Diversity Article

Schools focus on treating all students the same way– you must learn all the same material, at the same rate, using the same teaching method. Though it understandable that schools want to standardize, it should also be brought to attention that this can lead to an ineffective school environment. Not all students learn the same way, not all students have the same strengths. Not all students even learn at the same rate, so it is impossible to try and force them to do so. However, this is how the majority of school are set up, so when students don’t fit into the standard, they become labeled with disabilities. Commonly hands-on students who have trouble sitting style in class are diagnosed with ADD, when, alternately, teachers have not tried different approaches to teaching them.

There are four categories to look at when focusing on learning styles; Cognitive, Conceptual, Affect, Behavior. All students perceive, think, feel, and act differently. Therefore teaching methods should vary so that more students are able to use their strengths in order to effectively learn. Visual learners need diagrams, or images. Kinesthetic students need hands-on activities. Every student is different, and is the teacher’s responsibility to plan their lessons in such a way as to capture several strengths at once. Though this is not easy, it is a start in changing how we teach our students. Everyone is different, therefore everyone should have the opportunity to learn through their strengths.