In my ongoing research, I have become an avid participant in online trainings provided through PD 360. Most in the education profession are familiar with this site, as the trainings are not merely "lecture style", but instead there are brief talks, discussions, introducing the topic and then live video of the practice put into action.
In just such a series, I have recently spent alot of time exploring the differentiation/ learning style trainings, and discovered that there is yet another component that has been tested and found in research studies! Not only is it our "right brained" and "ADHD" students that rely heavily on interactive learning activities in order to construct true meaning in their learning. Are you ready?.....
According to PD360's differentiation series, many research and case studies have found that "people of color" (not ONLY referring to African-Americans) have a similar learning style. There is not a follow-up on the physiological side of this to determine if "people of color" (as the training seminar calls them) are predominantly right-brained, but it DOES cite much evidence that they require these very same learning opportunities.
In addition to this, if one delves further into the whole "right-brain, left-brain" thing, they will find that where right brained people NEED kinesthetic and visual learning opportunities in order to master their learning, and cannot learn through conventional lecture-style auditory, or independent reading activities, interestingly LEFT BRAINERS (who predominantly are known for being those that 'learn by osmosis' and are strongly linguistic, learning through auditory and linguistic activities) can learn in these ways most effectively as well.
By now, you should be saying, "This begs the question.....WHY is curriculum and pedagogy historically and continually the traditional "left-brained" ??? Why are we still textbook reliant and so apprehensive to turn our curriculum and pedagogy into a truly "right-brained" discovery-based and kinesthetic learning experience for ALL students?
Now......if you dare..........consider this.....if diverse learners and special needs students ALSO require these authentic and experiential learning methods, then WHY do we even HAVE what we have come to know as "regular" or "standard" curriculum at all??????????????????
This, my friends, will be my doctoral project I fear! Stay tuned!
And this is why the Workshop Model is so important. We provide the problem solving (explore) time for the students to learn based on inquiry-based learning. Providing professional development in differentiated learning styles will help teachers know the differences in how students learn.
ReplyDeleteHave you seen the video on the 8 Thinking Maps yet on PD360?
I don't think I've seen that one. Here's food for thought for you, especially as an instructional coach in Math. The RW and WW Models are great (although I STRONGLY suggest Duval train their people in the 6+1 Traits Model to be used during Writers' Workshop)but MATH is a place where this has to happen in a BIG way...EVERY day, and Math Investigations doesn't quite cut it. I understand Envision is pretty good, on the kill and drill side, but the kill and drill isn't what they're in need of either. I have COMPLETELY redesigned math instruction in my room this year. It's pretty amazing stuff. The group came to me QUITE low in basic skill concepts, and HUGE gaps were there. We were dying our first 3-4 weeks of school, then I started reinventing the wheel. On Friday, 11 out of 14 scored at least an 85% on their cumulative test...hoping we hold this kind of achievement year long. I don't mind doing the extra work for results like those!
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