If we think about it, learning is one thing that every single one of us participates in – as it is a paramount part of how we survive as infants. Generally we learn by copying our parents or guardians as they instruct us. Most of this is generally delivered in a visual context of learning. We then learn further by playing with our siblings or newly formed friends. Here we generally learn by doing, much of which is trial and error and analysing the reactions of others. This then could be classed as a multi-modality learning context as we are learning by using touch, vision and also learning to respond to spoken language. Moving further ahead we start our official education in school and so the learning becomes more targeted and structured. Here we start to be conditioned to academic learning which is usually heavily focused around one main learning style.
It is during this period that we are programmed to have to remember important aspects of this learning and introduced to the concept of examination. We start to be tested of our ability to remember and answer questions related to the education material. In this general schooling period, we begin to expose our competence or incompetence in our ability to absorb and relate to the given education material and then we are marked in relation to the scores that we achieve in the testing examinations.
Certainly in years gone by, this would then be used to ‘put you in a box’ of where you stood within the class. You were either clever, average or below average. A selected few were also labelled as potential geniuses and at the other end of the spectrum we had those that were ‘stupid’.
Are stupid people really stupid?
In recent studies, acknowledgement has been given to the fact that we are all different and we all learn in different ways. It is now known that most of us have a preference to a certain modality. Some of us may be more accustomed to respond to visual input, while others may be more auditory or tactile. Let’s consider that when we were first learning, we all managed to learn the basics as toddlers. Could this be because we were learning using all modalities? Then when we moved onto academic education, we were mostly confined to the same systematic style of education. Therefore, if we learn differently but are taught in the same way, then surely this is a benefit to some and a handicap to others?
Injustice of the education system
I totally agree with this argument. Looking back, how many people were labelled as ‘slow learners’ or worse? How many people believed the label they were given as a result of their scores in the strict examinations? How then did this go on to affect their lives both in later schooling and after school?
I certainly think that there has been an injustice to many people by the education system!
To add further evidence to this theory; on the positive side, how many people do we know that were ‘slow’ at school but were actually able to go on and perform quite well in their chosen profession? (usually professions that are less academic but maybe more practical or kinaesthetic based). We see many examples of where ‘below average’ people have gone on to make good money and also the opposite, where ‘highly intelligent’ people have failed to prosper relatively in the real world.
Modern approach to education
Considering all of the above, surely schools should now modernise their approach to educating. Education material should be delivered blending all learning modalities or maybe even divide students into groups of their preferred learning styles so that they can absorb the information to the very best of their ability, grow and shine to their true potential. A potential where they all leave the education system feeling more confident and enthusiastic to go on to do more in the outside world. I believe that some education institutions are now looking into this but the majority are still following the old style – especially in the lesser developed worlds where incidentally, the people seem to be less academically orientated.
Test Anxiety – The stress of examinations
Now lets consider another issue – the stress that is involved in the concept of examinations. As we just read above, educational tests are introduced to us at a young age. These tests then get harder as we progress through the years of our schooling and then we sit our ‘final exams’ at the end of our general schooling.
Through my coaching I have learnt that this experience is quite a traumatic concept for quite a lot of people. For a lucky few it is viewed as a ‘fun’ experience but for others there is a lot of pressure attached to the test from the teacher and/or the parents. This pressure can prove to be highly stressful for the student and a reaction to this develops in the same way as a fear or phobia.
This then builds up as these events come and go, creating a vicious circle. Students can experience worry prior to the exams and suffer from a sudden blank mind during the test, as well as physical discomforts, including full blown panic. The sad truth is that many students who are very competent and knowledgeable in their subjects ‘fail’ to be able to be scored accordingly simply due to the crippling effects of the examination stress.
When we then take this to the level of high school, colleges and universities, the pressure that is often involved from teachers, parents, and also in some cases the student themselves can be overwhelming. This consists of a recognition that many hours and indeed years of work has gone into preparing for this event. Maybe sacrifices have been made by the family in terms of financing the education, and maybe moving home to attend a certain campus etc. In some families, the student may be the child from a few that was chosen to be the one that would pursue the academic route. Then there is the added pressure that the rest of the student’s life, or in some countries the rest of the family’s fate is perceived to be dependent upon the results of this final set of examinations – very heavy stuff indeed.
(This is very similar to Performance Anxiety which you can read more about by clicking here)
Sadly, this fear, stress and pressure can lead to students manifesting some serious behaviours to try to combat their feelings. Many students smoke ‘to relax’ and many take stimulant drugs to help stay awake in order to have more time to study. Too many become addicted to drugs and some develop other issues like eating and anxiety disorders. Some become depressed and some even decide to drop out of their studies just to avoid the fear of sitting the exams. In most severe cases, students have been known to contemplate taking their own lives to escape the pain and pressure that they face.
I am pleased to now be able to turn this article into a more positive vibe:
Help with Learning
If we think back to the fact that the best results of learning are through our preferred learning style or at least through a mixture of learning styles, then how can we help capitalise on this?
In my coaching practise I work with clients to firstly establish which are their preferred learning sensory modalities which can help in determining the preferred vehicle by which to receive the subject information. Then there are strategies that we use to help enhance and integrate all of their representational systems in order to best process, absorb, and store information much easier and faster than would normally be achieved. Focus is also given to determine other conditions that will help with learning strategy.
Another subject that I sometimes work on in relation to studying is that of procrastination. We can explore the process of a resistance to study and work to enhance the motivation to learn.
My coaching can be applied to students of any age, from teenagers up to older adults.
There are many reasons that you may wish to re-engage in learning as an adult.
Here are a few examples:
- Learning further education for career progression
- Learning a new subject for career change
- Learning to drive
- Learning a new language
- Learning a new sport or hobby activity
Help with Examination Nerves & Performance Anxiety
My coaching toolbox has a selection of powerful applications that I use to help students in preparation for exams. This comes in two different segments: firstly we tackle the fear and nerves attached to the examination event itself. Then we go on to work on actually increasing the confidence related to the performance in the test, including memory optimisation. The result is that the student is both relieved from the handicap of the disabling pressure and stress and also ends up feeling much more confident and prepared than they ever thought they could be – what could be better than that when facing an examination!
Regardless of your subject of study, if you wish to enhance your learning ability to achieve the best results in the quickest time possible, then please connect with me to discuss more.
Likewise, if you are suffering from worry of an upcoming examination or test situation and wish to be relieved from these feelings. If you wish to be able to focus your energy into the subject itself and not the fear of the exam. If you wish to be able to attend the test feeling in a positive zone and confident – then please connect with me to find out more about how I can help you.