If a pupil cannot learn the way you teach can you teach the way they learn Discuss

One of the great things about teaching is that no two pupils are alike, therefore in this short essay I will briefly focus on these main points of teacher flexibility: 1. The importance of reflective teaching 2. Acknowledgment of pupil learning styles 3. Consequent approaches to teaching and learning 1. Nicholas Cook writes that, ...it is all too easy to see the teacher as the active contributor and the student as the passive vehicle, but in reality this is anything but the case .1 I agree with Cook as I believe that as the teacher, it is essential to assess how your approaches to lesson content and delivery are being processed and absorbed by the pupil, for if learning is not taking place, then something needs to mutually change. Whilst a lack of pupil progress should not always be attributed to inadequate teaching, it is nevertheless important for the teacher to possess a level of self-reflection and analysis to evaluate learning outcomes and monitor how effectively they are communicating their teaching strategies. 2. No matter how effectively a teacher may believe they are communicating, there will come instances where the pupil is not improving as easily as is to be normally expected. The most obvious reason why this may be the case could be due to learning styles, as for instance if you are teaching a song aurally to a pupil who is primarily a visual learner, then progress is bound to be slower than if a form of graphic notation was to be employed. Of course, no pupil will be completely one style of learner, and they might even change or mix their learning styles according to the task, but again it is up to the teacher to analyse and pinpoint how their pupil responds in every instance. Consequently, a teacher needs to be eclectic and flexible enough to communicate the appropriate expertise in whatever shape or form necessary, regardless of learning style or the teacher s personal preference. 3. Whilst this may appear daunting, Jasenka Horvat argues that it is beneficial for both teacher and student, as she states, The more tools you have in your teaching toolbox, the better a teacher you will become. 2 I agree to a large extent with Horvat, as a multi-sensory and interdisciplinary approach to certain teaching strategies will enable you to successfully tailor your teaching to each individual learner, as opposed to saying the same thing over and over again without any thought into what learning outcome is actually being communicated. Again, it is a question of flexibility and being able to adapt to any given learning situation in which a pupil may place you; as it is not always the other way around. To conclude, I think that if you cannot switch from teaching the way a pupil learns as easily as enabling a pupil to learn the way you teach, then your levels of success are bound to decrease. The ability to be flexible is just as important as the knowledge itself. Word count: 540

Nicholas Cook ,Musical Creativity, page 16 Jasenka Horvat, page 95 from Music therapy with children and their families

Bibliography Ed. Deliege, Irene and Wiggins, Geraint A. Musical Creativity, Psychology Press, East Sussex, 2006.

Horvat, Jasenka

Who is the Therapy For? : Involving a Parent or Carer in their Child s Music Therapy, from Music Therapy with Children and their Families, Ed. Amelia Oldfield and Claire Flower, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, London 2008