Learning Can Be Fun

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Recommended: An essay on confucianism and its impact on modern education

I hear I forget, I see I remember, I do I understand.” These wise words said by Confucius himself may be one of the most fundamental tenants to education and learning there is. The concept that Confucius lays out in this quote is that students learn best by taking an active role in their learning. There is no point in telling students information they need to know, as it is usually just forgotten. At the same time, just visualizing a situation is not enough for some students; it is vital that hands on and interactive experience is incorporated into learning. The idea of “interactive learning” is commonly misinterpreted and undervalued, as it should be incorporated significantly into the day-to-day classroom activities of children of all ages, especially those primary learners.
When compared to international peers, the United States education system is lacking in all aspects. In a recent test, “American students ranked 25th in math, 17th in science and 14th in reading” (US Students Still Lag Behind), while students in Shanghai outscored every other school system in the world. This statistic is telling of the fact that the way the school system is run here in the United States is flawed, and major changes must be addressed and made in a timely manner. The first step to fixing a problem like this is to look at how students learn most effectively.
The question of how children learn most effectively, and what environments are most advantageous to learning has been a widely debated, discussed, and researched topic for years. However, the idea that taking charge and being interactive in one’s learning – presented by Confucius – is essential has been proven time and time again. Many studies have been conducted and show that movement and ...

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... and Patricia
McKeever (2012). "Children’s Movement in an Integrated Kindergarten
Classroom: Design, Methods and Preliminary Findings." Children, Youth and Environments 22 (1): 145-177. 18 Nov. 2012 from http://www.colorado.edu/journals/cye/ Rieber, Lloyd P. "Seriously Considering Play." Lloyd P. Rieber. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2012. .
"Stella Vosniadou." University of Athens. N.p., Oct. 2004. Web. 5 Dec. 2012. .
"U.S. Students Still Lag Behind Foreign Peers, Schools Make Little Progress In Improving Achievement." Huffington Post. N.p., 23 July 2012. Web. 4 Dec. 2012. .
Vosniadou, Stella. How Children Learn. UNESDOC. Web. 15 Nov. 2012. .

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