What kind of learner are you?

A huge factor in becoming self-guided in all of your art processes is that of understanding which learning style you’re naturally “wired” for.

During my education course work I learned about a wide variety of teaching methods that would be understood by diverse learning styles, such as visual, kinesthetic or audio. Then in the public school classroom the only way to be sure that all types of learners were being reached, effective teaching required the use of all methods, all the time. Exhausting! Mainly because children still lack the maturity or focus to be more active participants in the awareness of their own learning styles.

In adult educational environments, however, as I still teach art to all learning styles, I am afforded the opportunity to openly discuss with adult students how they are learning, which is far more useful than only what they are learning. On the first day of any adult art class I immediately start noticing differences in ways each person comprehends our lessons, as well as differences in ways my brand of communication is received. For those who clearly aren’t “getting it”, I’m able to use alternate ways of teaching to that particular learning style.

Furthermore, while there are big differences in children & adult learners, one glaring similarity I’ve observed is a false impression people of all ages have of themselves being intellectually inadequate due to their misperceptions about learning. Even as toddlers we are learning by observing anything we’re exposed to, so as we observe other people learning in other ways that we aren’t picking up on, we can feel inadequate. This is why school age children are encouraged to build on their “strengths”; strengths being defined not only as areas of high aptitude but ALSO as learning styles you are naturally wired for.

One of my favorite classroom posters was a photo of a fish with caption “Fish don’t feel stupid because they can’t walk, fly, or climb trees”

If you are a current or former student of mine, what have you discovered about your own learning style?

Let’s blog about our shared interest in growing creatively… together and independently!