It was about 5 AM in the morning. I had been awake all night, straining my neck to check if I could see any bit of America from my window. All I could see was clouds. But now, my flight had landed in America, the land of my dreams, where I was about to embark upon a PhD degree.
Although quite successful, I was not the most content student in India. The shallow irrelevant syllabi, and general lack of organization in the field of education frustrated me. When I landed in America, little did I know that my frustration was going to increase by many fold.
I soon came to realize, that for all my discontent, I was a successful student in India, because learning mainly occurred in class. I listened and I learned. This was different from USA, where class lectures comprised only one aspect of learning. I was expected to read, as well as a write a lot. I am not particularly good at either. It became apparent to me that I am an auditory learner, a person who primarily learns by listening.
Learning style should not be confused with intelligence, skill, or be associated with related stereotypes. As an auditory learner, I do not consider myself to be inferior to visual (learn by seeing) or tactile (learn by doing) learners. It is only relevant insofar that my comprehension and learning while reading is somewhat limited. I also do not care much for visual cues or references while learning. I care more for vivid verbal descriptions, stories, and detailed verbal explanations. More than anything else, one's learning style is the key to figuring out what helps oneself understand material better.
Ever since I concluded that I was an auditory learner (about a year ago), I have been able to attribute several of my failings to my learning style rather than to lack of intelligence. I can imagine how knowledge of their learning style can similarly be transformative to many other individuals, including my students.
I believe it is extremely important that a teacher know about learning styles. He/she need not know about the learning style of every student. After all, it is impossible for a teacher to individually tailor their teaching to the learning styles of all students. A commonly suggested remedy, which is to teach in a way such that students of "all learning styles" can learn well from one's teaching, is easier said than done. I believe that if not for any other reasons, teachers need to know about learning styles so that they can understand the motivations and actions of their students.
While in India, I believed all students fell in the continuum ranging from good to bad. There were no dimensions, or differentiating criteria. You either had it, or you did not. Now older and wiser, I can now understand that almost all students have the desire in them to learn. The desire to learn is a naturally occurring tendency, developed because of its obvious evolutionary benefits. It is just that the ways in which learning occur are different. Thus, the student who constantly doodles in class is not disinterested. He is learning, his way.
We are now moving from an educational culture that set non-negotiable standards, and expected students to meet them, to an new educational culture that understands students. Knowledge of learning styles is one step in the that direction.
Although quite successful, I was not the most content student in India. The shallow irrelevant syllabi, and general lack of organization in the field of education frustrated me. When I landed in America, little did I know that my frustration was going to increase by many fold.
I soon came to realize, that for all my discontent, I was a successful student in India, because learning mainly occurred in class. I listened and I learned. This was different from USA, where class lectures comprised only one aspect of learning. I was expected to read, as well as a write a lot. I am not particularly good at either. It became apparent to me that I am an auditory learner, a person who primarily learns by listening.
Learning style should not be confused with intelligence, skill, or be associated with related stereotypes. As an auditory learner, I do not consider myself to be inferior to visual (learn by seeing) or tactile (learn by doing) learners. It is only relevant insofar that my comprehension and learning while reading is somewhat limited. I also do not care much for visual cues or references while learning. I care more for vivid verbal descriptions, stories, and detailed verbal explanations. More than anything else, one's learning style is the key to figuring out what helps oneself understand material better.
Ever since I concluded that I was an auditory learner (about a year ago), I have been able to attribute several of my failings to my learning style rather than to lack of intelligence. I can imagine how knowledge of their learning style can similarly be transformative to many other individuals, including my students.
I believe it is extremely important that a teacher know about learning styles. He/she need not know about the learning style of every student. After all, it is impossible for a teacher to individually tailor their teaching to the learning styles of all students. A commonly suggested remedy, which is to teach in a way such that students of "all learning styles" can learn well from one's teaching, is easier said than done. I believe that if not for any other reasons, teachers need to know about learning styles so that they can understand the motivations and actions of their students.
While in India, I believed all students fell in the continuum ranging from good to bad. There were no dimensions, or differentiating criteria. You either had it, or you did not. Now older and wiser, I can now understand that almost all students have the desire in them to learn. The desire to learn is a naturally occurring tendency, developed because of its obvious evolutionary benefits. It is just that the ways in which learning occur are different. Thus, the student who constantly doodles in class is not disinterested. He is learning, his way.
We are now moving from an educational culture that set non-negotiable standards, and expected students to meet them, to an new educational culture that understands students. Knowledge of learning styles is one step in the that direction.
No comments:
Post a Comment