Five reasons you should take your class outside - Sir Ken Robinson

'We learn much more from the world around us than we necessarily do sitting at desks,' the education guru says

Education guru Sir Ken Robinson has shared his thoughts on why learning outside is a good idea, leading to many benefits for learning. (Please watch the Video for TES... https://youtu.be/CFhawgkV1IE )

"What really drives education is curiosity, trying to fill gaps in our understanding," Sir Ken says, author of Finding Your Element and other books on creativity in education. "And the world around us is a tremendous resource to stimulate that curiosity."

He lists five reasons why taking learning outdoors is a good idea:

1  Nature is a powerful resource.

2  Children can learn through practical hands-on activities.

3  You can tap into children's curiosity.

4  It is a social experience and children learn from working together.

5  Learning outdoors is fun.

"Education takes up a great deal of children's time," Sir Ken adds. "This is their childhood, the only one they get and learning outdoors, working together, playing together is fun. It's about the quality of our lives and experiences."

Sir Ken Robinson supports Empty Classroom Day, an initiative to inspire learning and play outside the classroom, backed by Persil’s Dirt is Good campaign.

Parent Checklist: Is My Child At-Risk for Learning Issues? - Kristina Collins

Spark Learning  has developed the following parent checklist to learn what concerns parents see in their children and to help them decide if their child is in need of help. Choose one answer for each question and indicate how often the behavior is exhibited in your child’s daily life with the following options: Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Often, or Always.

In case you require the soft copy of the Parent Observation Format, please mail to sbg@sparklearning.in

• Misunderstands what you say
• Needs instructions repeated
• Misunderstands jokes
• Has difficulty understanding long sentences
• Needs questions repeated
• Has difficulty retelling a story in the right order
• Cannot finish long sentences
• Has trouble saying the same thing in a different way (rephrasing)
• Has trouble finding the right word
• Pronounces common words incorrectly
• Gets confused in noisy places
• Has difficulty engaging in conversation with others
• Has behavior problems
• Lacks self-confidence
• Avoids group activities
• Has trouble paying attention
• Has trouble sounding out words
• Has trouble reading
• Has trouble spelling
• Cannot tell you about the events of his/her school day

If you answered Sometimes, Often or Always to several of these, your child may be at-risk for a language-based learning disability and will likely require intervention to prevent these issues from affecting him/her academically in the future. Why are we posting this?

We hear from countless parents like you who are looking for help for their bright child who struggles with reading, writing, attention, or other issues. You’re in the right place. We can help you help your child....

Take a Minute to understand my World : An AUTISTIC CHILD

Please take a minute to understand what an AUTISTIC Child wants to tell you;

1. First and foremost “I am a CHILD” and Autism is just one aspect of me.
2. All those things that are ORDINARY to you (like light, sound, touch etc) can be PAINFUL to me. Click here to experience how I feel
3. Change is the only constant to you but I love to be in “MY ROUTINES”. I get disturbed when there is a change in it.
4. Don’t compare me with other Children, not even with other Autistic Kids. I am special in my own way.
5. Not every Autistic Child should or can have special or hidden TALENTS. Do not search for the “Rain Man” in me. Please focus and build on what I can do instead of what I can’t.
6. You may think I don’t do what you expect me to do because I don’t listen to you….I am sorry I JUST CANNOT UNDERSTAND what you say. Sometimes even small instructions are extremely difficult for me to understand.
7. It is very tough for me to tell you what I need. I do not know the WORDS to talk to you…not even my pains….
8. Most of you do not want to be with me but I want to BE WITH YOU. Only thing is I do not know how.
9. Learning is tough for me. But if you can tell, show and do things along with me “I TOO WILL LEARN”.
10. Please love me without any expectations. I sometimes may not be able to “RECIPROCATE” the way you want me to. After all.... you all know that “Love is unconditional” and so I DESERVE IT.

            Yours Lovingly,

            AUTISTIC CHILD

            (Your Fellow Human Being)