聯(lián)接與跨越 Bridging the Gap [連載三]

本專欄以《聯(lián)接與跨越》為題，以一位華裔美國(guó)中學(xué)生的親身體驗(yàn)，提供常識(shí)性的對(duì)美國(guó)小學(xué)和中學(xué)學(xué)習(xí)環(huán)境與學(xué)習(xí)方式、校園生活、課余活動(dòng)、升學(xué)準(zhǔn)備、交友與聚會(huì)等中國(guó)學(xué)生和家長(zhǎng)感興趣的話題，提供短小精悍的中英雙語(yǔ)介紹。

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

作者簡(jiǎn)介：王若桑，出生于美國(guó)康涅狄格州?，F(xiàn)為美國(guó)羅德島州南郡高中3年級(jí)學(xué)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(dòng)

小學(xué)階段對(duì)于個(gè)人性格和興趣培養(yǎng)是關(guān)鍵時(shí)期。有時(shí)，一些看似非常微小的事情，其影響卻終會(huì)陪伴人生。美國(guó)小學(xué)很多開發(fā)式的教學(xué)活動(dòng)就是致力于學(xué)生性格和創(chuàng)造力培養(yǎng)的。

在學(xué)校活動(dòng)中，對(duì)大自然的認(rèn)識(shí)和參與是很重要的一個(gè)環(huán)節(jié)。很多學(xué)校都將小規(guī)模的對(duì)大自然的探索納入教學(xué)活動(dòng)。例如：通過(guò)林中穿越來(lái)增加對(duì)周圍事物的認(rèn)知。此類活動(dòng)讓學(xué)生們建立起對(duì)或許會(huì)消失的自然環(huán)境的認(rèn)識(shí)?；顒?dòng)也包括到當(dāng)?shù)氐霓r(nóng)場(chǎng)去郊游、訪問(wèn)，了解食物的來(lái)源和加工。通過(guò)此類活動(dòng)，讓學(xué)生們建立起與當(dāng)?shù)厣畹木o密聯(lián)系。接受大自然的沐浴也是激發(fā)學(xué)生們想象力和創(chuàng)造力的最好方式。比如：我在很多間休時(shí)間里會(huì)在巖石堆和林中玩樂(lè)，憑借自己的想象來(lái)假定一些虛構(gòu)的情節(jié)。

為了幫助、激勵(lì)學(xué)生們思維中的抽象性，很多學(xué)校都提倡廣泛閱讀不同類別的書籍。學(xué)生們很珍惜每周到學(xué)校圖書室閱讀的時(shí)間。男生往往是快速跑進(jìn)去，大聲喧嘩，然后在他們喜歡的圖書閱讀中安靜下來(lái)。女生們往往會(huì)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(guān)于動(dòng)物和自然界的好奇心，我常常取出盡可能多的關(guān)于狗和貓的百科全書。當(dāng)然讀這樣的書有時(shí)會(huì)引來(lái)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(jì)算機(jī)取代了很多學(xué)生生活中的閱讀時(shí)間，學(xué)校倡導(dǎo)健康閱讀的理念。除了簡(jiǎn)單要求學(xué)生閱讀書籍，我記憶中的小學(xué)也充滿了對(duì)閱讀冗長(zhǎng)乏味的期刊系列的要求。老師會(huì)要求學(xué)生們按章節(jié)逐一概述所閱讀的圖書，加入學(xué)生自己的解釋和反思，并與自己的學(xué)習(xí)生活相聯(lián)系。這種教學(xué)有助于鏈接主導(dǎo)概念，并使學(xué)生參與詳細(xì)的閱讀。

在美國(guó)小學(xué)，另一個(gè)重點(diǎn)是對(duì)想象力的培養(yǎng)。雖然每個(gè)人都能完成泛泛的知識(shí)記憶，創(chuàng)造性則更加重要。缺乏創(chuàng)造性的應(yīng)用，知識(shí)就是無(wú)用的。在學(xué)校的其它活動(dòng)中，我印象最深的是有許多“創(chuàng)造中心”。老師會(huì)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(biāo)簽、細(xì)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(duì)生命的態(tài)度。在尚不需要面對(duì)成績(jī)、工作和來(lái)自真實(shí)世界壓力的時(shí)候，孩子們的童心會(huì)被保留在其創(chuàng)造的手工世界里。出于對(duì)成人以后的創(chuàng)新性的期待，學(xué)校都認(rèn)為兒童期是激勵(lì)他們具有超出手工世界想象力的最重要的時(shí)期。

雖然沒(méi)有完全一樣的兩個(gè)童年，但對(duì)每一個(gè)個(gè)體而言，來(lái)自于童年的影響卻是同一的。無(wú)論他們是成功的企業(yè)主管還是高中學(xué)生，其生命中對(duì)事物的認(rèn)知、創(chuàng)造力和想象力往往來(lái)源于童年時(shí)期開發(fā)式的教學(xué)活動(dòng)。

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.