Preparing For Different Learning Style
Because we all have a teaching style we're comfortable with, it can be difficult to prepare daily lesson plans that teach to all the different learning styles. I am usually well-prepared for all my classes and certainly consider myself an expert in many areas, but because of the sheer number of different classes I teach, I have a hard time changing things up or looking at a different approach -- especially when classes go well. How can I incorporate different teaching styles into lesson plans without completely rewriting them?
Hi Jennifer:
I think getting information from other teachers is a great idea. Allowing a bit of extra time the first day sharing your expectations, then allowing students to share thoughts about what they expect will help also. Occassionally I'll do a learning style asssessment, but in the end, I tend to rely on my instincts, experience, and objective data I've collected. Then I'm on my own.
Regards, Barry
Gary:
I think the focus should be on the course objectives and student learning outcomes. We have to know where the bus is going before we get on it.
Another factor is our delivery - how is what we'er planning to do coming across to the students. We may think what we've prepared is awesome, but student feel its missing the mark.
Trial and error. If we never try something new, we'll never really know if there is a better way. For instance, we can think of ourselves as facilitating education, rather than providing it. All of a sudden, many different and creative thoughts come to mind about how a teacher could facilitate their student learning. Discussions, group or team project work, student-led lectures or PPT's. Here, you can always fill in missing information.
In general the more the student participates in their own learning, are engaged, the better retention of information and the better their education will be.
Regards, Barry
I have found that once I get to the point where things seem perfectly laid out to the point that I can teach it well, I have to look at the student population I'm about to teach it to and figure out their learning styles and preferences. I may spend time asking other instructors how they got through to certain students, or I may spend time talking with students and having them try to explain what I just said in a different way because sometimes that's all it takes.
