So Everyone Shines...

So Everyone Shines...

 

So Everyone Shines...

It's a strange thing about we human creatures. Tell us what we need to improve, and our faults seem to magnify. But when you tell us what we do well, we get better at it...and our faults are less pronounced.

When I started SCORE, I interviewed 600 students who were attending 10 nearby high schools. All 600 were struggling students...some labeled gifted, some learning disabled, but most in that allusive "middle."

The solution to their underachievement was, of course, very complex. One of the major factors, though, dealt with the way they approached learning and how their style interacted or conflicted with that of their teachers. We label it their "personality style." It is another dimension from their learning modality, with subtle differences.

From that difference, in SCORE classes, we learn to "teach so everyone shines 1/4 of the time."

The Melancholy personality is detail-oriented. Since over half of our teachers learn that way, we do a pretty good job teaching to these students (roughly 38%), but they sometimes struggle after they leave us because they haven't adequately learned application principles.

The Phlegmatic personality is relationship-oriented. Approximately 1/3 of our teachers learn this way, and 12% of our students fall into this category. They need to feel valued in order to learn. They struggle if there is conflict of any kind in the classroom. They are best at the gestalt of learning, and many will become our social workers or guidance counselors. They do struggle, however, with details and goals.

The Choleric personality is goal-oriented. Few teachers (approximately 6%) think this way naturally (which could explain why we struggle so with outcome objectives and testing). These students (about 12%) love a good debate and may take an unpopular side to an issue just for the energy the conflict generates. They will work hard for a teacher they respect; they will sabotage a teacher they believe is incompetent.

The Sanguine personality is process-oriented. These students make up 38% of the classroom, but only 2% of our teachers. We don't always do a good job teaching to them; but once we get these students through the system, they become good workers. They are naturally gifted in practical application.

SCORE trains teachers to vary teaching methodology so "everyone shines 1/4 of the time." Every day, in every class, do something that is detailed to energize the Melancholy; something that is relational and reflective to energize the Phlegmatic; something that is goal oriented and allows for decision-making for the Choleric; and something that is interactive and allows for movement and spontaneity for the Sanguine.

When student needs are met, they are more likely to master content. When student needs are met, they are able to adapt their behavior to function as they need to in the classroom.

We study this concept in greater detail in our Study Skills workshop. Why not join us for the next one! Better yet, sponsor your own.  Visit our web site to learn how.