I provide students with brainwork to stimulate their brains. I try very hard
to find activities that are unlike the skill practice that is completed in
the classroom. Instead, I hunt for assignments that will stretch
your child's thinking in a new direction. They may have to solve a logic
puzzle, research to find some new information, or complete an analogy. It is
unlikely that your child will be able to sit down and complete a piece of
brainwork in a few seconds. These activities are designed to cause them to
stop, think, and possibly do some research. This can cause stress and anxiety
with some children, but in the long run they will greatly benefit from trying
to tackle something new.
At the beginning of the year each child will set a goal of how many pieces of
brainwork they would like to complete by the end of January. In the beginning
of February, they will set another goal for the end of May. I expect that
every child is capable of completing the equivalent of one piece of brainwork
for every week that we are in session. Almost all of the students that I work
with set goals that are higher than the minimum.
Students are expected to bring their completed brainwork back to PALS and
correct it. They score their own work. They give themselves a check+ if they
did quality work and put forth their best effort. A check is earned if they
did an okay job and put forth some effort. A check- is earned if little
effort was put forth and very little time was spent on the activity. I DO NOT
expect every question to have an answer. However, I do expect your child to
spend some time working on the assignment. I tell students that if they spend
15 minutes each night on their brainwork I will be thrilled. They are
encouraged to put the work away after fifteen minutes and come back to it the
next day. It is important for students to understand that perfection is not
expected, but learning something new is. Challenge and a little frustration
is good, but we would like keep it at a healthy level, avoiding tears. Once
the work is turned in, I will look at it and mark down which pieces
have been completed by each child. By the end of the year there will be 100
pieces of brainwork available for each grade level and group. This supply
will allow your child to try many new ways of thinking.
Beware - I have been notified many times by both students and parents that
these activities are often enjoyed by the entire family. I do require
that the writing be completed by the child, not the parent. I understand that
the assignments can be addicting, however, let you child do the majority of
the learning.
Enjoy!
