As we think about the future of teaching and learning, we imagine classrooms that foster creativity and critical thinking. We envision groups of students collaborating with one another to imagine and construct. We see a world in which students develop a strong sense of self in parallel with a respect for those around them in both their classroom and in their world. We visualize students utilizing their social-emotional skills to lead and listen.

As we grow to understand the instructional shifts and reforms necessary to update our schools for the future, we can take heart in knowing that our earliest learners are, more than ever before, native to personalized learning.  But to accelerate these learners into the future, we must raise the bar for what can be done in primary classrooms. Here are three good strategies:

  1. Excel in Project-Based Environments
    In the early grades, students are already practicing the skills necessary to excel in project-based environments.
  2. Develop Cultural Competencies
    In the early grades, students come together with others, often different from themselves, to learn. Teachers have opportunities to show students how to work effectively with others.
  3. Strengthen Social-Emotional Understanding
    Students in the early grades develop social-emotional skills naturally and organically through play and exploration.

Read the full article about three strategies for early learning by Kristen Thorson at Getting Smart.