Research

SUMMARY Play is one of the most natural and universal aspects of childhood. A wide body of research suggests that it creates optimal conditions for learning and supports the development of language, gross motor, fine motor, cognitive, and social skills. As such, “play-based learning” has become a standard in early childhood education. At Clonlara, we believe play is important for all ages. Our personalized, student-driven educational approach closely aligns with the key elements of play that researchers have found to be so important for healthy development and learning. “Not enough can be said about play. It is the life’s breath of learning.” ― Pat Montgomery, Clonlara School Founder PLAY INVOLVES FREEDOM AND CHOICE Children play because they choose to play. They also choose what and how to play, and perhaps…

SUMMARY Many schools have policies that dictate how much homework should be assigned based on the assumption that it is beneficial to students. As a general rule, the National Education Association recommends giving students 10 minutes of homework per night multiplied by their grade level; for example, 10 minutes in 1st grade, 20 minutes in 2nd grade, 30 minutes in 3rd grade, and so on.1 However, the research on homework does not provide definitive evidence of its benefits. The Case For Homework “A good way to think about homework is the way you think about medications or dietary supplements. If you take too little, they’ll have no effect. If you take too much, they can kill you. If you take the right amount, you’ll get better.” — Harris Cooper Harris…

SUMMARY Brain-based education is an approach that draws from the science of how the human brain learns naturally and aligns instructional strategies to support student learning at different stages of the brain’s development. In a traditional school, brain-based strategies can free-up educators to integrate movement, project-based learning, and other forms of personalization into the curriculum. At Clonlara, it affirms what we have been doing for 50 years, which is to put students at the center of the learning process and let their interests guide their educational experience. “It’s truly astonishing that the dominant model for formal learning is still ‘sit and git.’ It’s not just astonishing; it’s embarrassing.” ― Eric Jensen, Teaching with the Brain in Mind, 2nd Edition CURIOSITY PRIMES THE BRAIN FOR LEARNING Studies in the field of…