Learning and Teaching Styles

<!--StartFragment-->

“Understanding one’s own magical mystery is one of theteacher’s most important assets if he is to understand that everyone is thusdifferently equipped.”—Buckminster Fuller

How we learn is often how we teach! The effective teacher works to balance learning and teaching styles.

One model of learning styles identifies these four primary styles: 

<!--StartFragment-->

Concrete Experience (“TheDoer”)

These people tend to bepragmatic, practical and functional; they are searchers who see a purpose inlearning; they are good problem solvers and work well with other s. The Doer isconstantly on the move. Standing and waiting are not productive. He or she willbe seen anxiously playing with gear, clicking carabiners, and pulling on holdsuntil they can climb. Nothing other than doing is worth attention.

How might you best teach thisperson climbing related skills?

Active Experimentation(“The Feeler”)

People of this nature arereceptive learners; they learn predominantly through gut intuition. They trymany things to find a way. They tend to be emotional. They learn by doing andevaluating on the way. The Feeler is doing-oriented though they will be farmore sensitive to the connection between what is done and sequences. Thislearner is aware of similarities and differences of experiences. They areparticularly kinesthetic and will learn sports easily because of a strong bodyawareness. The student loses interest in talking and analytical instruction andwill be easily lost. They need to be engaged, feeling and sensory have greatvalue.

How might you best teach thisperson climbing related skills?

Reflective Observation(“The Watcher”)

People in this category liketo get the picture, like to know the purpose of practice. They need to watchothers, are good listeners, introspective and contemplative. The Watcher tendsto hang back in the climbing class studying everyone’s performance. Thisprovides the essential guidance necessary; they emulate what is seen. Rolemodeling is very important. Talk is largely useless unless verbal directivescreate images of a valuable nature. This type of person may wish to climb last.

How might you best teach thisperson climbing related skills?

Abstract Conceptualization(“The Thinker”)

Such people are analytical,logical, thorough and theoretical. They would rather listen to lectures, areoften loners or dreamers. At times they are meticulous to a level of obsession.The Thinker is the type of climber who has read every book about climbing longbefore the class. He may be full of “shoulds” and “should nots.” They will needdetailed information from the instructor for understanding. Breaks ininstruction are welcome forums for this person to press the instructor for moreinformation.

How might you best teach thisperson climbing related skills?

Though we are all mixtures ofeach learning style, most of us have a dominant technique. Since we tend toteach best to the way we learn, it is easy to see why instructor/studentincompatibility sometimes exists. For a teacher to be most effective, they need to be aware of styles andpractice instructional methods appropriate to each. Careful observation willsoon allow the instructor to pinpoint how a student best responds.

Athletic coaching transcendsa dominating preoccupation with mechanical analysis. The harmonious mixture ofmotor control, awareness, self-perception, imagination and spirit is the secretof top performance. Knowing about these elements and skillfully applying theknowledge gives validity to the term “professional” and allows you to convertpotential into talent.

<!--EndFragment-->

In another model there are three main ways we learn (and teach)

Auditory/Verbal - by listening

Kinesthetic - by doing

Visual - by seeing 

Thomas Armstrong, in Seven Kinds of Smart identifies seven learning styles!

These are just models and no one has only one learning style, we're all a blend and it depends on the topic which style is our primary one.  

<!--EndFragment-->