Right Way? Left Way?

Feb 16
Amy

Today’s prompt fo the Post-A-Day 2011 project is not one that I am comfortable answering right now, so I decided to find my own topic.  As I was going through my daily blog reading, I came across a post on The Pioneer Woman’s Homeschooling page that piqued my interest.  I am not a homeschooler – my kids and I are all way better off because of it – but I am intrigued by homeschooling.  For some it works, and that is great.  The post was a viewer/reader question regarding specifically how to teach right-brain learners.

The question was written by Julie of Raising Three Knights and A Princess, which is where I found more information on right-brain vs. left-brain, and some traits.  Below is an excerpt from her post:

I am a left brain learner most of the time. God has gifted me with two right brain learners. He has a sense of humor that way. The right brain stores long-term memory, pictures, music, colors and humor, option and math concepts (or the big picture) and a more unstructured approach to learning. Those of us who are left brain thinkers are more concerned with the details, short-term memory, thinking, logic, structure, language and short-term memory.

. . . .

Common Characteristics of a Left Brain Learner:

  • Tends to seek structure in his or her day
  • Memorizes best by repetition (auditory or writing)
  • Likes to know the plan for each day, week, etc.
  • Tends to work well independently.
  • Likes to make lists and check them off as tasks are completed.
  • Thinks things through with multiple pieces of evidence before coming to a conclusion.
  • Tends to find math interesting and is very good at it.
  • Likes the predictability and conciseness of workbooks.
  • Can do well with self-paced and computer curriculum.

Common Characteristics of a Right Brain Learner:

  • Likes spontaneous events, versus planned events each day. Seeks change
  • Memorizes best by using meaning, color, pictures, story, and/or emotion in material
  • Does not plan ahead regularly.
  • Prefers much involvement with parent while doing school lessons.
  • Does not do items sequentially, but skips around in his or her work.
  • Makes quantum leaps when learning. Figures things out from scanty evidence.
  • Finds math quite repetitive and somewhat boring.
  • Prefers projects and discussions rather than workbook learning.
  • Does not do well with self-paced or computer curriculum, but rather one that requires more parent and teacher involvement, such as unit studies, or any curriculum that is more hands-on and interactive with the adult.

Of course we can usually see ourselves in both category but we often tend towards one. Which are you? If you want more information a good site is http://www.diannecraft.org/ Anything anyone else has to offer out there would be much appreciated!! Blessings…..

I already knew that I was very left-brained.  I am regimented, I like order, I really like math (most of the time), and I am a list making fool!  What I had never given a though to was what type of learners our daughters were.  While all of our girls display traits from each list, they all definitely fall more heavily in one direction than the other.  If I based a classification of them based solely on these lists, I would say that we have one daughter who is a left-brain learner (Harley), and three who are right-brain learners (Emma, Katelyn, and Reagan)

I am happy that I noticed this information and took te time to actually read and understand it because understanding the characteristics of what type of learners the girls are will help me help them more, and that is what it is all about!