Presented by Susan Winebrennerwww.susanwinebrenner.com

Auditory learners are more successful because most teachers use strategies with which they are comfortable.

Visual/kinesthetic learners are generally less successful in school because most teachers use strategies with which they are not comfortable.

To increase learning success, teach students the way they learn!

Prefers visual and t/k learning input Quickly loses interests in verbal

interchange Must see the whole picture before learning

the parts; graphic organizers help Appreciates colors, manipulatives, and

active learning Handwriting may be a problem; learn

keyboarding and word processing Usually learns academics better later in the day; movement before tasks may help.

Bright Child Gifted Learner

Knows answers Asks questions Is interested Is highly curious Has good ideas Wild and “crazy” ideas In top groups Beyond group levels Learns with ease Already knows Understands Draws inferences Absorbs information Manipulates info Pleased with own learning Highly self critical

Give them full credit “up front” for grade level standards they already know.

Facilitate their learning of new content more quickly than age peers

Do not expect them to consistently get the highest grade with little or no effort

Offer specific praise for effort and hard work Encourage in-depth study, over time, of

topics of deep personal interest.

Students who are gifted in some areas of learning

and “remedial” in others. Let them experience compacting and differentiation in

their areas of learning strength. Provide compensation strategies in their areas of

weakness. Connect their personal and passionate interests to their

curriculum. Teach them and allow them to demonstrate what they

have learned in their preferred learning style.

The surest path to high self esteem for all learners is to continuously be successful at learning tasks they perceived would be difficult!

Each time we “steal a student’s struggle”, we steal the opportunity for an esteem building experience to take place.

•Dr.Sylvia Rimm, clinical psychologist

The longer students proceed through school thinking that “gifted” means “easy”, the more likely they will be to resist challenge when it comes.

Praising innate intelligence produces fear of risk taking. AVOID: “You are so smart! You are so wonderful! You are the

smartest kid I know!” Children perceive the outcome is removed from their control

Praising effort and hard work produces attitude of capability and willingness to take risks.

CHOOSE INSTEAD “I have noticed how carefully you thought through the problems. You obviously worked very hard to get the outcome you wanted.” Children perceive that hard work and effort can bring a learning goal closer to realization.

From “Nurture Shock” by Bronson and MerrymanOr “How Not to Talk to Your Kids” www.nymag.com

This makes kids adopt lower standards and self-expectations and work hard to avoid using effort to make all appear effortless

When caring adults praise outcomes that were created by little or no effort, children try to maintain that situation for its praise.

Giving kids the “smart” label may actually be causing their underachievement; if not presently, then later in life.

In order for praise to be effective in leading to better learning outcomes, it must be specific and personal. Generalized praise is not only useless, it may be harmful.

When children observe other children being given generalized praise, they conclude that those receiving the praise is a sign that one is not doing well and therefore needs additional praise from the teacher or parent. (Wulf-Uwe Meyer)

Spend 10 minutes each day, one on one with each child.

Have nothing in your hands or line of vision but the child.

Do not ask questions or give advice Use active or reflective listening: repeat

what child said in your own words

To each other To yourself or other family members Do not talk about them where you can be

overheard Recognize and nurture each child for his or

her individual talents and gifts.

Use the 8 hour rule

If there are two parents, both must agree on a decision before it is announced to the child

A single parent must be confident that his or her “8 hour” decision is final and will not be

changed

Try to be consistent from one decision to another.

In elementary and middle school, students must learn the value of hard work and not be satisfied with high grades that come easily.

No college asks for elementary or middle school transcripts.

Students who have never learned the benefits of struggle do not reach their achievement potential.

Work with your child to establish a homework schedule and do your part to honor it. Don’t allow any distractions during that time. Let child move on to other activities between time slots for various tasks.

Teach youngster to set personal goals for what will be completed in each time period.

Support teachers who assign homework by amount of timeto work rather than on an assigned amount of material.

If they are not learning the way we are teaching them,

we have to teach them the way they learn!

Dr. Kenneth Dunn

If the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body,

is it then true that

only left-handed people are in their

right minds?