Rediscovering the Classroom How to Make Learning Fun

If you're like many people you have spent much of your youth in school, sat in many classes, listened to a lot of talk and did a lot homework. Maybe along the way, you learned something.

I say "perhaps" because despite all the "changes" in the educational curriculum in the past three decades, the school is still focused on learning through listening, repetition and memorization. Unfortunately, few schools teach to multiple learning styles in the classroom.This is true despite the fact that not all of us (truth be told, very few of us) learn best this way.

Mention "to learn something new" for many people, and they shudder with memories of bad educational experiences. A teacher friend of mine shared how challenging it can be to get some parents to come to back-to-School Night and parent-teacher conferences, because it reminded them of their own negative experiences in school. You may have even quit college or skipped it entirely due to negative associations with school and learning. And understandably, so it can be frustrating to feel that you always work twice as hard as everyone else. But you're not alone.

Studies have shown that people, both adults and children learn best in different ways, ways that correspond to the way they see the world. Discovering your unique learning style can totally change your attitude to learn a new skill or topic for the better. So how do you learn best? It is easy to find your individual learning style and change the way you feel about learning something new.

Do you like to dive head first into an experience, see what happens and learn from the outcome?

Maybe you learn best through stories that illustrate key points and provide an opportunity for dialogue about the meaning and importance of what happened.

Or you may prefer a thorough and comprehensive investigation that proceeds systematically and is non-interactive.

Do you have something new to learn intuitively understand new concepts from small bits of information? Or will you take a more logical, methodical approach, collecting and organizing data, which you then compare and contrast intellectually?

When you engage in learning, targeting your learning style, the process is pleased, and the result is meaningful and satisfying. Only then can learn new things begin to change your life in a positive way. You will discover that you retain important information more easily, and bringing new skills to use more easily.

Understand your individual learning style can make learning a new language, instrument, etc., easier and more enjoyable. Getting started is easy. Take 10 minutes to remind you of a learning event which was fun and meaningful to you, and then a learning event that was painful and difficult.

Now ask yourself these basic questions:

• How were the two events presented differently?

• What about the successful event made it so comfortable for you?

• What about the difficult circumstances made it so hard for you?

• What are the answers to these questions tell you about how you learn?

You can learn more about understanding your unique learning style and how to take a learning style questionnaire or survey by contacting Gary Jordan, Ph.D., at (800) 942-3934, or visit their website at http://www. vrftsuccessforlife.com.

Take time to find out how you learn best, so you can learn something new!