Different children approach learning in different ways: some learn best by reading or listening, some by reasoning, some by seeing or creating images, and others by manipulating. By discovering more about your child’s learning profile, you can help your child approach a more difficult topic by building off his areas of strength. For example, if your child does best when he can “see” what is being asked of him, he can leverage mind maps or other visuals to learn. Similarly, you can foster less utilized ways of learning by approaching an area of mastery through a less favored aspect of his learning profile. Thus, you can encourage this same visual child to look for mathematical patterns, or ask him to write a story by way of a graphic novel. Now that you have completed the survey, take a look at your child’s dominant way of approaching learning.
Athlete/Actor/Surgeon
Your Athlete/Actor/Surgeon may seem to always be on the move. He is skilled at controlling his body movements and can utilize objects with skill and precision. He has a strong sense of timing, rhythm, balance, and coordination. He tends to learn best by doing, such as building or constructing projects, and he develops muscle memory to aid recall. For the Athlete/Actor/Surgeon, touching and manipulating objects facilitates understanding, and he tends to express emotions through body movement as well.
While most classroom learning is focused on “seatwork” experiences, differentiation among this age group also allows more flexibility when it comes to projects, which is good news for the Athlete/Actor/Surgeon. Your child will thrive when given the ability to demonstrate learning though song parodies, scene reenactments, model building, etc. Your child likely loves field trips, partner work (as he can get up, move, and interact more), and the more active parts of the day. Even more stationary activities like reading become more engaging to the Athlete/Actor/Surgeon when they involve learning about special interests like dance or sports.
Reinforce your child’s school learning at home by helping them associate hand gestures with facts, figures, or formulas. Tapping out patterns while studying will help your child stay focused and motivated. Have him read while standing or walking, and give him plenty of breaks to burn off pent up energy.
For some activities and resources that will benefit your Athlete/Actor/Surgeon, click here.
