Why teachers must know about their students?

   Nowadays, teachers are one of the principal agents in the Learning Process. They must be updated and have a wide knowledge about learning theories, methodologies and student’s learning styles. To achieve all these abilities it is important that the teacher gets to know the student in a wider and deeper level. In order to reach this knowledge, the teacher must understand the different learning styles. In that way, he or she will be much more prepared to develop appropriate lessons to guide his or her students.

     We can appreciate three different learning styles that can be very useful to the teacher as a pattern to follow. The first one states that some students learn easily by seeing graphics and reading displays to acknowledge some type of wisdom and experience. Then, the second style says that learners get the knowledge by hearing the subject matter described. Last but not least, we can find the kinesthetic style where students acquire learning by feeling through hands-on activities.

     Even when the teacher must be aware of these learning styles, he or she also must know that there are some elements or factors that can affect the way that students learn. We can find three major points. One of them is motivation that is defined as the principal key of progress and ability to learn. So, if a student presents lack of motivation the learning process is not going to be successful. Another factor is the student’s experiences that will determine the way students are going to behave and interpret what is going to be taught. Finally, we can find the previous training which models and disposes the student in front of the knowledge.

     As we said at the beginning, it is important for each teacher to get the right knowledge about different learning styles, factors that can affect the learning process, but most important they have to know how to apply them according to the student’s realities. All of these points are stated, because each student is different from each other, presenting their own rhythm, style and methods to process the information acquired.

-Melissa León

-Karla Pineda

-Nicole Tapia

-Monserrat Yañez