Back to School

Last week, most American youth -- and many adults -- said goodbye to summer and hello to teachers and schoolmates.

While the merits of the "school year" remain in debate, the generally accepted system of American education has been a cornerstone of the nation's society for decades.

Human beings -- collectively and individually -- have always been "students," in a sense. In fact, if our species had not been instinctively driven to learn new things and pass along lessons learned to the next generation, then we would certainly not have been able to do things like improve methods of transportation, construct multi-story buildings, invent communication devices, cultivate food crops, and so forth.

As you'll discover in this week's lesson, there are many different ways of learning. You'll also uncover how public schools have shaped American society.

The Learning Curve

To begin, let's explore The Learning Curve, a ThinkQuest site. Click Visit Site to enter, then choose the Green or Curvy design of the site.

Read the introduction. then find out about How We Learn.

In what ways do the four types of Conditioning differ from one another? How exactly do the General Learning Concepts influence daily activities? Does one of the Learning Modalities fit you better than the other two?

How do those compare with Gregorc's Learning Styles? What are some of the Conditions Required for Learning? Can you identify one or more conditions that influence you the most when learning something new?

Now let's delve into some of the leading Learning Theories. In what ways could the unique characteristics of the left and right sides of our brain influence the ways in which individuals learn?

Next, sit in the teacher's chair, and discover what Teaching really involves. Is the typical Classroom similar to your own? Which of the Classroom Teaching Methods do you think you would prefer to use as a teacher? In what ways would the personalities of your students influence your teaching method?

What is the common sequence of Teaching-Learning Situations? What are the ultimate Teaching Objectives? Which Instructions Techniques do you think work best for you as a student? Which ones would you prefer as a teacher? How difficult would Motivating Students be?

If you have time, uncover what else can affect a person's Learning Ability, discover the different types of Exceptional Learning, and explore the History of Learning. Also, check out the Interact section and Other Features.

Based on what you've learned, how would you describe the teaching styles of your own teachers? Do you think their styles generally work? If not, why not? Would your classmates agree?

The Public School System

Most Americans have at one time or another attended a public school or know someone who has. Without a doubt, public education has had a strong influence on shaping American life.

So, let's pay a visit to School: The Story of American Public Education at PBS, to learn more about the nature and influence of public schools.

To begin, let's dig into public education's Roots in History.

Why are The School of Choice Controversy , Bilingual Education, and Tests, Curriculum and Standards hotly debated? Why is understanding the history of these issues critical to addressing them?

Now let's take a look at the Evolving Classroom. For example, how do the Bells, Blackboards, Books, Discipline, Furniture, Homework, School Lunch, and Technology, and Testing compare then and now?

If you have a chance, meet some of education's Innovators and browse around the Photo Gallery.

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Newspaper Activities

Browse current issues of Targetnewspaper and look for news or features about schools or teachers in your area. Is the news about the school's facilities or its faculty? Has there been any changes in the school or school district's budgets? If so, are any teacher positions or class offerings getting added or dropped? Have they upgraded the building or classrooms in some way? Does the news explain some upcoming changes in teaching methods or styles? Can you find anything in the news that illustrates one or more differences (or similarities) between public and non-public schools?