Hands-On Learning

My husband and I struggled with what we could do to see that our daughter's educational needs were served. In grade school, she was labeled "gifted" and placed accordingly in a special class. The children in that class got to discuss how they learn. They talked about how they could solve problems by making models, using lists, imaging with their hands. They were presented with a language-rich environment and a hands-on environment that their regular classroom didn't have. Whenever we tried to discuss the needs of "giftedness" other parents would decry that their children weren't getting these enriching activities too. And well they should complain. Our brains, all of our brains, have evolved with dense connections that involve learning through speech and language and the movements of our hands. Sitting at desks and learning by rote has never been the optimal way for any child to learn.