Innovative Trends Happening Now in Elementary Schools

1. Innovative Trends Happening Now in Elementary Schools When it comes to trends in education, the 2017-2018 school year is filled with innovation. Thanks to new research, teachers are now focusing on everything from inquiry-based learning to “concrete” learning, all of which will provide a more rounded experience for kids of all ages. Here are some of the biggest trends happening in elementary schools across the country. Inquiry-Based STEM Education STEM education, which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, is at the very heart of academics. If students are to grow into well-rounded, successful adults, their knowledge in these fields is vital. In elementary school, teachers are working harder than ever before to generate interest in even the youngest students. Things like workshops and webinars provide strategies and ideas that will help these teachers promote children’s love of science, and one of these strategies is inquiry-based learning. With this strategy, teachers ask the students questions rather than simply presenting them with facts. This stimulates children’s imaginations and hones their critical thinking skills. Project-Based Learning Project-based learning, or PBL, isn’t a new trend, but it’s one that has only now started to grow in popularity nationwide. With this sort of learning, teachers ask students to create projects often rather than subjecting them to the usual lecturing and test-taking environment. Again, this develops children’s critical thinking skills and allows them to exercise their creativity along with their academics. Currently, educators are working to properly align PBL with Common Core and the Next Generation Science Standards. Cooperative and Collaborative Learning

2. Cooperative and collaborative learning are vital for children in elementary school. The strategies applied help children learn at a very young age how to work with others and how to overcome their differences in order to complete the task at hand. Children are often divided into small groups and asked to perform a variety of activities related to a subject. In some cases, children may be asked to role-play; in others, they may be asked to put together a project to present to the rest of the class. Concrete Learning Finally, whereas classroom education was once all about listening to a teacher give a lesson, reading chapters in textbooks, taking notes, and doing paper-based homework, one of the newest trends sees elementary schools shying away from this process. Concrete learning is all about hands-on opportunities, and it utilizes facts and descriptions about everyday objects students can see and touch to help reinforce lessons. Some of these strategies can be employed in the classroom, but many give students opportunities for off-campus learning, such as on field trips and other outings. Educators have found that combining concrete learning with the formal learning process facilitates more interest in academics, even at a very young age. Many of the current trends happening in elementary schools are all about generating interest in learning. Now more than ever before, the importance of critical thinking is driving lesson plans and curriculum across the country. This will help children learn more than just facts –it will help them learn to solve the problems they’ll encounter throughout their lives.