Reflection I

My learning style
After reading chapter two in The social Work Portfolio, and completing appendices three and
four I was able to review as well as learn about my learning style. For example I learned about
Howard Gardners eight multiple intelligences (Stanley, 2002). I identified with myself as
having several of these intelligences, Visual-Spatial: reflects the ability to perceive and generate
shapes and spaces precisely, I am a visual learner, I benefit from seeing how something works,
or what something looks like to comprehend a lesion (Stanley, 2002). Musical-Rhythmical:
reflects the ability to appreciate, understand and incorporate rhythm in daily activities this
reflects my learning style as I often makes lists in order to complete daily tasks, this allows me to
organize and manage my day with a type of rhythm (Stanley, 2002). Interpersonal: reflects the
ability to understand and to relate positively and effective with other people (Stanley, 2002).
This correlates with my ability to self-motivate, and my natural ability to be a leader. I also have
a great natural ability to be a listener, and have practiced this throughout my personal and
professional life. These are a few factors in my learning that I believe make up certain aspects of
my learning style.
The book also discuss the importance of emotional intelligence, this is important for social
workers and a large part of our job is help others strengthen their own emotional intelligence, in
this way we act as teachers. I believe that Goleman says it best when he said, abilities such as
being able to motivate oneself and persist in the face of frustrations; to control impulse and delay
gratification; to regulate ones moods and keep distress from swamping the ability to think; to
empathize and to hope (Stanley, 2002). This quote impacts me because I feel that as Social
workers an emotional intelligence is key to helping others. This quote directly reflects all the
lessons that I have been taught thus far in my classes as well as practiced while in my Field
placement. My journey through my BSW program has posed as an excellent learning experience
in this aspect of my learning, I have has emotion obstacles that later became great tools in how I
process learning, and create action out of these experiences.
After completing Appendix three I was able to determine my index of learning style,
according to B. Solomon and R. Felder (Stanley, 2002). In the appendix I was asked a series of
forty-four questions using a choice of two answers. This was later calculated to determine my
learning style. According to the book I scored in the fairly well balanced range in these
categories, Active Learners, Sensing learners, visual Learners and Sequential learners (Stanley,
2002). Although I have never taken this quiz before I have learned about these styles of learning
in the past and had considered myself in the visual and sequential learners style. I have known
that I am a visual learner, in addition I benefit from learning things in a hands on approach. This
is why learning that I am an active and sensing learner makes sense, for my past and present
displays of learning.

References
Stanley, B. C. (2002). The Social Work Portfolio. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning.