Bean's Learning Style

We've been going strong in our little homeschool.  Year-round schooling is so well suited to our lifestyle.  Both kids have been working hard and, because it is summer, playing hard as well.

I've been working the most with Bean.  I want to get her as up to speed as I can before adding more into the mix this fall.  What I have discovered is that her learning style involves a lot of activity.  Hearing it is not enough.  Seeing it is not enough.  Bean needs tangible learning - she's got to touch, to feel, and to do.

She's an active learner.  I'm sure there is some sort of fancy pants term for that, but I don't know it so I am sticking with active learner.  Making lessons into games helps a lot.  Finding ways to get her out of her seat and moving around helps a lot.  Having her touch things scattered about the room helps a lot.

One example I have is from a math lesson we've been working on.  She needed a number line, but drawing one on the chalkboard is not enough for her.  She sees it, but it doesn't click.  So I took some oversized flash cards that I have and spread them out on the floor and had her physically jump from number to number - that she understood!  That made sense to her!

I've also learned, and I guess I already knew this as it is how she is in just about every aspect of her life, that she needs a lot of encouragement and praise.  She needs to hear that she is improving.  She needs to hear that she is doing well.  She needs to hear that she is learning more and more each day.  She needs that confidence boost.

And she's so cute about her schoolwork.  When Bug finishes work he doesn't care to keep it.  It's done and he's done with it.  But with Bean it is very different.  She is saving everything.  She is putting every piece of paper she writes on in a folder that she wants to show everyone.  She's proud of herself and I love it!

And I'm proud of her, too.  Today she took her first test.  She got an A.