quiet classroom means learning is occurring. After all, if we are to memorize facts, most of us would like it quiet and would appreciate not being disturbed. Unfortunately, our kids will not be working in a world where knowing facts are the key contributor to success. Problem solving skills, communication skills, and the ability to collaborate is becoming more and more important for our future generations. Parents and educators should be advocating for their kids to complete projects together and practice collaboration with peers in a variety of ways.

5. Connect Learning to Global Issues
Our world is flat. The other day, within a twenty minute period, I sent an email to my cousin in England, watched a video of a creative school located in Switzerland, and finalized a professional development workshop with a professor in Georgia using Skype. This would not have been possible ten years ago. We have the ability to connect to anyone or anything, anywhere in the world. Global awareness is not an option in today's schools, it is a necessity. The education our students receive must be relevant to the global workforce and global economy. Making a global connection can mean across the world or down the street, what's important is that we are preparing our kids for the flat world that they will work and live in.
