Share a story about how you overcame a learning challenge. Why was it a challenge? What strategies did you use? Use the language you learned in this unit.
My relationship with learning has consistently been a journey of peaks and valleys; I faced the majority of my valleys during the elementary to middle school years of my education journey. In parent-teacher meetings, my teachers would say that I was an excellent student, yet I had difficulties understanding and learning the material. I loved being in the classroom and learning new things, though when it came to writing or testing the knowledge I learned, my mind went blank. Similar to what is discussed in the Why is Learning Hard? Post. By the time I reached grade seven, I had worked with teaching assistants, gotten extra time for homework, and got tested for various learning disabilities, but all came back with no answer as to why I was having a hard time learning. It wasn’t until that year of grade seven that it all clicked when I finally had a teacher’s aide that understood what I was going through. The teacher introduced strategies that reflect a cognitivist way of learning since I was listening to the information being taught, but I was not absorbing it. Note-taking, colour coding, organization, visuals, and memorization strategies were components of this learning epiphany and helped me succeed in the classroom for the first time.
Fast forward to today, as a university student, I still use similar learning strategies, as they have been beneficial to how I psychologically process information. Although, I’ve noticed that by taking courses and pursuing a degree that aligns with my interests, I’ve experienced fewer challenges than when I was in public school. Through post-secondary, I have developed a self-determination way of intrinsic motivation to learn and continue learning as it genuinely piques my interest while steering me into a career I wish to have, which is teaching. I still find myself having challenges when learning new things and not being as quick to grasp them compared to others in academia. Nevertheless, I don’t let that get me down because by taking courses like EDCI 335 that break down theories and the psychology of learning, I know now everyone faces challenges and has unique ways of learning.
References:
Adventure & Company. (n.d.). Peaks and Valleys Art Print. Society 6. Retrieved from https://society6.com/product/peaks-and-valleys1085449_print.
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