Education is about strengthening experiential learning and activating situational memory

Click on the blue text above to follow us. Over a decade ago, I consulted a highly regarded senior teacher.

Teaching Chinese in junior high school requires minimal homework, with almost no children taking them back to write.

However, every time the students in the middle school entrance examination class perform exceptionally well.

I don’t usually attend classes or make up for them, and I go on trips during holidays. The reason behind this is actually the use of experiential learning.

When reading and writing annotations, it is important to combine personal experience and express your own feelings, rather than just writing standard answers according to conventions.

When writing essays, it is important to write about personal experiences and genuine emotions, rather than blindly copying or showing off one’s writing style, and lacking genuine emotions.

That is to say, every learning experience of a child is a ‘real learning’ that combines their own experiences.

Let’s take a look at the current classroom. The traditional teaching method, where the teacher talks endlessly on stage and the students bury their heads in memorization, is gradually losing its charm in the 21st century.

Today’s children, living in an era of rapid information flow, are exposed to a rich and colorful world, and their thirst for knowledge is no longer satisfied with passive indoctrination.

Especially in primary school, the simple use of lecture style without interaction results in children not truly participating in the classroom.

Even if the teacher is well prepared, it still appears somewhat powerless. The “learning pyramid” proposed by three learning experts, Edgar Dell, provides us with a reference: to stimulate children’s initiative in learning, and to combine “doing” and “action” to carry out advanced learning methods – experiential learning, or action learning.

This learning method can truly change children’s learning experience. Conducting scientific experiments is like opening a door to a magical world.

The children put on their clothes, gloves, and personally prepared the reagents, observing the wonderful chemical reactions.

At that moment, the dry chemical formulas in the book turned into brilliant colors and wonderful changes before my eyes.

They no longer memorize knowledge points from textbooks by rote, but rather apply knowledge flexibly, igniting curiosity and exploration in an instant.

Many schools now emphasize scientific experimental operations, which may also be the reason for this.

Marx said that the entire so-called world history is nothing more than the process of human labor giving birth to humanity.

Labor practice, whether it is the hard work in the fields or the meticulous craftsmanship in handicrafts, is telling children that the wisdom of life comes from their hands.

When they plant a seed and watch it slowly sprout and grow, what they harvest is not only fruit, but also reverence for life and nature; When they create a small object with their own hands, a sense of pride and achievement arises, and they understand the value and meaning of labor.

Six life practices have enabled children to learn how to climb and roll in the real world. From doing laundry and tidying up the room on their own, to participating in family decision-making and planning activities, they gradually acquire life skills, learn to take responsibility, and develop the ability to think independently and solve problems.

Mr. Nie Shengzhe referred to this type of education as “nurturing education” and believed that nurturing education is a skill that a person must learn, and it is the foundation for a person to stand in society and pursue freedom.

Seven on-site inspections are an intimate dialogue with the world. Standing in front of historical landmarks, the traces of time are within reach, and the distant stories in books become vivid; Strolling through nature, the magnificence of mountains, rivers, flowers, and trees allows children to truly feel the charm of the earth, broaden their horizons, and nourish their souls.

Eight simulation productions, scenario performances, and textbook drama performances allow children to immerse themselves in different roles and situations, experiencing various aspects of life.

In the performance, their understanding of literary works becomes deeper, their emotions become more delicate, and their expression and teamwork abilities are unconsciously improved.

Exploring audio and video, taking notes, researching materials, drawing mind maps, making PPTs, and other learning activities are also within the scope of experiential learning.

They are no longer mechanical tasks, but tools for children to express themselves, organize knowledge, and explore in depth through repeated hands-on practice.

They are presented in children’s minds again and again through situational practice, making learning more autonomous and efficient.

You may ask, why is experiential learning so important. The answer is simple, because it is in line with children’s nature.

Children are naturally curious and active, and they crave to experience the world firsthand. Traditional teaching methods often overlook this point, rigidly imparting knowledge to children, often resulting in twice the result with half the effort.

Experiential learning can stimulate children’s interest in learning, allowing them to learn happily and grow through learning.

Strengthen experiential learning and activate situational memory. The more specific and practical these actions, activities, and practices related to learning are, the deeper and more firmly a child’s episodic memory of knowledge will be.

Learning should not just be sitting at a desk reading books, doing homework, or memorizing knowledge points.

It should be more active, using eighteen martial arts techniques, various forms, and practices, so that learning can happen unconsciously.

END’s previous recommended education is not to expect children to achieve great success, but to hope that they are good at learning.

Education is to make memory a tool to improve academic performance. Education is to encourage children to study hard and prepare for exams.

Education is to give up the “problem perspective” and switch to the “advantage perspective”. Do not ignore the power of suggestion.