Module 2/Learning

School is definitely helpful with teaching kids how to socially interact. School helps us to define ourselves; as well as help us to learn independence from our parents. Most of us learn our own way of learning and thinking from school.

Most children learn from watching others, following directions, listening when we want them to and when we don't want them to, interacting with others, using their senses, asking questions, and watching their parents' and caretaker's behavior. The adults in a child's life plays a huge role in a child's learning. I had the great oppurtunity to work as a Developmental Specialist/Play Therapist for about 6 months. It was a great job. (I only switch jobs because of not having enough hours and because of gas prices at the time. I conducted visits at the home or daycare.) I worked with children ages 6 months-3 yrs old who were developmentally delayed. Children at this age learn best through play. (Yep, that's right, I had a job where I played on the floor with kids for $25 per hour.) Awesome! I learned so many things about how they learn.

I'm not sure what type of learner I am. I have different styles. It all depends on the subject and the professor. I'm definitely not much of a reader. If I have to read it, I don't always get it. I do really well in classes where it's set up as kind of a seminar type of class; where the students teach themselves basically. We read the material and then the next day in class we get in groups and really talk it out. I do know that I like to see things done before I do it. That's how I've learned to be a good mommy and a good cook. I guess you could say I'm a visual learner.

A little over a year ago I was tutoring a student in Math. He just didn't get it. We were working with algebraic expressions. I love Math; but you have to have someone who knows how to teach it in different ways. Everyone doesn't get it the same way. I am excellent with nunmbers. I can figure out all kinds of math problems in my head when other people will spend 10 minutes on a sheet of paper trying to figure out. However, Math is difficult to teach. When you are working with someone who doesn't get it the way you do, you have to figure out a way to break it down to their level for them to get it. Once you do, they'll respond, "Oh okay, I get it!" That's exactly what happened with this kid. He actually added, "Nobody has ever tried to break it down for me." I felt really bad for this kid, because he was in the 6th grade, in EC classes, and still had difficulty with his multiplication tables. The kid had no mental illness, no developmental disability, and not one person in his life to give him that push to help him succeed. I know he actually learned something, because he was able to complete the math problems by the end of the tutoring session without my help.