Learning Style Reflection

Based upon the multiple intelligences survey, I appear to be fundamentally strong in four areas: kinaesthetic, visual, musical, and intrapersonal. My weaknesses, then, are naturalistic and interpersonal. I would definitely tend to agree with these findings. My every day inclinations lead me to pursue activities of physical, individual, and often musical characteristics. For example, my most common hobbies are running and playing guitar, and I generally pursue these hobbies in solitude. I am not averse to other areas, but I certainly do not tend toward group activities.

Based upon the Learning Styles survey, similar tendencies appear in my learning habbits. Specifically, I am predominantly a visual, non-sequential learner. I slightly disagree with these results on an every day basis. While I generally pursue solutions without seeking complete understand of details, I am also very attentive to details once the solution becomes more evident. For example, when told to go mow a lawn, I do not want anyone to tell me specific things to look out for or certain ways to do it. However, after I have pursued the activity for a time, I always desire to improve the manner in which I do something, so I am then much more attentive to detailed instruction.

My teaching, therefore, will undoubtedly reflect visual, kinaesthetic, intrapersonal tendencies, unless otherwise modified. I already know that I will include visual and graphic organizers with nearly every aspect of learning, whether direct instruction, group projects, or individual work. In order to counter the extremes of this tendency, I will need to provide more options for students. Many will consider themselves spatially and creatively insufficient; therefore, activities should not all demand some form of creative or visual representation. Also, beyond providing options in projects and assignments, I can continuously diversify the presentation of content in an attempt to reflect every learning style/intelligence each in its turn.

Ensuring that all students receive learning in their own strengths can be done through aforementioned diversification, but many other options are available to teachers as well. I can very easily assign choices to project representations and outcomes. I can allow group work for those who desire it and individual work for others. The most important aspect is being dynamic.