How We Teach in 4-H

There are multiple components to being a good teacher. One is knowing specifically what you want your kids to learn.  This video shows how experiential learning and the Thriving Model are used together to enhance learning in 4-H.

The Thriving Model includes seven indicators you can use in your teaching to help ensure your kids gain both the content knowledge and life skills to take outside your program.  Another helpful tool is experiential learning – helping youth learn thorough a hands-on experiment or first-hand experience and then reflect on it gives them a deeper understanding of what they learned.

As you watch the video, think about:

• What is experiential learning?
• How do the 4-H Thriving Model and experiential learning enhance learning when used together?

Remember …

1. There are multiple components to being a good teacher. Everyone has different teaching styles, but the main goal is always making sure your kids are learning.  While the content you are teaching is important, skills like a positive attitude or problem-solving can also be taught.
2. The 4-H Thriving Model includes seven indicators you can use in your teaching to help ensure your kids gain both the content knowledge and life skills to take outside your program.
3. Having youth learn thorough hands-on or first-hand experiences and then reflect on it gives them a deeper understanding of what they learned. It also helps them make connections to real-world situations.  Science experiments, building projects, and service learning are great examples of experiential learning, but the reflection after the activity is crucial.
4. Reflection in experiential learning is as important as the hands-on activity because it connects the knowledge to prior experiences and allows new knowledge to be formed so it can be applied in future situations.

Now that you’ve watched the video, apply what you’ve learned.

• Choose an activity that has a hands-on experience and lead it with youth.  Help the youth reflect on their experience and what they’ve learned.
• Choose one indicator from the 4-H Thriving Model and try implementing it in your program.  Click here to learn more about the 4-H Thriving Model.