I believe that every individual responds to learning in different ways and retains, develops and applies knowledge and information using methods that are specific to them and their abilities. I believe that these strategies evolve from personal development and are preferences that have emerged from previous success. Although, whilst we might prefer to be taught or to learn in a specific style I do not think students are unreceptive to other methods and if information can be presented in a variety of forms, is relevant and engaging, any person, of any ability will be able to learn. However, this idea has been debated on numerous occasions, and psychologists and professionals continually disagree over the relevance and need to identify and categorise pupils into special learning styles, arguing that if teachers can apply the right models to the right students they will produce more effective results. I believe though, that adolescents will learn by using the strategies presented to them during lessons, and if a teacher can replicate the necessary information in several forms, whether that be visually, orally, demonstrated or written the chances of retention are increased. Nevertheless, it is apparent thought that specific students will need more individual strategies to learn than others and if their specific styles can be identified and utilized we will be ensuring that every child has the opportunity to reach their potential.
Carol Dweck is one such psychologist and her theories and research have suggested that people conform to one of two mindsets and that it is these states of mind that can have profound effects on an adolescents’ ability to learn. A fixed mindset is the belief that intelligence is inherent and that our achieve...
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It was not until I read Carol S. Dweck’s “Brainology” that I realized I had a fixed mindset. I care more about getting a 4.0 than actually understanding what I am being taught and I also hate struggling. These habits are part of having a fixed mindset. It was after reading this article that I discovered I could change my mindset and be successful. Having a fixed mindset means that you believe that you and others only have a certain amount of intelligence. A growth mindset on the other hand, is believing that everyone has the ability to reach a higher level of intelligence through effort and hardwork.
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In Carol Dweck’s “Brainology” the article explains how our brain is always being altered by our experiences and knowledge during our lifespan. For this Dweck conducted a research in what students believe about their own brain and their thoughts in their intelligence. They were questioned, if intelligence was something fixed or if it could grow and change; and how this affected their motivation, learning, and academic achievements. The response to it came with different points of views, beliefs, or mindset in which created different behavior and learning tendencies. These two mindsets are call fixed and growth mindsets. In a fixed mindset, the individual believes that intelligence is something already obtain and that is it. They worry if they
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Thought out our lives, we are faced with many different learning experiences. Some of these experiences have made a better impact than others. This can be attributed to everyone’s different multiple intelligences or learning styles. A persons learning style is the method though which they gain information about their environment. As a teacher, it is our responsibility to know these styles, so we can reach each of our students and use all of the necessary methods.
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