Have you ever thought about or analyzed how you learn? Seems like somewhat of an odd question, but it deserves some serious analysis. Everyone will have a different answer because we all learn differently. There is no one right way to learn, as it is completely dependent on the individual.
Government funded public education fails to properly educate children for many reasons. One of those reasons is because typical classrooms tend to only cater to 1-2 learning styles. Another is that schools do not teach students how to learn, they only teach memorization and regurgitation. The goal of this education system is to have obedient workers just smart enough to do the tasks handed to them but dumb enough to never question authority or the system they are placed in.
Teaching to one or two learning styles puts the students that do not learn this way at an immediate disadvantage to their counterparts that do learn in the ways taught in the classroom. Add Common Core to the equation and you restrict educators even further as they are not allowed to teach the material in any other way but what is allowed by Common Core. This approach further uniforms education, isolating students that do not learn in that way. This is retarding future generations to not know how to be problem solvers, critical thinkers and to be slaves that are dependent on the system.
This is why it is critical to look at all the different ways of learning and understand how you learn so that you can optimize how you educate yourself. There are seven distinct learning styles that I will outline below. Try to see which ones you gravitate towards and for what topics or tasks.
The seven learning styles
Visual learners learn best through visual representation of the topic. This can include white boards, charts, presentations, diagrams, pictures, symbols, anything that has visual describes what is going on.
Verbal learners learn best by reading and reciting the information to themselves, They will typically writing down notes and key points of interest to reference and recite through out the learning of the topic.
Aural learners learn though listening to speech, music and sound. So they learn best by listening to others through lecture, audio books, debates, discussions, music, pretty much anything auditory.
Physical (Kinesthetic) learners learn through hands-on touch and by doing things for themselves rather than watching or listening how to do something.
Logical learners learn by asking questions, forming patterns, relationships and using classification in their thinking. They are natural thinkers that will reason out their ideas.
Social learners prefer to learn in groups better than on their own. They learn though the social interaction with others and utilize brainstorming and other group activity to learn.
Solitary learners learn best through self analysis and introspection. Journaling and spending time alone helps these people learn.
Learning how to teach yourself
It is my rational, that people do not learn exclusively in a single learning style nor is a single style appropriate for every subject. I personally learn best through Aural, Physical and Solitary learning, but that will vary depending on what I am trying to learn. For example, If I am learning how to install carpet in my house, I am going to learn that the best through hands on doing, but if I am doing research on a topic, I will learn best through Aural, Logical and Solitary means. Figuring out what works best for you in a multitude of situations is a life skill that will allow to you to learn things quickly with a lot less frustration.
Learning how to teach yourself is the master key, the key to the Universe, the key that will open any door set before you. I know that I can go into any career that I choose and be successful. I can take on something that I have never done before and have the confidence to be successful. Taking the time to discover how to learn and teach yourself is critical to self growth and an enabler that will allow you to reach what ever goals that you set for yourself.
Love to all.
Photo Credits:
Library photo by Janko Ferlič
Man holding key photo by CMDR Shane