learning styles

Last week we had a visit from the Humane's Society to teach the students about animal safety, particularly around dogs. It was very well presented and the children were taught how to "stand like a tree" if a strange dog approached them, and to tuck like a rock if a dog knocked them over. They even got a chance to practice it. I found this to be an excellent source of information for them because children are extremely trusting, and if a dog "looks friendly or acts friendly" they automatically assume it IS friendly. The students have not forgotten the lesson because it was practical, well taught and practiced. I know that at times I have seen students in the classroom who stare at me blankly after I have taught them something and they just are not understanding. It is at those times I have shifted my lesson, retaught it in a different way that is more practical and related to them. In that I have continued to remember and practice that not every child learns the same way and so a lesson needs to be taught using different methods of learning...Visual, Auditory, and kinesthetic (hands-on). It is not always easy to figure out which learning style works for which child, but with time I figure it out based on results how they learn the best. It has challenged me to plan my lessons accordingly as I only want the best results from my students. When they learn something new and they understand it, it builds their confidence and trust in themselves that "YES THEY CAN!"