I want to learn the way I want to, not how you impose it.
This phrase seems to be a disrespectful expression and sounds like a rebellious act, yet you have all the right to say it, and you are not disrespecting anyone. On the contrary, if you learn what is imposed on you, your attitude and perspective will be different from a person who knows is autonomous.
I do not want to sound controversial but partial and natural about how innate it is to learn something significant. Some people fit very well in the imposed methods, and survive the standardized process.
Those who seek to learn on their own, have self-control, and what they want or need to learn are related to having autonomy. This independence is a quality of mobile learning.
As I mentioned in one of the previous blogs about deschooling, when we are in school, we are schooled. Within this educational process, skills are standardized. These standards are considered to be the norm. The students must learn and develop these skills for life. These standards respond to research conducted years earlier. Interestingly, these skills are for a majority. But what about the students who learn slowly or faster, what about their learning process?…
For them, there is autonomy. The Merriam-Webster’s Web Dictionary defines autonomy as self-directing freedom and especially moral independence.
Learning autonomously means that the teacher, tutor, or professor is not fully present to guide the student. Basically, the student creates and follows his own path in the learning process. In addition, autonomy provides student’s ability to learn how to be self-disciplined.
How do you begin to guide your children or students to autonomy? Keep reading to learn how.
Identify your learning style
I remember as if it were today when I learned about VARK. What? Yes, it’s a quiz that identifies your learning style. This quiz allows us to identify how we like to learn. Interesting! There is a website with all the information to help us understand this tool and make it part of your life. Because it can help anyone: parents, guardians, teachers, and others. Also, you can download and print a questionnaire that provides answers on your learning style.
VARK in my life
I confess that I thought my daughter should learn the way I thought she should learn. (I know, redundant right?)
And that was not correct.
What both of us parents considered the correct thing for our daughter was for her to go to school. Those who know her know that when she began this process of becoming independent, it turns out Gaba did not like school; she cried every morning until third grade. She is disciplined and has good values; I don’t say this because she is my daughter, but because her father and I took the time to guide her, yet she did not want to get to school. At the time, Gaba loved to be with her parents in daily work and learn.
In the initial meeting to be home educators, we were given a series of essential information to begin the educational process; this information included the VARK questionnaire. With this questionnaire, I was able to recognize that Gaba is a visual and auditory learner.
Knowing this helped me select teaching activities according to her interest.
And I am completely honest with you it was glorious; the process became more manageable for me. Why? I established how to offer educational material in a relevant and quick way.
We have taught Gaba ever since to learn by herself. We provided her with a pencil, notebook, books, tablet with internet access, instructional activities, and examples of how to learn autonomously. I highlight his father, Gabriel, my husband, an apprentice with total autonomy; he identifies that he is interested in knowing, reading, and researching and then tells us or applies it to daily needs.
That is what it is all about, being autonomous.
Heading towards autonomy
At this moment, after a pandemic, each of us must take the baton in autonomy and become independent. Schools had to change to distance education, which created the beginning of a breakdown in school dependency. And we switched to a different way of learning.
I dare to say that it is how many of us are. Autonomous learners. I would like to hear your story, do you consider yourself autonomous or know someone?
I share with you the VARK questionnaire below, so that you can identify your learning style or someone else’s:
I hope it will be of great help to you as it has been for me in the personal and professional life.
I will wait for you around here like every Wednesday at 6 PM; follow me on social media to keep you informed.
Thank you, and thank you for following. Share to all those you believe can benefit from this information. I read you in your comments.
Good night!
Ivelisse, Instructional Designer
