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| Mr. Barrentine is teaching students about crustaceans. There are many opportunities for hands on activities at MEWA. |
Last week’s blog talked about the importance of involvement
in the education process. This week, we
take this concept one step further and discuss the importance of actively
participating in one’s learning, known as hands-on learning. Studies have shown hands-on learning
increases the level of engagement and understanding of the student and the
benefits of this are immense. An article
by Everest describes these benefits from the perspective of a student’s
future. First of all, the student
exhibits a greater retention of course material through active engagement with
the concepts being taught. Additionally,
critical thinking skills are easily developed in a stimulated environment. This is due to the increased attention given
to “in-the-moment” learning. Finally,
the personalized guidance a student receives from the instructor during the
hands-on-learning process is much greater than in a lecture or classroom
setting.
(Source: http://news.everest.edu/post/2010/01/top-5-benefits-of-a-hands-on-learning-environment/#.UmqmKFwSAps)
For students at MEWA, hands-on learning is still a big part
of their education as we offer the stimulated environment needed to apply,
discuss, and discover the concepts explained in coursework. Our teachers work on-site and are host to
drop-in labs in which students can visit, ask questions, and progress through
their assignments. Drop-in labs are
encouraged so that students receive the hands-on application they sometimes
need to better understand what is being learned. We also invite students to participate in
field-trips and clubs to interact with each other, their teachers, and the
school on a more social level. At MEWA,
we want to stimulate the student’s mind and help them to achieve all of their
future goals.
Important
Announcements…
Don’t Forget!
Our incentive program is in full swing.
We will have a drawing
on November 22, 2013 for a giveaway of two iPod Touch 16GB players. To enter, students must login every school day,
work at least 1 hour on coursework while logged in each school day, and
complete 5 assignments per week that are submitted for grading. We hope all MEWA and GED students continue to
participate!
Let Us Help… We will begin an Open Support Class that
will meet each Thursday from 1:00 to 3:00, beginning next week to assist in
clearing up any issues students & parents are having with the new
Genius/Brain Honey learning management system.
The Student Leadership Club is open to all students! The focus of the club is to build leadership
skills for those who join. Ms. Norrander
will be the staff sponsor with Mr. May-Varas and Dr. Gray assisting. The next
meeting will be Thursday, October 31 @ 1:30PM at MEWA.
Our Parent Booster Group will have the next meeting November 20th at 6:00 PM at
MEWA. Participation in this group is
open to all MEWA parents, grandparents, guardians, and staff members. The focus of this group is to organize and
support activities that promote our school and provide enrichment and growth
opportunities for students and staff.
MEWA Gold Card Program. We have an exciting new incentive program for the drop-in
laboratory. Each time you achieve your study goals that you've listed on a Gold
Card, you'll be able to turn that card in for a weekly prize drawing. Currently,
our weekly prize is a $10 Starbucks gift card. We look to add different prizes
in the future. So, stay tuned, stay on task in the drop-in lab, and you too can
win prizes. If you'd like to know more about the
details of how this program works, click on the following link: https://docs.google.com/a/gbwebacademy.org/presentation/d/1oeAGfNBaTgcmBAVkDjfmzjtg4qlgrvrrG51RZwSFmv8/edit?usp=sharing.
College Bound Students! Connect with your counselor to discuss the
ACT, SAT, or the PSAT. They have information
and dates for registering for these tests.
Remember the ME in MEWA; at Metro East you
come first.
