I am visual!

Growing up I don't believe the school system catered to the student as it does today. (I know...everyone has a different opinion on this and that's okay. Our school really tries to meet all needs. With that said...) There are so many ways to learn. Visually. Auditory. Physically.

I can't say that when I was growing up I could tell you that I was a visual learner. Show me and I can duplicate what I've seen.

Even as an adult I find that I am very visual (and I see now that my dad is too.) I have to have paper! Notebooks filled with paper. I have to see it written down. I have to touch it. Technology is great. I run my business from my iPhone... but it just isn't enough.  My walls are COVERED in post it notes! I have to see which books my company is working on and at what stage they are in. AND each post it note has a smaller post it note with the editor information on it. That's on the wall. Then on my desk are all the little things that pop into my head. ideas for books, blogs, titles, you name it.

Then you look around my desk. PILES! Oh yeah! But I have to see it all to know it's here. I have to be able to reach out and touch it. It doesn't make for the tidiest of work spaces, but I have to give up something for the sake of creativity (I'm sticking to that theory too!)

On the other hand, my husband is very auditory. This is clear in the fact that if I want something from him I have to tell him. Don't write it on the calendar or leave him a note. That doesn't phase him. Tell him.

Differences here too are I will sit in my office all day with only the sound of my fingers on the keyboard. No music. No TV. My husband (and my sons) have their music on all the time. In the shower, in the car, at bed time. (I have headphones for my runs...that's it.)

I think my visual learning is why I'm a good martial artist. If you show me a move I can do it. Likewise, show me why I'm doing the move and it makes more sense. I nearly failed out of college when I had to take lecture hall classes. Are you kidding me? You're going to talk to me and I'm going to take a test? Just hand over the F! But I was a journalism major. AH! Go listen to Hillary Clinton talk (yes she was campaigning for her husband at the time. That's been a while) and then write an article about it and turn it in? Yes...now that I can wrap my head around.

It is an amazing phenomenon how we are all different. I applaud the teachers who can accommodate all the kids in all their ways. Even better if you can help your child (and yourself) identify how best to learn. Things would be much easier for me if you just said watch this rather than listen...but then trial and error teaches us the most.

Happy Learning!
Bernadette Marie