Personal Development Journal

Learning Styles

Strength:  The strongest learning experience I have had so far is found in the entire book, Learning Style Perspectives 2nd Edition, along with the researched articles:  Adult Learning Theory, Teaching with the Constructivist Learning Theory, and Creating Learning Centered Classrooms. 

I am amazed at how many learning styles, theories, and methods are out there for teachers and educators to use to reach all students with any learning style preference.  The unfortunate information that I learned while studying and researching this subject matter is that very few instructors and educators know their own learning style.  If we do not understand our own learning style how can we educate others and reach them through their preferred learning style? 

I now recognize that my main learning style is visual.  I do have tendencies toward tactical or kinetic learning but this is minimal.  When I am putting together my lesson plans I find that I want to connect with all the students in my class and this is a hidden strength that I now understand and I will be certain to accentuate as I continue to teach in the future.

Improvement:  I can improve my learning and teaching in the future by being open to suggestions and more learning. 

As an educator my learning will not cease when my classes end.  I have signed on for a lifelong of learning as a teacher because "The only source of knowledge is experience."  Albert Einstein.  As I become a student along with the pupils in my class we will all gain knowledge through our time together.

I will provide opportunities that create experiences for the students to add to their own educational toolboxes.  My hope is that they will reflect back on these experiences and understand how deep their knowledge is because of the newly learned skills.  

Insight: I find that the information I gleaned regarding learning styles in the book, Learning Style Perspectives 2nd Edition, along with the research I found in Adult Learning Theory, Teaching with the Constructivist Learning Theory, and Creating Learning Centered Classrooms, to be powerful educational experiences and ones that can add depth and strength to my lesson plans and classroom to help educate the students who participate in my class.

I will be able to provide a variety of methods to meet the needs of all students, yet use one lesson plan.  How?  The lesson plan will be about how to put on a sterile gown properly.  I will incorporate a PowerPoint for the visual learner.  I will lecture and provide an outline for the audible learners.  I will break the students into groups to experiment with the newly learned material and have a chance to put on a sterile gown while I am there to assist the students. 

And this all begins with me learning what my ideal learning style is and stretching my learning to encompass all learning styles for all of the students that pass through the doors of my classroom.