Children learn in many ways. My favorite way of explaining how different children learn is by using Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences. An intelligence can be described as an, "ability or abilities to acquire and use knowledge for solving problems and adapting to the world" (Woolfolk, 2007). Gardner believes there are eight different kinds of human ability: logical-mathematical, linguistic, musical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalist.
If I had to identify my intelligences, I'd say I am primarily a linguistic and bodily-kinesthetic learner. Many quizzes are available online to help determine ones intelligences. While I don't find the results of my quiz 100% accurate, quizzes such as this could be of use in the classroom to learn more about how individual students learn.
It'd be great if all students were intrinsically motivated. Realistically, most students need to be extrinsically motivated. If it gets a student to learn, my theory is, go for it.
Regardless of Gardner's theory, children will learn best if they are interested in the material. Students with a personal or individual interest in a particular subject will have an "enduring tendency to be attracted to or to enjoy" these subjects (Woolfolk, 2007). Then of course, there is the situational interest children show when teachers are successful in making a lesson, that would ordinarily not be interesting to the child, particularly engaging.
If a lesson is particularly engaging, students will be actively participating and learning. The teachers who achieve this are characterized by "high levels of teacher explanation, demonstration, and interaction with students" (Woolfolk, 2007). Lev Vygotsky's sociocultural theory encourages this type of active student exploration and collaboration.
As a future educator of social studies, this is a lot to take in; but then again, it is a lot to take in for any subject. I believe that getting students interested and engaged in the classroom will begin with making students feel like a citizen and like they are part of a community. Giving students an active role in the classroom, communities, and in their own learning process, will give them motivation to put forth a greater effort. Students can be given specific jobs, and rotate through them each week such as line leader, teacher's helper, and hand sanitizer. For example, first grade students can play Job Twister to recognize the important roles they play in either the classroom or the home.
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