We learn so much from our community and value the insights you all provide. They inspire our work and compel us to keep pushing to create better and better learning environments. In response to my article from a couple weeks ago that posed the question of whether or not we should adapt to children’s different learning styles, we received resounding support in favor of getting to know each child’s needs and meeting children where they are. Readers commented, “There is always more than one way to achieve the same result,” and “Might depend on how you define “learning styles,” but it should definitely be adapted for different children.”
There are always two sides to every issue and not everyone agreed that it is possible to adapt to each child’s needs. One community member wrote, “You can’t be all things to all people, that is why there are tutors.” And another pointed out that funding, or lack thereof, will determine if any program can be successful. We recognize that differentiating and meeting each child where he or she is requires great creativity and effort on the educator’s part. At Natural Pod, we have been incredibly inspired by teachers in countless classrooms around the world and the resourceful ways that they have created meaningful learning experiences for their students.
One educator’s astute comment beautifully mirrors our mission, “If we don’t create learning environments where all children can find ‘their fit’, then we are not creating environments where all children can learn and be authentically themselves!” Creating learning environments where children are comfortable and feel that they are being heard is at the very heart and soul of our work at Natural Pod. Presenting options that allow children to determine how they learn best is when meaningful learning really happens. If material is presented in a way that students are able to connect to it, children will feel free to inquire, create, and truly engage in the learning process.