"The ultimate aim of Karate lies not in victory or defeat, but in the perfection of the character of its participants." -- Gichin Funakoshi

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

different learning styles

Any Introductory Education textbook will tell you that not everyone learns the same way. Some people are auditory learners - all you have to do is TELL them how something is supposed to be and they've got it. Other people are tactile learners - these are the "learn by DOING" folks. Visual learners need to SEE the message you are trying to convey - these are the people who need to show ever single miniscule step in a math problem in order to get to the right answer. You can explain something until you are blue in the face, but if the person you are teaching is not an auditory learner, you're just wasting your breath.


I say all this to say that it is important for teachers (no matter what you teach) to include teaching methods that will touch base with all types of learners. Otherwise, you are going to end up leaving some very frustrated students behind.


I'm very much a visual learner. That's not to say I can't learn anything at all from someone explaining a technique. I can intellectually understand the concept (as long as you communicate your concept clearly). But until I actually SEE it in action, I don't completely understand. And after that, I become a tactile learner - repetition is my best friend. But if I never SEE it in the first place, there's very little chance that what I'm DOING is actually right.

I feel incredibly incompetent after drills that I never catch on to because I can't see how I'm supposed to get where I'm supposed to be. And it's not the humble "there's always someone better out there" mindset of a good student. It's the "a first kyu should not be this big of a bumbling baffoon" mindset that only compounds the losing momentum issue.

But I will not be defeated. I am going to practice this new thing until I have it down. Even if we never do that drill in class again, I WILL be able to do it. I'm tired of not finishing things.

4 comments:

Mathieu said...

GO!

and add 2 other push-ups to that!

Becky G said...

Make it four!

I also an a visual processor, but I am very uncoordinated. I've gotten better, but I can definitely remember sensei going over and over the simplest moves with me until I could halfway do them right. Even now, sensei will partner with me on drills because I still need help from time to time.

Mir said...

It's quite an assett to be able to know the manner in which you learn things. Now, if you are confused, you can ask them.. please show me how to do this, or please guide my hands into the movement.

Please do not be too harsh on yourself, allow yourself to be a bumbling baffoon until you figure out how to do the thing that you want to do. With time, and patience, you will gain victory over this skill as you have done with all of the others. Making mistakes is part of the learning experience.

frotoe said...

I am the same way also. Especially with my footing. It can take me way longer to learn something (or it seems that way to me)that ends up being quite simple.
You are not alone!! Don't be too hard on yourself, I don't think any sensei would mind going over techniques with you slowly a few times.

now...2 pushups :)