Empowering Students to Solve Real-World Problems
國際處主任 賴國宜
In the real world, problems are usually complicated and rarely solved by following a single path. Instead, it usually involves applying multi-skills and solving a series of smaller problems along the way. Authentic projects reflect this real-life style of problem-solving. Our curriculum coordinator, Ms. Sheryl, explains how teachers create authentic learning experiences to foster real-world skills.
Animals are always an interesting topic for young children. By posing the hypothetical situation of people being forced to live underground, grade two teachers motivated students to apply what they had learned about burrow animals, to develop new physical traits to adapt to life in a burrow. You will enjoy the students' creative drawings and interesting descriptions of their "wild selves."
傳統課堂裡，教科書決定學習內容，學生依據課表，分科學習。但生活中的問題從來都沒有照書本安排，也不是單純應用某學科的知識就能解決。專題式學習強調提供像真實生活裡複雜的問題，讓學生靈活運用所學過的知識，發揮創意，研究並提出解決方案，過程中，學習的情境越接近學生的真實生活經驗，學生越能投入並運用生活中有用的知識。康橋的英語專題課程強調的就是「實境式」（Authentic）的專題學習，從課研組游亞俐組長的文章，您將了解更多實境式學習的實例。
看似寧靜的大地下，有各式各樣的動物正忙碌的過活，為了在地底下存活，穴居動物各個身懷絕技。上學期末的英文寫作，二年級老師出了個難題給孩子：如果只能住在地底下，你的身體部位將會演化出哪些功能？孩子們應用課文學到的穴居動物特徵，並發揮無限的創意，將自己變成厲害的穴居動物，看了他們的作品，相信您會跟我一樣，為孩子們「有憑有據」的想像力讚嘆不已。
光輝的十月是國家的生日，也是康橋的校慶，但最令孩子們期盼的莫過於萬聖節，國際處規劃了精采的校慶萬聖節闖關活動，歡迎大家一起來鬼屋練練膽子，開開心心的歡慶康橋生日快樂。
~ Sheryl Yu
Curriculum Coordinator, International Department
What does authentic mean? Authentic means real. Why does a project need to be real? We create authentic projects for our students in Kang Chiao so that our students can express their real selves when they are doing their projects. We want learning to be tangible and reflect our students’ world and their experiences. Students can then devote themselves to what they care about, and have a chance to really learn about what interests them.
Finding a Connection to Ignite Student Learning
It is easy to teach from a textbook and fill students with knowledge that we think is appropriate. However, by creating authentic projects for students, we find that education can be more successful and exhilarating! Grade one did a project about signs, and grade three did a project about electricity. Our reward comes when parents tell us how excited their grade ones are when they spot signs and symbols along roads, in supermarkets, or in elevators; or when our grade three students suddenly take note of all the electrical appliances at home.
Creating In-Depth Inquiry into Real-World Situations
At Kang Chiao, you might see a group of first graders looking for a place on campus to design a sign for, or a group of third and fourth graders in the nature study area looking at different walking paths for their KCFS Trails and Roads Project. There’s a lot of planning that goes on behind the scenes to make learning real for our students, because we realize that our students can relate better to what they can visualize and create on their own. When they have the desire to find an answer to a problem, they are more driven to observe, measure, design, and communicate. This increases the quality of their work.
Taking Action to Make a Better World
Kang Chiao students do projects and assignments in their English teachers’ classes every semester. They create and perform a safety skit to promote safety on campus. They design parks for neighborhoods. They undertake charity drives to support people who live in poverty. They speak to a government bureau about water shortages. They become productive when they believe that they can really make a positive impact on others. They become more eloquent when they are viewed and critiqued by their peers or a public audience.
The future is not far off for our students. We believe that through every authentic experience, our students are one step closer to making the world a better place!
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