Learning Triangle

When we lived in Utah, I was able to go to some wonderful reading workshops sponsored by KBYU, where parents are able to learn effective literacy methods to use with their children.

One of the concepts they taught was the learning triangle. Basically, there are 3 ways to reinforce and teach an idea to your child. One of those is by reading about it. Another way is by watching something about it. The third way is by doing an activity related to it.

The three ways form a triangle of learning for your child.

This last week we went to the library and I found a book called Alphabeep by Debora Pearson. This is an ABC book using transportation, and K has loved it! For "W", the page talks about wrecking cranes. K asked what it was and after explaining it to him, I looked on You Tube for some video examples. He had a blast watching videos of wrecking balls being swung against buildings and I made a mental note to make some sort of wrecking crane with him later that day.

Within an hour, he had beat me to it. After stealing my tea pot (purely for hot cocoa purposes in the winter), he stuck string from a bag into the lid and closed it tightly. Suddenly he started exclaiming "Look Mom, a wrecking crane!"

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Sometimes you just have to let kids teach themselves, and it ended up being so much more fun for him because K figured it out on his own, and it works for me!

(Which is why I'm linking up to Works for Me Wednesday at We are that Family)