My Son is a Kinesthetic Learner

by Jeanette Romkema
Partner, Global Learning Partners

Middle school has saved my 12-year-old son’s life. It’s a strange thing to say but it’s true. He finally gets to move around! He has to walk 2-3 flights of stairs between each class; he walks 15 minutes to and from home at noon everyday to eat lunch; he walks to and from school everyday at the beginning and end of the day; and, he is in a different class with a different teacher for almost every class. This might sound exhausting and confusing, but for Jude it is exactly what he has always needed: a chance to move around and switch gears so that he can reenergize and refocus.

My son is a kinesthetic A.D.D. learner and has always struggled in school. In our family’s journey to figure out why Jude cried so much about school, was so tired all the time, didn’t want to do his work, got stomach and headaches, and wasn’t able to focus, we discovered he is both gifted and learning challenged. Although we are learning how to offer him the opportunities and support in these areas, it has been my understanding of his kinesthetic needs that has been an eye-opener for me.  He needs to discover the world with his hands and he needs to learn by doing!

We have learned to encourage his need to physically “read” and understand everything around him. Although he is starting to move away from creating origami and Lego sculptures to assembling our Ikea and outdoor furniture, we now know how important and skilled his hands are. We have learned that he needs to be active instead of passive.

His teachers encourage him to express himself in ways other than through writing. They know they should NOT stop his doodling. There is a growing awareness that he needs to move to learn. Although his homeroom teacher is helping him understand that there is inappropriate movement and times when getting up to walk around the room won’t work, she welcomes his creative expression.

I am still learning a lot about learning styles and differences, and how they determine how we learn, function in the world and define the choices we make. However, I am grateful my family has learned as much as we have before “it’s too late”. To better support your child’s learning needs, I encourage the following:

1. Determine what your child’s (and your) learning preference is.
2. Talk to your child’s teachers about these preferences and how to provide the best learning environment at school and at home.
3. Talk to your child regularly about how and when these learning preferences impact learning, experiences, and relationships.
4. Openly celebrate how we all learn differently.
5. Work to make our educational system more inclusive and excepting of all learning styles, intelligences, learning domains, and all other aspects of what make us unique human beings.

The traditional educational system of catering to one learning style and type of learner is being challenged in schools today. Join educators, administrators, parents and students who are demanding change in these areas. We want our children to be the best they can be, with the least amount of stress and the most amount of support, affirmation and care. I’m happy to say, Jude is now on a road to success.

 

 

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