Learning Styles

I thought I knew about different learning styles.  I was never an expert, but I thought that I knew enough to help my girls be better learners.  For example, I know that my girls hate workbooks and worksheets, so I avoid them as much as possible.  I also knew that they love to use their hands and move while learning. 

After listening to some podcast from www.homeschool.com, I realize that I still have a lot more to learn.  Mariaemma Willis, David Laezear and Pat Farenga each had a lecture recorded, and each stressed that there are more learning styles than just auditory, visual and kinetic. 

They mentioned how some children wiggle and have to move while learning.  That is definitely what my girls do, and I knew that already.  Sometimes I try to curb it a little, and I found out that I shouldn't do that and I should just let them move. 

When I used to use worksheets (I plan to get back to them someday for math), Sami used to doodle all over the pages.  I would get onto her for not concentrating on her work and not paying attention.  She would spend more time drawing than doing the actual work, and it took three times as long as it should have taken.  The speakers said that is a style of learning where the child HAS to doodle to concentrate on the work.  I'll keep that in mind when we get back to worksheets. 

I also accused the girls of not paying attention when I'm reading aloud to them.  I'll be reading away (or we'll be listening to a book on CD), and they'll ask some off-the-wall question that has nothing to do with the story.  Apparently some children hear something in the story that triggers a thought of something else that might trigger a thought of something else, so then they ask a question about that other thing.  I can definitely understand that, as it happens to me all the time.  I should have picked up on that one on my own.

I plan on listening to these two speakers again, and I am also going to find more resources at the library.  Even though we unschool, these speakers were a valuable resource to me and in turn will help the children.