Module 2 Blog Post

            Chapter 4 of the Woolfolk text delves into the topics of different learning styles that students may have.  The text describes how the term “learning preferences” would actually be a more accurate phrase as most of the research suggests that students have different preferences for particular learning environments.   Instead of describing students as visual or verbal learners, it may be more helpful to focus on how the students learn and their own self-awareness of this.  For example, schools can make available various learning options, such as quiet private corners as well as large tables for group work, brightly lit desks and darker areas, headphones for listening to music and earplugs, or structured as well as open-ended assignments (Woolfolk p. 133-134).  Having these options available for students can be instrumental in supporting students and lead to a learning environment that all students can benefit from.  Growing up, I struggled in a group environment and would have benefited from more one on one learning or just a peaceful corner of a room to dedicate myself to my work.  I will be the first to admit that I can become very easily distracted from homework and other things that I need to get done and having a dedicated space to be more focused is very important for me.  As a future educator, I hope to provide individual one-on-one attention to my students and learn the ways they like to learn and try to create an environment in the classroom for what I’m sure will be many diverse learning styles of my students. 

              Not only will there be diversity amongst learning preferences, but there will be a great deal of diversity amongst the students as well.  From teaching students who are English language learners to those who come from extreme poverty to those of different racial and ethnic backgrounds, it will be my job to make all students feel equal to other students.  In Woolfolk Chapter 6, the text describes how students who come from a poor family may be viewed by teachers as not as bright and may avoid calling on these students and set lower standards for them.  These low expectations and biases along with a lower-quality educational experience, can lead to a sense of learned helplessness for children from a lower socioeconomic status (Woolfolk p. 218).  As a teacher, I will make it a point to not feed into a student’s sense of helplessness and feeling that they cannot make a difference in their own learning.  Regardless of a student’s social class or racial background, I will focus on educating all students with the same attention and set and maintain high expectations for all students.  

Even in my limited experience with substitute teaching at a Catholic grammar school, I have encountered multicultural classrooms and have taught students of different racial and economic backgrounds.  I have realized that some students come from broken homes and homes with one parent trying to give their child the best possible education and that is what my goal will always be: to give each student the best education possible. To provide students with a harmonious learning environment, as Woolfolk discusses, teachers can experiment with grouping different students together to promote cooperation amongst all students or getting to know the customs, traditions, and values of students by having projects in which students can teach other students about their origins and traditions important in their culture (Woolfolk p. 243).  I feel that by promoting an environment that doesn’t ignore the differences amongst students, but embraces and explores them, can lead to a welcoming and bias-free classroom environment.