by KYW's Dr. Marciene Mattleman
It’s no longer the 3 R’s only that help kids learn—but another ingredient is relevance in teaching.
In West Virginia, project-based units are helping kids use technology, critical thinking and analytic skills in learning about their communities.
Scott High School in Madison is located in the southern part of the state where coal production has fallen and the economy has suffered. Kids in the 10th grade are searching census data from four time periods to see how health, natural resources, immigration and urbanization affect the quality of life.
They’re comparing their county with other areas economically-challenged that have experienced revitalization. At the conclusion of the project they will present a business plan to the County Commissioner and other officials on ways to improve employment and attract immigration.
At Greenbrier East High School, kids are studying periods when books have been banned, locating the district’s policy on how to challenge a book and finding news articles on the web.
The report in Education Week describing this approach is a model for effective teaching.
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