聯接與跨越 Bridging the Gap [連載三]

本專欄以《聯接與跨越》為題，以一位華裔美國中學生的親身體驗，提供常識性的對美國小學和中學學習環(huán)境與學習方式、校園生活、課余活動、升學準備、交友與聚會等中國學生和家長感興趣的話題，提供短小精悍的中英雙語介紹。

本專欄分“小學篇”和“中學篇”，分別在我刊《小學教師》與《中學教師》中以連載的方式刊出。下文為“小學篇”的第三篇文章。

作者簡介：王若桑，出生于美國康涅狄格州。現為美國羅德島州南郡高中3年級學生。

Connie R. Wang is currently a junior student of the South Kingstown High School, South Kingstown, Rhode Island, USA.

三、開發(fā)式的課堂活動

小學階段對于個人性格和興趣培養(yǎng)是關鍵時期。有時，一些看似非常微小的事情，其影響卻終會陪伴人生。美國小學很多開發(fā)式的教學活動就是致力于學生性格和創(chuàng)造力培養(yǎng)的。

在學校活動中，對大自然的認識和參與是很重要的一個環(huán)節(jié)。很多學校都將小規(guī)模的對大自然的探索納入教學活動。例如：通過林中穿越來增加對周圍事物的認知。此類活動讓學生們建立起對或許會消失的自然環(huán)境的認識。活動也包括到當地的農場去郊游、訪問，了解食物的來源和加工。通過此類活動，讓學生們建立起與當地生活的緊密聯系。接受大自然的沐浴也是激發(fā)學生們想象力和創(chuàng)造力的最好方式。比如：我在很多間休時間里會在巖石堆和林中玩樂，憑借自己的想象來假定一些虛構的情節(jié)。

為了幫助、激勵學生們思維中的抽象性，很多學校都提倡廣泛閱讀不同類別的書籍。學生們很珍惜每周到學校圖書室閱讀的時間。男生往往是快速跑進去，大聲喧嘩，然后在他們喜歡的圖書閱讀中安靜下來。女生們往往會直接找到她們喜歡的系列，例如瓊尼-瓊斯、奧利瓦豬、魔法樹屋等。為了滿足自己關于動物和自然界的好奇心，我常常取出盡可能多的關于狗和貓的百科全書。當然讀這樣的書有時會引來同伴們奇怪的目光，但能讓自己的好奇心得到滿足，這種閱讀就非常值得。鑒于電視和計算機取代了很多學生生活中的閱讀時間，學校倡導健康閱讀的理念。除了簡單要求學生閱讀書籍，我記憶中的小學也充滿了對閱讀冗長乏味的期刊系列的要求。老師會要求學生們按章節(jié)逐一概述所閱讀的圖書，加入學生自己的解釋和反思，并與自己的學習生活相聯系。這種教學有助于鏈接主導概念，并使學生參與詳細的閱讀。

在美國小學，另一個重點是對想象力的培養(yǎng)。雖然每個人都能完成泛泛的知識記憶，創(chuàng)造性則更加重要。缺乏創(chuàng)造性的應用，知識就是無用的。在學校的其它活動中，我印象最深的是有許多“創(chuàng)造中心”。老師會在教室的角落擺放大桌子，上面堆滿了各種紙、管道清潔劑、裝雞蛋的盒子、膠水、不干膠標簽、細繩、小念珠、其他雜物等。世界上最美好的就是兒童的想象力和對生命的態(tài)度。在尚不需要面對成績、工作和來自真實世界壓力的時候，孩子們的童心會被保留在其創(chuàng)造的手工世界里。出于對成人以后的創(chuàng)新性的期待，學校都認為兒童期是激勵他們具有超出手工世界想象力的最重要的時期。

雖然沒有完全一樣的兩個童年，但對每一個個體而言，來自于童年的影響卻是同一的。無論他們是成功的企業(yè)主管還是高中學生，其生命中對事物的認知、創(chuàng)造力和想象力往往來源于童年時期開發(fā)式的教學活動。

英文稿

Bridging The Gap (The Elementary School Series)

Article 3: Developmental Class Activities

The elementary school years are crucial in developing personal characteristics and interests. Sometimes, the little things of the past are what stick to us most. Many of the developmental class activities in the U.S. elementary schools do their purpose in helping to shape students' character and creativity.

Nature plays a big role in the developmental activities of school. More schools try to integrate small nature endeavors, such as class walks in the woods, to stimulate awareness of surroundings. They also help to give the children a sense of consideration for the environment that might otherwise be lost. There are many trips to local farms to see where and how food is produced, giving the students an overall connection to their local ties. Being immersed in nature is one of the best ways to develop imagination and creativity of students. I would spend most recesses playing amongst rocks and forests, pretending to be figments of my imagination.

To help stimulate the more abstract parts of the mind, many schools promote reading books of all genres. I certainly treasured my weekly class trips to the school library. The boys would always dash in, screaming relentlessly until they settled down with a book or two of their interests. The girls would in turn go directly to their favorite series' such as Junie B Jones, Olivia the Pig, and The Magic Tree House. To satiate my curiosity about animals and the natural world, I would take out as many encyclopedias about dogs and cats possible. Sure, I got a few weird looks from my peers, but the temporary satisfaction of my curiosity made it worthwhile. While TV's and computers have replaced a large amount of reading time in many children's lives, schools promote a healthy outlook on reading. Instead of simply requiring the children to read books, my memories of elementary schools are plagued with the tedious journal entries required. Teachers would ask students to do a chapter by chapter synopsis of the book, adding their own interpretations, reflections, and connections to self. This type of teaching helps to connect main ideas and thoroughly involve students in the reading process.

In American elementary schools, there is also a big emphasis put on imagination. While anyone can complete the perfunctory skills of memorization of knowledge, creativity is much more important. Knowledge isn't useful without the creativity to apply it. Among other things, my childhood memories are filled with moments at the "creativity centers" in school. The teachers would set up a big table in the corner of the class and fill the table with construction paper, pipe cleaners, egg cartons, glue, craft sticks, string, beads, and all other random odds and ends. One of the most beautiful things in the world is a child's imagination and perspective on life. At a time when grades, jobs, and the pressures of reality do not carry weight, a child's innocence can be preserved in little crafts that are made. In the hope for innovative adults, many schools are realizing that childhood is the most important time to stimulate "thinking outside of the box".

No two childhoods are exactly alike, but the common thread between them is the impact that they have on the individual. So whether one is a successful CEO or a high school student, the awareness, creativity, and imagination that one reflects in life can be attributed to the small developmental activities of childhood.