Rewriting the 3 R's
The focus surrounding the education of America’s children has changed dramatically in the last 10-15 years. Gone are the days of focusing on each child’s skills, dreams and creative way of learning. Now children are taught from early elementary school how to score well on standardized testing. In many states, AIMS testing starts in 3rd grade. These are children that average 8 years old.
Schools used to stress the learning of the 3 R’s – Reading, wRiting, and aRithmatic. Teachers were able to take the time to discover the special learning process each child used and actually formulate lessons addressed to every child in their class. There was really a time when “no child was left behind.”
School days in the 21st century revolve around rote learning and memorization of facts. Test taking strategies are taught. Creative classes, such as art, music, and physical education are being cut out of school budgets – only to be replaced by the ever increasing ways to test better – and all for what? So our children will be better prepared to meet the world ahead? So that our children can find their own passion and discover where they will excel in the next stage of their lives? No – the children must either score higher or lower on standardized testing. The better the scores the more money the state gets for education. The worse the scores, the more money the state gets to implement new programs for all the “learning disabled” children in the public school system.
The time has come to return the classroom to the people who know it best – the teachers. Allow them to teach what they know. Allow the children to learn the way they learn best. Get Back 2 Basics – the 3 R’s: Remove Labels – Restore Self-Esteem and Recognize the Greatness in Each Child.
Begin by listening to and observing how the child responds to different learning opportunities. Parents can do this and take what they observe to the child’s teacher. When giving the child instruction, do they understand the process if you write it down? Are they exceptional at reasoning or recognizing patterns? They may be a Logical/Mathematical learner. Do they respond better if you explain each step verbally? Are they good story tellers? This may indicate they are an Auditory or Verbal/Linguistic learner. Do they need you to sit down and actually walk them through the process? Do they have a natural hand-eye coordination ability? If learning by hands on experience, they may be a Bodily-Kinesthetic learner. And that is only three of the nine recognized learning styles based on Howard Gardner and Thomas Armstrong’s studies of multiple intelligences. The other six learning styles are:
· Visual-Spatial: Do you work in pictures? Do you find yourself doodling when you are trying to process information or come up with a new way of doing something? People who learn from the visual-spatial perspective have an understanding for the big picture. They can close their eyes and visualize what a project will look like when it is finished. Their dreams are vivid and clear.
· Interpersonal: Are you the person your family and friends come to for advice? Will you volunteer to lead, teach or train others once you have mastered a task? Interpersonal learners are good at understanding, identifying the emotions, motivations and desires of those around them. They often step up to resolve any conflicts between those they work with or people they care about.
· Musical: Have you ever been sitting during a presentation, trying to focus and listen to what is being said only to be distracted by someone a few seats away that is tapping their foot or their pen on the table? Are you the person who can’t remember the name of someone you met five minutes ago but you can’t get the new song on the radio out of your head? Musical learners often think in patterns or rhythms. If there is a series of facts you need to memorize, set them to music.
· Intrapersonal: Have you figured out what makes you tick? Can you identify the strengths and weaknesses of others? An intrapersonal learner has a theory for just about everything. They are great motivators because they have the ability to recognize what motivates them personally and then they can transfer that information into a usable form to motivate others.
· Naturalistic: Do you find inner peace when you are outside? Do you feel a certain responsibility for the planet you live on? You are apt to find a naturalistic learner sitting under a tree, picking up trash on the roadside or volunteering at the local animal shelter. They have an honest concern for the world around them and the other species they share it with.
· Existential: Are you the one person in the group that sees the “BIG” picture? Do you seek answers for those philosophical questions others have posed? An existential learner uses their “gut” instinct when making decisions. They appear to be able to “read” people just by being in the same room.
Did you recognize yourself in any of the above descriptions? Maybe you saw bits and pieces of yourself in more than one. It is very common to utilize a variety of “intelligences” each day and, as adults, we may not be aware that we are tapping into these different ways of learning but experience has provided us with the tools to do so. Many of us were allowed to learn in the style that was strongest within us. Our strengths were the primary deciding factor on what classes we chose in school, not the score on the last test we took.
The future of America is not a test. It’s the real thing. Listen and learn from the children – they know and are not afraid to tell you. Treat them with honor and respect and they will happily honor and respect you in return. If you need help, just ask. The only stupid question is the one that never gets asked. Drugs are not now and never will be the answer to any dilemma – for parents or children. Creating new names for diseases or disorders just creates more boxes and labels for those boxes. This country was built on a belief in freedom of choice, compromise, and working together. Come together once more – for our children and for our future.
Do you know your learning style? Feel free to share your experiences both before and after finding out what it is. Did your experience change once you understood how you learn?
Feel free to answer any of the above questions, or pose new ones, in the comments section below or email me, at mary@marymernsberger.com, for a more personal response. Check out my website at http://www.marymernsberger.com. I look forward to continuing this conversation.
