Article : Recognizing Neglected Strengths

Article 2: What do we know about how kids learn – with or without technology?

Sternberg, R.J. (2006, September). Recognizing neglected strengths. Educational Leadership, 64(1), 30-35.

“Many students have strengths that are unrecognized and neglected in traditional schooling” write Sternberg.

This is so true of most classrooms. First of all, it is very difficult to assess what skills kids have. This is a challenge for most teachers. For example, when I first came to GNG, I was pretty naive about the make-up of the population and the overall culture of the community. My second year teaching, we took our team to Hunter Safety Camp and my eyes were immediately opened. The kids on our team were very informed about hunting (boys AND girls), orienteering, and wilderness skills. The kids thrived in an outdoor classroom with hands-on, nature-related learning experiences. I imagine my students are vastly different from those in an urban setting. Most likely, a learning experience like this one – although it may enlighten them – would not capitalize on the prior knowledge and strenghts of “city slickers”. (I say this with a grin, as I was born and partially brought up in the city and can remember my own initial reaction to the week at camp!)

Another hurdle, once you are able to identify the skills the kids have, is to craft learning engagements that tap into those skills and interests. I think that most educational programming (I am thinking Connected Math, reading anthologies, etc.) is now being created with activities and problem sets that somehow integrate what adults think kids know about and/or are interested in at any given grade level. Making the problems ones that kids can relate to and will be applicable to their lives, hopefully hooks kids and then makes their learning practical. I think that these programs are better received than the older less-kid-centered versions; however, they can also come across as trying-to-hard to reach their given audience.

In any rate, the message here is clear. Teach to students’ strengths – see better results. I think this goes along well with the last article on Multiple Intelligences. Teaching to students areas of greater knowledge/skills will help them to learn information. The challenge here is to find away to teach to 22 students’ superior intelligences all at once. Diversification of teaching methods is suggested by the authors to combat this scenario. (I’m not sure it’s that easy, well, unless we move to a 10 hour school day!