A Learner's Reflection (Part A)

ACTIVITY 2: The metacognitive process

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The past 24 weeks has been a tiring yet exciting journey, juggling full time work, PRT requirements and studying, all the while trying to balance my social life. But I don't regret my choice in undergoing this course as it has been a valuable experience- the content and the people I got to know. And it is true that I've spent my weeknights and weekends studying, but as a result I have gained some valuable knowledge that will feed into my professional practice and help build a steady foundation on this journey as a teacher. It keeps me moving forward and stretches my thinking. It is a healthy challenge for me.

Today I intend to reflect on the last 24 weeks of study at The Mindlab. Something I often say to my own class is “there is never an end to learning”, and now I’m really proving it to them. My class have been very supportive and often ask me how I am doing with ‘managing my time’, something else they are practicing through personalised learning. It’s motivating that I am walking the talk, modelling what I teach to my students. In turn, it inspires them to go on their learning journey along side their teacher.

On this journey, I have learnt about myself as a learner.

   I am a Leader

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One of my earlier assignments required me to look at myself as a leader. As a beginning teacher, my first thought was “oh no, I’m doomed!” I did not see myself as a leader; I had leaders all around me but I certainly wasn't one. I was the newbie here and I considered myself unfit to be leading anybody in this profession at this stage. But much to my surprise, that’s not what others thought of me. When I interviewed my students, they saw me as a leader who was fair and provided guidance; my colleagues saw me as a leader by taking on roles and responsibilities for the syndicate, such as planning trips, leading syndicate meetings, sharing resources and knowledge I had gained from my PRT courses and from The Mindlab. Through this experience, I learned that I was in fact a leader, a good one. I realised I didn’t have to be standing at the front of the crowd to be a leader; I was a leader in my own way.

  I am Interpersonal

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I learned that I enjoy learning with others through socializing and meeting people. I enjoy the company and the immediate feedback I am able to get from discussions, and I find satisfaction when my thoughts and ideas are shared and agreed on. It was only later in the second half of the course, which is designed to be self-study, that I realised I’m a social learner. And although I am not a social learner all the time, I can say that I enjoy learning with others most of the time.

Gardner’s multiple intelligences, explained by Lane, identifies an interpersonal learner as some one who is:

“understanding, interacting with others. These students learn through interaction. They have many friends, empathy for others, street smarts. They can be taught through group activities, seminars, dialogues. Tools include the telephone, audio conferencing, time and attention from the instructor, video conferencing, writing, computer conferencing, E-mail.”

For further reading: http://www.tecweb.org/styles/gardner.html

Another interesting read I found was the research on what happens in the brain of interpersonal learners:

·     Social: The frontal and temporal lobes handle much of our social activities. The limbic system (not shown apart from the hippocampus) also influences both the social and solitary styles. The limbic system has a lot to do with emotions, moods and aggression.

You can find more information on this at http://www.learning-styles-online.com/overview/

  I am a Kinesthetic Learner

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I have always been a kinesthetic learner, but it wasn’t until this assignment that I really reflected on myself as a learner. I benefit from active learning and can’t sit still for a long time. I can get fidgety and I know that I have a short attention span. I take multiple breaks when studying or doing my assignments and need to physically take a break, such as walking around or stretching. This is probably why I enjoy learning with others, where I am interacting and not required to sit and listen.

However, I do have a fairly good memory when it comes to learning and I wonder if it’s because I chunk my learning into sections, rather than a whole piece. But that’s just my theory!

If you would like to read more on this type of learner (and more), visit: http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/type-of-learner-infographic/

This reflection reminds me of my own students and how different each of them are. Everyone learns differently and that's why it's important our students learn how to be a learner in their own way.