For Parents

LEARNING STYLES: Do You Know How Your Child Learns?

Our learning styles have more influence than we may realize. Our preferred learning styles greatly influence the way we learn. They affect the way we process information, even many of our lifestyle choices. Does your child respond best to seeing,
hearing, or doing? The answer may determine his learning style.

The Visual Learner

This learner acquires information best visually, by seeing. He will observe every little facial expression you make to figure out how you are responding to him. If you are a visual learner, be very aware that you are sending messages, both positive and negative. Your smiling eyes or simple grin may be processed as approval of what your child is doing and may encourage him to continue. A frown, however slight may cause your child to look away from you, with sort of a head down pouty look. If that happens, acknowledge his feelings, talk to him. By the same token, you can easily read his facial expressions to figure out how he is responding to what you are teaching. If you are not a visual learner, and your child is, you may need to deliberately send visual messages through facial expressions. Subscribe to read the rest of the article...

For Educators

WELCOME-IN ASSIGNMENTS

Welcome-In Assignments are abbreviated, mini-assignments that students can complete, without guidance, in a short period of time. As students enter the class, the assignment should be clearly visible and located in the same location each day. These assignments can be given creative names, such as Reflection Assignment, Critical Thinking Assignment, Welcome Assignment, etc. Student created titles may have an even greater effect. The most effective welcome-in assignments allow students the opportunity to reflect on their feelings. The teacher should determine a minimum length for student responses. The optimal situations are those which require students to respond in a consistent notebook or folder, with a section dedicated specifically to these assignments. No penalty should be imposed if students do not use the same notebook or folder each day. Subscribe to read the rest of the article.