Better Grades: A Result of Realized Learning Styles
It is a rare thing for a student to learn without encountering any stumbling blocks along the way. Learning sometimes takes a great deal of concentration and effort, and many mistakes are made before the path of least resistance is reached. Though it is impossible to predict all of the obstacles a student may encounter on the road to better grades, at the very least they can endeavor to understand how their minds naturally approach these predicaments.
A student’s learning style can affect how they process information. Each style differs from student to student. One way that SuperCamp, a leading academic summer camp, conveys this is through the wonderful anecdote of Slim ‘n’ Bil. Slim and Bil were very smart people, but in entirely different ways. They didn’t ask each other, “How smart are you?” Instead they asked, “How are you smart?”
They became great friends once they realized that their combined names formed an acronym for learning styles. These learning styles demonstrated how people can use their strengths to tackle a difficult problem. The door of learning would be opened for individuals who understood how their mind naturally approaches a problem.
Slim ‘n’ Bil’s story teaches students that most people share a kinship with one the following learning techniques: Spatial-Visual, Linguistic, Interpersonal, Musical, Naturalist, Bodily-Kinesthetic, Intrapersonal, and Logical-Mathematical. Each one uses a different approach to learning; a person who ascribes to the Naturalist style of thinking looks for patterns and odd-one-out puzzles, while a Bodily-Kinesthetic learner may like to act things out, dance, or do any other physical game that helps them learn.
Other learning methods are on different sides of the spectrum: Interpersonal learners love group challenges, while Intrapersonal learners like to create a personal objectives checklist. Logical-Mathematical learners prefer logic puzzles and use reason to tackle problems, while a Spatial-Visual learner likes to view challenges in dimension and shapes. Linguistic learners like words and stories to help them sort through facts, just as a Musical learner enjoys songs and rhyme to help them recall and organize information.
No one learner is better than another. It is vitally important that students understand how their minds work in order to choose the best approach to problem-solving. Each student has a strength that can be utilized and provide a unique perspective for others.
Figuring out which learning style to use is the first step for all students to get better grades and a better GPA in school. If a student can bypass the challenges they face with learning by approaching a problem in a way that suits their learning style, then their overall performance will be improved. SuperCamp teaches students style-specific techniques that they can use when studying or problem-solving.
Every student has the potential to become a valuable asset at work, home, or in school when they understand how they can best contribute to a challenge with their unique perspective. The story of Slim ‘n’ Bil not only shows how friends can accept each other, but they can accept others who share different perspectives.
Tags: academic summer camps, better grades for kids and teens, Education, family, k-12 education, kids, learning styles, summer camps, teen self help, teens