Knowing Your Learners
Instruction is the act of bringing information into a realm that can be absorbed and understood by others. This process is invasive, active, and cooperative. A teacher cannot force a student to learn, but a teacher can certainly offer an environment in which learning is available, interesting, and obtainable.
Knowing and understanding your learners will help with the preparation of an instructional and learning environment.
For example, when I had the privilege of teaching a group of students who each already had a Master’s Degrees in Math Education, I tailored by classroom setting to the assumed average knowledge level of the group. I created activates that would interest, excite, and motive the group. As such, I avoided insulting their knowledge by boring them with a review of arithmetic. Conversely, I created a number of opportunities for them to share their own knowledge and experience.
Alternatively, when I worked for the Welfare- to-Work program and taught Preparatory Math to learners who had little knowledge of arithmetic, I certainly did spend a considerable amount of time reviewing the very basics of arithmetic. We used group settings and exercises to mitigate anxiety and abate fear. I made a point to not require any learner to speak in front of the class unless they wanted to.
Knowing and understanding a group of learners is a necessity in creating an appropriate, exciting, interesting, motivating learning environment.
Annette,
Good strategies for getting students involved as a result of the investment you have made to identify their learning preferences.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
It is very important to learn your learner. What I mean is you have to identify they type of learners are in the classroom without insulting and spending too much time on material that may insult students intellectual knowledge. Once I have identified the types of learners. I get all students involved. For those students who are advance than those who are not I try to pair them up with other students, not to take over the class but sometimes but they will often bring their own experiences about certain topices.
We must always remember that we are teaching human beings. As human beings they need to know that we care. We must get to know the persons that we are sharing our information. My philosophy is --I bring what I know, and you bring what you know , then we will both know. We must let them know that they have ownership.
I teach math at a business and technology school. My students have varying levels of abilities at the beginning of the course. Some lack basic math skills that require starting at the very basics. Others are far beyond that and sometimes feel insulted starting at such a level. Some how I need to convey the basics and still keep the more advanced students engaged. I'm trying to think of ways to encourage the more advanced to help in the instruction of the others. Haven't decided on a good procedure yet. Any suggestions?
