“Researchers from the University of South Carolina discovered that average students routinely learn in large group settings that don’t allow them to stand out or contribute in unique ways. Teachers tend to lecture or supervise ‘seat work.’ As a result, students passively receive new information and have few opportunities to apply skills, conduct experiments, or solve complex problems. the researchers found that average students believe that their effort, more than their innate abilities, helped them get ahead.”   Holland, 2000

If what research has shown about the average learner is true, then the average learner has needs, too. They need a teacher who finds out what their interests are and builds on them. They need a teacher who discovers the learning style of each student and gives them opportunities to to learn in varied modalities that match those styles. They need a teacher who will ask complex questions and expect that the students will be able to answer them–especially if the questions are attached to a learning experience that was built on their interests, learning style, and readiness level.

Average learners were the ones sitting in my classroom who wanted to be pulled out by a resource teacher for specialized instruction and individualized attention. They wanted to go to the “Talented and Gifted” class and do the really cool stuff that only the gifted children get to do. They wanted to be treated with dignity and respect as special people with special needs. They wanted to be given work that was qualitatively challenging, meaningful, and respectful so that the task became its own reward.

How do the average learners you know respond when someone recognizes and builds on their unique and special abilities?