What are ESLRs Anyway?
ESLRs stand for “Expected Schoolwide Learning Results”, which is a component of our affiliation with WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges). Each week I plan to unpack one ESLR at a time, explaining what it means and how Pathway is working to meet the standards that are set.
#1 A Pathway student understands his/her unique learning style
We believe that God has created us all individually, thus it would make sense that we would also learn differently. It is our goal at Pathway to unpack the strengths and weaknesses of each student, and not only help them learn what those are, but to also equip them with a “toolbox” of strategies that they need in order to learn most effectively.
Learning styles can be generalized into three categories: Auditory, Visual, and Kinesthetic. Auditory learners are those that can simply listen to a lecture and glean a majority of the information. Auditory learners may be distracted by background music during studying time. They also may be those students who struggle with giving eye contact during a conversation, but can recall what you said at any moment. Visual learners benefit from charts and graphs. They prefer pictures in books and do best when they are able to see a lesson unfold on a whiteboard, versus simply listening to a lecture. It is extremely important for a visual learner to watch the speaker. Kinesthetic learners need to move around. They are better memorizers when they can pace or walk around while working. Kinesthetic learners may prefer to stand while writing or sit on an exercise ball.
If you’re curious about your learning style, check out this quiz.
How do we enlighten Pathway students about their learning styles? We discuss them on a routine basis. We provide multiple ways to study, learn, and show that we understand concepts. For example, one student may draw the answer to a question, where another may tell us orally. Some students need to pace the hall when working on multiplication tables, where others may need to learn a song. The goal is to encourage students to be able to communicate their needs in any classroom setting, thus setting them up for maximum success!
Talk with your student about his/her learning style. Ask if there are any strategies he/she has learned that are helping with learning!