Teaching Styles Vs Learning Styles

As your child gets to know his teacher, you will begin to hear a lot of different things about the teacher. Some will be good and some will be bad. Some will be true and believe it or not, some will be a product of your child's imagination.

When your child tells you that his teacher can't teach: take it with a grain of salt, but take it seriously and listen to him. There could be a number of reasons that he is saying this. No, I'm not saying the teacher can't teach. Maybe the problem could be that your child has a learning style that the teacher does not use in that particular class. In a 55 minute class period, it is utterly impossible for a teacher to use every learning style they have been taught to meet the needs of all 35 students in class. Sometimes it is the way the subject matter is being presented that causes the student to have the perception the teacher can't teach. Their learning and teaching styles are like oil and water. Each teacher presents differently, and students tend to learn differently.

Some teachers are animated and can make almost anything entertaining and fun. Some are just the opposite. Some teachers use a variety of technology, and some use very little. Some teachers are more visual while others are more hands on. They cover the same material, but in a totally different presentation style. Chances are there are some students who actually prefer the teacher that your student says can't teach.

Your child may be one that needs more attention, and due to the size of the class, the teacher may not be able to give much individual attention during class. If this is the case, there may be another class that has fewer students. If this is the case, maybe your child can be moved to another class. Maybe you can volunteer to assist in the class or you may suggest to some of your friends that they volunteer to assist in that class (your child might not want to see you at school). This would assist not only the teacher, but most importantly the students by giving them individualized attention.

Your child may tell you that the teacher can't teach because the teacher spends most of his time trying to talk with disruptive students in the class. This may be a time for you to become a concerned parent to find out the policy for disruptive students. It may be the time for you to become more active in the school since a majority of schools are site based and can make their own rules about classroom behavior. When most students are disruptive, they do not know the material, and do not know how to ask for assistance. Again, this may be a time for you to assist, or better yet to ask the parent of the disruptive to student to assist. The disruptive student may have told their parent the exact same thing your student did-the teacher can't teach.

If you know your child's learning style, it would be to their benefit for you to discuss their class schedule with their counselor and them. You should try to find the best fit for your child's learning style. It is important that you remember that sometimes there is only teacher that teaches a certain subject, and this is where you come fully into play. This may be a case for tutoring, either school tutoring, or tutoring paid for by you. You can usually find a tutor whose style goes alone with your student.

Saying the teacher can't teach does not always mean they can't teach. It can mean that your student does not like their style of teaching. Just as there are many flavors or ice cream, there are many different teaching styles. The only problem is they are not always available, and you have to go with what you have.