Школы Виндзора внедрили модель обучения через игру, ограничив использование технологий

Windsor schools launch play-based learning model WINDSOR, Conn. (WFSB) - Kindergarten through second grade students in Windsor returned to school on Tuesday to a new teaching method that limits technology and emphasizes play. The Windsor School District is introducing what it calls the “Windsor Early Learning Model” in its elementary schools. Students will learn the same state-approved curriculum as before, but it will be presented differently, according to the district. What the program includes The model has 10 pillars. They include bringing back handwriting and cursive classes, cutting back on technology, adding outdoor learning, and bringing in classroom pets or a garden for students to observe and learn from. Classrooms will not include computers or phones. School officials said if looking into a classroom, students might appear to be at recess. The method is based on research showing young children build executive functions through hands-on experiences rather than passive instruction, according to the district. School leaders traveled to Europe to observe play-based learning in practice and found it positively impacted education in the long term because children retained more information through hands-on experience rather than passive instruction, the district said. Teachers spent the summer learning about the model. Superintendent explains the goal Dr. Noha Abdel-Hady, superintendent of Windsor Public Schools, said the model is designed for long-term retention rather than short-term testing performance. “The model is built so that students are not just necessarily ready to perform on a test on a Friday or at the end of the year,” Abdel-Hady said. “The model is specifically built to ensure that students in kindergarten, when they get to fourth grade, eighth grade, and middle school and high school, they actually have a strong foundation and they retain the foundational skills that we’re currently seeing are lacking at these older grades.” Teacher describes classroom activities Vanessa Barton, a first grade teacher at Oliver Ellsworth School, described what play-based learning looks like in practice. “In a first grade classroom, you might see students building with blocks while applying concepts in measurement, geometry, and engineering,” Barton said. “You might see students acting out stories to deepen their reading comprehension, creating models, to demonstrate their understanding of science concepts, or working together to solve real-world problems. These experiences are playful, but they’re also intentional opportunities for students to practice critical thinking, communication, problem solving, and academic skills.” Cost and parent involvement The play-based learning method comes at no additional cost in the school budget, according to the district. The schools are planning a day this year when parents will be invited into their child’s classroom to learn more about the method. Copyright 2026 WFSB. All rights reserved.