Learning Styles Project by Jerri Lynn Chennault EED 421 Mrs.

Clonts February 5, 2013

After reading The Way They Learn by Cynthia Ulrich Tobias, I learned that my dominant learning style is Concrete Sequential (CS). When reading about concrete sequential learners, I identified strongly with most of the characteristics. In particular, I understand the need to know exactly what is expected from an assignment. Not knowing what is expected makes an assignment very difficult for me. I think it is because I can usually think of several ways to do an assignment but I dont want to choose the wrong way. I also believe I am stable, consistent, hardworking and dependable. If I say I am going to do something, you can bet your life that I will do it. I believe you are only as good as your word. These are qualities that I most admire and appreciate in others. I think that is because I know the level of dedication it requires to be stable, dependable and consistent. The final reason I believe that I am a concrete sequential learner is that I love lists. I make lists for everything. I make lists of lists I need to make. Lists give me a sense of security. I know that when I make a list and follow that list, I wont forget anything. I am also a very visual person, so it gives me a sense of accomplishment when I see the little check mark next to an item on my list. Where it is easy to see that I am a concrete sequential learner, it is harder for me to determine if I am a global or analytical learner. According to the quiz I took in Mrs. Tobias book, I am a global learner. However, when I look at the characteristics listed under the analytical style, I see several traits I strongly identify with. For example, I would have a very difficult time if I werent prepared for a class. I also need to know exactly what to expect. Another characteristic I identify with is the need to finish one thing before moving on to the next. I get very anxious if I have to stop doing one project to work on another one. I find that I am more productive if I finish the project I am working on before moving on to the next one. I am also very self-motivated, which is yet another analytical characteristic. Of course, after looking at the characteristics of global learners I see that there are many traits I identify with on that list as well. There are several in particular with which I very strongly identify. The first characteristic is being sensitive to other peoples feeling. I never want to inconvenience anyone by asking for help. I am the stereotypical people pleaser most of the time. There are instances when I dont care what people think but for the most part I like to keep the peace and reduce conflict. This trait often makes me angry with myself. I dont like that I need reassurance and reinforcement. For example, I can work for weeks on a project. I can put every ounce of effort I can into it, but until someone else tells me it is good, I doubt myself. I absolutely hate this about myself. I consider it a great weakness. Another trait of a global learner that I have and hate is that I take criticism very personally. I think the reason I do that is because I know how much effort I put into things. I often find myself thinking that the person picking me apart has no idea how much effort I put into the project. I also catch myself thinking that they would not have put in the same amount of effort. I think being overly sensitive to criticism is my worst trait. I work very hard on both of those global traits in order to make myself a better person. Of course, not all global traits are negative. I think one of my best characteristics is that I am quick to give praise. I think this may be the most important quality a teacher can have. I believe everyone needs praise when they work hard and give their all. Children in particular need praise in order to build a positive self-image. Another quality of a

global learner that I feel is important to teaching is the ability to get others involved. I find myself reaching out to people to make sure they are involved in our group. After further reflection, I realize that I am a global learner with several characteristics of an analytical learner as well. When it comes to Gardners Theory of Multiple Intelligences, I believe my dominant intelligences are interpersonal, linguistic, and logical-mathematical. I have been told by a very dear friend that I am a lighthouse in the dark. I have always collected the broken hearted, misguided and lost souls. These are the people who seem to seek me out. These people are my friends. I often know there is a problem before they can tell me. I always try to help them find their way and make sure they know they are stronger than they thought they were. Another perk of having interpersonal intelligence is that I have always been able to see to the heart of a person. I can tell when a person is not genuine. I often know what motivates a person and I am not easily fooled by who a person really is. I am most proud of this intelligence. I often feel it is a sixth sense, almost instinctual, and a gift. Another intelligence I believe I have is linguistic intelligence. I love vocabulary. I love knowing new words, and using them. I have noticed that my children have a vast vocabulary. They will use words that most children dont use. I believe that is a direct result of my using a more diverse vocabulary when I speak. I love to read and I usually get high marks on my writing assignments. I feel that my writing is my weakest link in my linguistic intelligence but I still believe it is one my strongest intelligences. The last intelligence I believe is strong in me is the logical-mathematical intelligence. I love solving problems. I especially love mathematical problems. I like that there is always a way to solve the problem. There is always a solution and that makes me feel secure and capable. I think that knowing I can solve a mathematical problem gives me confidence as well. I feel confident that by knowing what the multiple intelligences are that I will be able to plan more effective activities for all of my future students. In order to discern which intelligences my students have I believe I can use observation, their parents, past teachers, and questioning the children themselves. I believe observation would be easily enlisted to determine my students that have bodily-kinesthetic and interpersonal intelligences. The rest of the intelligences would probably be easily learned from the parents of each student or their past teachers. For my intrapersonal intelligence possessing children, I would likely have to question them about things they think about and how they feel about those things. I believe with a little effort on my part I could determine the intelligences each student has and then use that knowledge to enrich their educational experiences in my classroom. Thanks to reading The Way They Learn by Cynthia Ulrich Tobias, I learned so much about learning styles. From this knowledge, I will be able to make lesson plans with individual learning style in mind. Keeping in mind the strengths of my students learning styles, I can plan many diverse activities to help each type of learner. Whether I look at Gregorcs learning styles or the Witkin model of learning styles, or Gardners Theory of Multiple Intelligences, I will be able to plan specific activities to further the understanding for all my students.

Take for example, Gregorcs learning styles as they pertain to a lesson on the five senses. For my Concrete Sequential children, I would set up a learning center with pictures of different types of food. I would instruct the students to make two lists. One list would consist of sweet tasting foods, and one list would consist of sour foods. For my Abstract Sequential students, I would assign a research project that examined taste buds and their location on the human tongue. I would give them ample time to finish the project. For my Abstract Random students, I would ask them to use their creativity to draw a diagram of a tongue. I would allow them to work in groups. For the Concrete Random students, I would give them the option to either make a collage of foods that are either sweet or sour or salty or they could collect food with those different tastes to bring in to share with the other students. I would allow them to work individually with guidelines as opposed to hard fast rules. Knowing the characteristics of each learning type would help me customize my plans for each student. I could also use the Witkin model to help plan for my analytical and global learners. For the analytical learners, I would be very specific as to what I expect out of each assignment. I would give step by step instructions. I would also be sure to give them an explanation about why we were doing each activity and how it relates to them. Knowing that finishing a task before moving on to another one is important to analytical learners, I would give them ample time to finish the activity before moving on. When it comes to my global learners, I would allow them to work in groups as much as possible. I would try to avoid open criticism and conflict. I would also try to always give them an opportunity to explain themselves since I know how frustrating that can be for them. When looking at the multiple intelligences, I would set up centers that focused on the strengths of each intelligence. In the linguistic center, I would have the students write in their journals about the theme for the unit we were studying. For the logical-mathematical center, I would have the students make a chart categorizing items relevant to the unit. In the spatial center, the students would draw a picture of an item thats related to the unit. I would have my musical center include listening to a song and possibly writing a song to go along with our subject. In the bodily-kinesthetic center, the students would play a game that involved movement. I would put my students in groups for the interpersonal center and have the students discuss the theme of our studies. For the intrapersonal center, I would have the students write a reflective passage in their journal. I think there are many effective lessons for each intelligence. Overall every style has strengths and ways to teach to those strengths. Before reading The Way They Learn I did not know what the different learning styles were or how to teach to those strengths. I feel much better prepared for teaching all of these learning styles. I cannot wait to put all of this knowledge I have gained into practice.