The 'Learning Roadblocks" lesson will help build learning awareness and to let them know that sometimes our feelings will affect learning. Fear of not being able to learn, disinterest through lack of involvement, upset over something that has happened, excitement about something; all of these can throw up powerful roadblocks. This is usually presented right after the Mr. Potato Head lesson. The goal is to let them know that it is OK to have a roadblock - all of us have experienced it! And when learning roadblocks happens to them, I will help them make use of their other learning pathways instead.
The more words we know, the more pathways we have. The more pathways we have, the easier it is to find our way through a forest, and if we only had one pathway to take, it would be pretty tiresome. There would be many beautiful parts that we wouldn't even come to see. If there were many paths available, and we used these, think what a difference it would make! Other paths could be shorter, more fun, and more interesting.
We learn in different ways - the three pathways you see, we use to learn - this road is visual (what we see), the 2nd road is auditory (what we hear), the third road is kinesthetic/tactile (touching/feeling) - (sliding the car on the roads as I explain them, then bring out the road block) - sometimes we get roadblocks - oh! then we can't use this road which is the auditory - but it's ok because we have the other 2 roads we can use - the visual and kinesthetic/tactile to learn and figure things out.
I will then usually relate it to a real life example.....ask them questions if they have experienced a learning roadblock. How did that make them feel? If the child can't think of one, I usually tell them a learning roadblock I had when I was in school. Usually that helps the student open up once they hear that you have also experienced a learning roadblock too.
The more words we know, the more pathways we have. The more pathways we have, the easier it is to find our way through a forest, and if we only had one pathway to take, it would be pretty tiresome. There would be many beautiful parts that we wouldn't even come to see. If there were many paths available, and we used these, think what a difference it would make! Other paths could be shorter, more fun, and more interesting.
We learn in different ways - the three pathways you see, we use to learn - this road is visual (what we see), the 2nd road is auditory (what we hear), the third road is kinesthetic/tactile (touching/feeling) - (sliding the car on the roads as I explain them, then bring out the road block) - sometimes we get roadblocks - oh! then we can't use this road which is the auditory - but it's ok because we have the other 2 roads we can use - the visual and kinesthetic/tactile to learn and figure things out.
I will then usually relate it to a real life example.....ask them questions if they have experienced a learning roadblock. How did that make them feel? If the child can't think of one, I usually tell them a learning roadblock I had when I was in school. Usually that helps the student open up once they hear that you have also experienced a learning roadblock too.