LET ME COUNT THE WAYS YOU LEARN

SOME THOUGHTS It seemed to me that every other year some new approach to teaching reading emerged

And as soon as we got involved changes came again to reading, math, social studies and science

REMINDED ME OF A QUOTE We trained hard—but it seemed that every time we were beginning to form up into teams we would be reorganized…We tend to meet any new situation by reorganizing, and a wonderful method it can be for creating the illusion of progress, while producing confusion, inefficiency and demoralization.

AUTHOR? Petronius Arbiter 420 BC

A RECENT ANNOUNCEMENT Another change in the wind.

ALL OF THESE CHANGES Seem to seek out the best method to teach students Over a period of time, the pendulum seems to swing back and forth on what is the best method. What are we missing in our approach to teaching and learning?

TRACING BACK Teaching and learning is a centuries old query. Hippocrates in 450 B. C. said there were 4 temperaments in a human being. Carl June in1923 stated the same thing

PERSONALITY TYPE Briggs and Myers in 1962 developed a Type Indicator for 16 personality types and 4 temperaments In 1976 Keirsey and Bates emphasized the 4 temperaments.

PERSONALITY TYPES AND TEMPERAMENTS In a given instructional unit you will find different personality types and temperaments. Certain occupations tend top cluster certain types

LOOK AT YOUR HAND OUT Looking at your handout pick out which saying might best describe you. Look at the letters that describe it.

You will see that there are eight major letters E I, NS, TF and JP. What do they mean? How do they combine for 4 temperaments?

PERSONALITY TYPES There are 16 personality types They are NOT equally distributed in the population. There are four temperaments

UNDERSTANDING COMBINATIONS E is for extroverts – Breadth of interests N Intuitive-Grasp of possibilities T Thinking—Logic and analysis J is for Judgment- Organization I is for introverts— Depth of concentration S for sensing— Reliance on facts F is for feeling- Warmth & Sympathy P is for perception- Adaptability

WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH TEACHING? For a moment lets look at how different personalities react to praise and feedback—Part of a teacher’s methods.

GIVING FEEDBACK E’s appreciate public recognition N’s Relate the actual behavior to the big picture and implications for the future. I’s like one on one communication both like written communication Describe the actual and specific positive behavior or accomplishment that you observed

FEEDBACK T’s Determine and express the pleasant outcomes which occurred for you, for others, for your relationship, or for the class F’s Discuss the value of the person’s action/ accomplishment. Express what this behavior has mean to you personally.

FEEDBACK J’s Determine any present or future actions that you want to reinforce P’s Adapt your praise as the situation warrants/

FAILURES Most of the “in” curriculum changes fail to wrap around all of the learning styles of the students in the class. Each new approach will gather a percentage of students quickly, while others will struggle. As the “in” curricula come and go different students grasp things more readily.

KNOWING THE TYPE Understands that the no matter what the current “in” curriculum approach individual adjustments need to be made for the student’s learning style. Helps the teacher to know that the teacher’s learning style is different than the student’s in the class and the teacher has to adjust the methodology for the learner.

BY KNOWING WHAT WORKS BEST ONE CAN BE MORE EFFECTIVE Extraverts work best if they can Interact in small groups Talk lessons over with a partner Demonstrate and model their use of the skills. Introverts work best if they can Read lessons over or write them out before discussion Think before participating Ask questions before completing tasks or exercises.

TEACHERS TEND TO: Extroverted teachers tend to positively evaluate students who are Active Energetic Enthusiastic Introverted teachers tend to positively evaluate students who are Thoughtful Reflective Introspective

AS WE REVIEW THESE APPROACHES Ask yourself do I do these things as indicated by my preferences. Think about a few students in your class and try to indicate what their preferences might be and reflect on what ways do they learn best?

LOOKING AT “S” AND “N” Sensors work best if they can: Follow clear directions View films and audio visuals; have hands- on exercise, and take mini quizzes Envision practical examples. Intuitives work best if they can: See global patterns Have Independence and autonomy in the completion of their tasks Incorporate new approaches

TEACHERS TEND TO Sensing teachers tend to positively evaluate students who are: Factual Practical Accurate Intuitive teachers tend to positively evaluate students who are: Conceptual Creative Insightful

LOOKING AT “T” AND “F” Thinkers work best if they can Prepare outlines and state the objective first Develop logical criteria Receive rapid feedback Feelers work best if they can Identify the most important values Reduce competition Respond personally

TEACHERS TEND TO Thinking teachers tend to positively evaluate students who are: Task focused Logical Critical of their own work Feeling teachers tend to positively evaluate students who are: Personable Easy to work with Positive

LOOKING AT “J” AND “P” Judgers work best if they can: Stick to a routine Follow specific time lines Use precise guidelines Perceivers work best if they can: Demonstrate originality Move and be physically active Allow for spontaneity

TEACHERS TEND TO Judging teachers tend to positively evaluate students who are: Timely Precise Organized Perceiving teachers tend to positively evaluate students who are: Creative Spontaneous Original

REFLECTING ON WAYS WE LEARN Our personality conditions the ways we learn. What have you gathered about yourself and how you learn

What have you thought about how you evaluate your students and how they learn? What have you thought about a few of your students?

STREAMLING WAYS The eight factors E I S N T F J and P combine to provide four temperaments. These four temperaments provide a basis for adjusting to learning styles

FOUR TEMPERAMENTS The Four Temperaments are: ST SJ NF AND NT

HOW THE ST LEARNS Demonstrations Labs Visuals, film, computer Having a plan a sticking to it Having a study schedule

HOW THE SF LEARNS Student led demonstrations or presentations Instruction with personal involvement TV, films and audio visuals

HOW THE NF LEARNS Learning through personal relationships Dislike impersonal didactic instruction High value teacher feedback Low friction student led discussions Opportunities to be creative and original

HOW THE NT LEARNS Organized teacher lectures Self instruction Reading, researching Systematically organized discourses

COUNTING THE WAYS Look at your learning style Look at the learning styles of your students Determine your methods to best meet their needs

LOOKING FOR WAYS Consider combining students into four quadrants Design your methods to best interact with the quadrants Start with feedback approach

CONTINUE TO RESERACH Research how personality affects learning styles Consider ways to appropriately identify students learning styles Try out the approaches

REMEMBER The curriculum will change but the way we learn, perceive information and respond is basic to our personalities