Every child has specific strengths and weaknesses and many schools claim to teach to the strengths of the students that attend the school. But how many schools are actually able to do that? In a class of more than ten educationally challenged students, that task is difficult. Teaching to every child’s strengths requires multiple lesson plans, modified instruction and assignments. In a large classroom there is simply no time to introduce, instruct and follow-up with all the students for each lesson when it is being taught multiple ways.
At Southern Raised Learning, class size is small, no more than 7-8 students. That enables us to teach to each student’s strengths. As a matter of fact, we use a child’s strengths to teach to their weaknesses. Here is an example:
If your child is a visual learner:
- The child is seated in close proximity to the teacher.
- Oral, step by step instruction, is paired with modeling.
- After adequate instruction and teacher supervision, the student is given the opportunity to ‘try out’ the new skill through use of manipulatives, a whiteboard or an interactive device.
- If the child demonstrates fairly strong knowledge of the skill, the assignment is sent home, with instructions and manipulatives in the “Skills Note-Book” to be completed with parents that evening.
- The following day, parents will use the “Skills Notebook” to communicate how their child did.
- The teacher reviews last night’s homework, reinforces the concepts with the student and provides additional work on the concept, if deemed necessary.
- Completed worksheets now serve as a guide for additional drill and practice.