We are all different in the way we learn, the way 2 people standing together observing the same students can perceive
We are all different in the way we learn things, for example, I have always found that I have a great photographic memory, and often would be able to recall notes I took at university as if I had a photo of them in my memory; yet, my first cousin would never take any notes at all. He would sit beside me and just listen, claiming that he was an aural learner.
I believe that as teachers, we also have our strengths in the way we teach, not just in the way we learn. I believe that teachers are most successful when they teach in a way that best suits their natural way of teaching things, whether it be to a little sister as on older teen, as a parent to an infant, a neighbour teaching a friend, or a teacher teaching their students. Despite the fact that some students learn in different ways, we have to tap into our natural strengths to try and reach all students. Sure we will adapt and differentiate our instruction, but it varies from year to year and class to class.
As a teacher, I would think that we all take into consideration the different learning styles of our students. The Ed tech team at Educational Technology and Mobile Learning indicate that teachers must “create a course that best fits this exact style” (2015). If by a course they mean an entire year teaching a subject, a teacher can tap into all learning styles. However, this does not mean that it can be done daily, or that each child will be reached anyway. something differently, the way we interact with each other, the way we are motivated by ourselves or by outside forces, the way we react empathetically or not to various events around us - I could go on and on.
As I previously mentioned, and as the adversaries of teaching to the learning style of every child, people are different. Just this year in a French Immersion class of only 20, I have students who are very reluctant readers and writers, with severe ADHD, and even a few students who are very, very unmotivated unless somehow we incorporate hockey into the lesson.
This year I had a student teacher who did an awesome job at getting students out of their seats and doing a lot of hands-on, constructivist-theory based, creative, discovery-type activities with great results; yet, still, the same students who always have challenges getting things done did not have improved academic success.
Learning styles are not a myth, and the reality is that we are at our best when we naturally teach in a way that is our best natural way of reaching all students, with their learning styles, learning challenges, medical challenges, personality challenges, social challenges, personal life history challenges, home life challenges, etc. in mind.
EdTech Team (2015). The Myth of Learning Styles 'Debunked'. Educational Technology and Mobile Learning. Retrieved from: http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2013/12/the-myth-of-learning-styles-debunked.html
We are all different in the way we learn things, for example, I have always found that I have a great photographic memory, and often would be able to recall notes I took at university as if I had a photo of them in my memory; yet, my first cousin would never take any notes at all. He would sit beside me and just listen, claiming that he was an aural learner.
I believe that as teachers, we also have our strengths in the way we teach, not just in the way we learn. I believe that teachers are most successful when they teach in a way that best suits their natural way of teaching things, whether it be to a little sister as on older teen, as a parent to an infant, a neighbour teaching a friend, or a teacher teaching their students. Despite the fact that some students learn in different ways, we have to tap into our natural strengths to try and reach all students. Sure we will adapt and differentiate our instruction, but it varies from year to year and class to class.
As a teacher, I would think that we all take into consideration the different learning styles of our students. The Ed tech team at Educational Technology and Mobile Learning indicate that teachers must “create a course that best fits this exact style” (2015). If by a course they mean an entire year teaching a subject, a teacher can tap into all learning styles. However, this does not mean that it can be done daily, or that each child will be reached anyway. something differently, the way we interact with each other, the way we are motivated by ourselves or by outside forces, the way we react empathetically or not to various events around us - I could go on and on.
As I previously mentioned, and as the adversaries of teaching to the learning style of every child, people are different. Just this year in a French Immersion class of only 20, I have students who are very reluctant readers and writers, with severe ADHD, and even a few students who are very, very unmotivated unless somehow we incorporate hockey into the lesson.
This year I had a student teacher who did an awesome job at getting students out of their seats and doing a lot of hands-on, constructivist-theory based, creative, discovery-type activities with great results; yet, still, the same students who always have challenges getting things done did not have improved academic success.
Learning styles are not a myth, and the reality is that we are at our best when we naturally teach in a way that is our best natural way of reaching all students, with their learning styles, learning challenges, medical challenges, personality challenges, social challenges, personal life history challenges, home life challenges, etc. in mind.
EdTech Team (2015). The Myth of Learning Styles 'Debunked'. Educational Technology and Mobile Learning. Retrieved from: http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2013/12/the-myth-of-learning-styles-debunked.html