education
what's the deal with learning styles? Explore your child's (and yours!) By Christina Katz School should be an adventure in learning, and so should life. But if you have not taken the time to observe how your child learns best, your child might be struggling in school (traditional, homeschool, distance education, etc.) unnecessarily. Identifying prominent learning styles in your children is crucial in helping them identify their strengths and overcome their weaknesses as they progress into a more diverse spectrum of courses grade after grade. Parents often needlessly separate creativity from learning. But when you help your children understand their dominant learning styles, you and your children can use this knowledge to improve their experiences, not only in school, but also in life. Most people use a combination of learning styles. Do you know yours? Generally speaking, there are six types of learning styles you want to explore: visual, auditory, verbal, kinesthetic, tactile, and logical. Knowing my own learning styles helps me become a better lifelong learner and a better learning coach for my child. You might think your children will possess the same proclivities as you. Even though there may be some overlap, each person’s learning style is uniquely their own. For example, my daughter seems more visual than me and more auditory, is likely equally kinesthetic, but maybe not quite as verbal. Logic and tactile probably fall
lower on both of our lists, whereas my daughter’s dad, my husband, likely dominates these last two learning categories in my home, as well as being highly visual and auditory. You don’t have to go get tested to find out what kind of learners are living in your house. You simply have to be willing to reflect on what makes each of you tick. Where do you see a family member leaning in, and where do you see a family member leaning out? This is usually enough information to help you experiment with learning styles and see how they benefit each member of the family. Under each category, I’ve listed approaches for testdriving each type of learning style. Why not invite the
We proudly offer quality Catholic education in supportive, inclusive communities to meet each child’s unique needs. We recognize the new realities of living in a world with COVID-19. The health and safety of students and staff remains our top priority. Together, we can overcome any challenges. To register, contact your local Calgary Catholic school. All families are encouraged to inquire. Students born outside of Canada will need to first schedule an appointment at the St. John Reception Centre by calling 403-500-2007. Visit ccsdinfo.ca/registration for more information.
Find us on
n Visual • Draw pictures, doodle, or color. • List both sides of an argument. • Make a mind-map on paper to spoke off associated words or ideas. • Draw the shape of an idea or consult a chart or a graph. • Use flashcards for memorizing. • Make a lesson into a comic strip.
"When you help your children understand their
dominant learning styles, you and your children can use this knowledge to improve their experiences, not only in school, but also in life."
Register your child today
44 •
whole family to explore their learning styles and report back on what they discover? You’ll learn things about yourself and each other that will make your adventures in life and learning more enjoyable.
