Individualized Teaching Techniques

   











       "One Size Does NOT fit ALL"

A single method or type of instruction does not meet every students need.  Even when the majority of the class are grasping a concept some students will struggle.  Instruction needs to be designed to engage and suit all students.  Individualized learning allows students to drive into the material, learning more about the topic that best suits their needs.




A concept within individualized learning is inquiry based learning.  Inquiry based learning allows students the opportunity to ask a question, then find the answer.  When properly facilitated all students can pursue different areas within a topic.  This allows each to student to become an expert in that area and take a unique ownership to it.

 

Individualized teaching promotes students independence.  A down fall of our schools is that students view teachers as the source of all knowledge.  Teachers are simply the facilitator to learning.  Our goal should be to nurture creativity and discovery.  We need to teach students to ask questions and seek out answers.

 


Individualized learning helps students realize that not all questions have direct answers.  In fact most higher level questions have multiple correct answers.  It is important that students understand that there are multiple opinions on may topics.

 
We need to teach students to not only seek out answers, but to learn to apply those answers.  Learning needs to become necessary and applicable.  Students engage better in material that they can and will use.  We need to teach students to reflect on their learning just as we are reflecting on ours.  Reflection helps create meaning and purpose.




As agricultural educators, we are given the opportunity to engage students in the premier delivery system.  This SAE, which allows students to further learning and to practice what they learn.  SAE is an the ultimate individualized learning opportunity that an Ag teacher has!


Another individual learning opportunity is experiments.  Experiments involve many steps and a great deal of knowledge can be attained from the process alone.  Students must plan, execute and reflect on the process.  Each of these steps can require a great deal of time and thought.