A student's perspective is what matters when it comes to learning a concept. Photo by: Brandon Heims
By Brandon Heims
Learning something new takes effort, but some students learn in different ways through either seeing, hearing and/or doing.
Junior Victoria Godwin says she normally grasps the concept in class by listening to what the teacher is explaining and she usually writes down a few notes because she has a tendency to forget things. If she had any questions, she would ask the teacher or a friend that is in the same class so they could explain it to her. Sophomore Haley Adams on the other hand said, “I can learn in class by a teacher just teaching. The way I learn best though is by having fun in class.” Sophomore Jace Allen said he can listen and then just learn it on the spot; as for senior Mason Coiner, who said, “I just do the work and complete it. Based off that grade, I determine what I need to do to get a better grade next time.” Sophomore Danielle Erickson would agree with Adams, “To grasp a concept in class, it helps when a teacher teaches the lesson live sometimes, I look in my book later to help clarify or get better understanding.”
Some students are better with learning a concept when able to visually see the lesson right in front of them; others may have to hear the lesson from someone else or just figure out the problem themselves to understand. Godwin said, “I have to see it and practice it. I can’t listen to something or I will honestly forget it. I need to see it and work with it so it will stick in my brain.” Just like Godwin, Erickson feels that seeing and doing are better for her to understand a lesson. Allen on the other hand said, “A mix between seeing and hearing.” Which is opposite from Adams, who said, “Doing because I don’t want to be wrong and look silly.” Coiner said, “For many students I believe it’s better for kids to do, than to just hear about it. Being in Alternative School, and NovaNet, it allows me to do my own thing and learn without all the talking of the teachers.”
Students learn by working out a problem or listening and watching the instructor work it out. Photo by: Brandon Heims
Students have the responsibility to understand a concept, that way they can be better in their future lives, but teachers have the responsibility to help those students understand. “Since we now have Macbooks, teachers have been able to make their presentations a little more exciting,” Godwin said, “[but] as of now, I am fine with the way I am being taught.” Adams on the other hand said, “I learn from teachers explaining things completely. Or if I don’t get it they come back and explain again.” Erickson said, “I like when teachers don’t grade the homework, but go over the ones you didn’t understand.” As for Allen, he said, “they try to help you individually and then have you work in groups with other students.” Then Coiner said, “Some of the teachers try to participate as much as they can, [but] there are just some things that teachers cannot do, and only we, students, can grasp and take into consideration.”
Learning a concept requires practice and like Coiner said, “a teacher can only do so much, but it is up to the student to understand.”