To me this website is a perfect example of the Challenging Curriculum that is talked about in This We Believe. Challenging in the way they use it is not just a synonym for hard. This We Believe talks about how 'challenging curriculum' needs to also be exploratory, integrative, and relevant. This website gives so many good resources for teachers to use that fall under all three of these categories. As educators, we need to be aware that not all of our students are going to be intrigued by the same type of content. Finding sites like this, that give a wide variety of options, is key in keeping our classrooms engaged on what we are teaching. We will never hit a home run with every student with every lesson. However, the more variety we have, the more likely we are to reach each student on a regular basis.
I followed the links throughout the site and there are numerous helps that I plan to use in my instruction when school starts. I try to use the textbook as a spring board to all the information "out there." All students like the search challenge which they complete in groups, individually, or in pairs. I suggest the sites they are allowed to visit,to insure a safe internet environment; my suggestions also allow me to be the adult advocate as presented in TWB's Culture and Community.
ReplyDeleteI agree that challenging curriculum is an important part of an education program. Students need challenging information in order to stimulate the brain. If students did the same type of classwork all the time the brain does not do any work it is used to a routine.
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