Teaching Around the 4MAT Cycle is a fascinating book describing different learning styles. I posted a blog article describing the Learning Cycle.

There are 4 types of learners. Pages 7-9 of the book describing the second two types of learners: Type Three Learners and Type Four Learners.

Take a look at these descriptions and see if this describes your style. Now that you have read about all for types of learners. Which one are you?

Type Three Learners

Favorite question: How does this work?

Perceive information abstractly at 6:00

Process information actively at 9:00

Learn by thinking through experiences

Take time to figure out what can be done with what they learn

Often tinkering to make things work

Learn best with hands-on techniques

They need closure

They like to get things done

Goal: productivity, competence

Improve: people skills

Type Four Learners

Favorite question: What if?

Perceive information directly at 12:00

Process information actively at 9:00

Learn from perceptions and results of their experiences

They seek challenge and are risk takers

They learn through self-discovery

They seek to influence others

Goal: to be on the cutting edge of social progress

Improve: digging into the details

Teaching Around the 4MAT Cycle is a fascinating book describing different learning styles. I posted a blog article describing the Learning Cycle.

There are 4 types of learners. Pages 6-7 of the book describing the first two types of learners: Type One Learners and Type Two Learners.

Take a look at these descriptions and see if this describes your style. (Type Three and Type Four will be in another blog post.)

Type One Learners

Favorite question: Why? They seek to know underlying values

Perceive information directly at 12:00

Process information reflectively at 3:00

Learn by feeling their experiences

Take time to reflect and ponder their experience

Learn primarily in dialogue, listening, sharing ideas

Thrive on lots of reflecting time

Great mentors

Tackle problems by reflecting alone, brainstorming with others

Goal: to be involved in important issues, bring harmony

Improve: working under pressure, taking risks

Type Two Learners

Favorite question: What? Seek to know what experts know

Perceive information abstractly at 6:00

Process information reflectively at 3:00

Learn by thinking through experiences

Take time to reflect and ponder on what they experience

Thrive on stimulating lectures and readings

Goal: intellectual recognition

Improve: creativity

Learning styles have always been a fascinating topic for me. I have always enjoyed reading and learning about the different ways in which people learn. They learn in different way, at different levels, and using different methods. There is no one way to learn and no correct way to learn. It is important to know about learning styles and the Cycle of Learning.

Teaching Around the 4MAT Cycle is an interesting book with great insights into learning styles and the cycle of learning.

In the first chapter of the book, we are introduced to the Cycle of Learning as a clock:

We begin at 12:00, at the top of the vertical line as the perceiving line. This is the feeling place. At the bottom at 6:00 is the thinking place where we have abstract concepts.

The horizontal line is the processing line that represents a move from reflection at 3:00 to action at 9:00.

Learning does not happen until 11:59. Chapter 1 page 1 gives an early description of this 4MAT Cycle of Learning: “Learning begins with direct experience at 12:00. Then learners move toward analysis at 6:00 via reflective processing at 3:00. After the cycle swings past 6:00, learners become more active, moving from analysis to usefulness via active processing at 9:00. The movement from 9:00 back to 12:00 offers learners the opportunity to integrate the new material back with the self. Learning is complete at the top of the cycle” — only to begin all over again with the next topic, activity, and concept.

I am looking forward to reading more of this book and understanding more about learning styles. Chapters 1-2 have captivated my interest already. Stay tuned for more blog posts.

Are you a teacher? What methods do you use to teach a class? How successful is your current method for allowing students to achieve learning?

Try reading Learner-Centered Teaching by Maryellen Weimer. The information and hints in this book can be applied to classrooms of all ages, from preschool to college. The author is a college professor so much of her experience and advice is geared towards teaching college classes; however, many of her tips can be applied to teaching younger age groups as well.

She explains how to “use” content not “cover” it. She talks about how “we use content to promote self awareness of learning” (page 51). “A good teacher does not teach all that he knows. He teaches all that the learner needs to know at the time, and all that the learners can accountably learn in the time given.”

In learner-centered models of teaching, the teachers are instructors who guide and facilitate learning. They are the ones who prepare the way for the students to learn. Weimer gives a great example of the teacher’s role being like a gardener—one who prepares the ground, tills, and cultivates, but whose plants do the growing…The real accomplishment belongs to the plants (page 75).

I have always liked the phrase: Success is a journey not a destination. Now I have another phrase to add to that favorite: “Good teaching is a journey rather than a destination” (page 201). Teaching is not like a subway stop where, once you are there, you can cease moving forward — we must resist the urge to keep doing things the way we’ve done them for years. There’s always a poor teacher in us waiting to emerge. We have to resist the temptation to stay as we are, to rest at the bus stop (page 201).

Purchase a copy of this book and work your way to being a better teacher and work in cooperation with your students to lead and guide them along the road to successful learning.