Graduation Is On The Horizon, Did Classrooms Meet Students' Learning Styles?

When we think of the word ‘equity’ as it pertains to classrooms, it means each student has the resources needed to meet their full learning potential. Traditional practices, such as using older textbooks, traditional seating, and auditorial preferences are still dominant in classrooms, which suggests that schools are not meeting the needs of specific student groups.

According to a 2020-21 study, more than 7.5 million students received services under the IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act). “This law makes available a free appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities throughout the nation, and ensures special education and related services to those children,” said Rob Heiden, Chief of Operations for RHK Construction. “In this study, 33% had a specific learning disability, 19% were speech and language impaired, 15% had other health impairments, and 12% had autism. It’s a no-brainer to see that the next generation may be falling behind in specific areas of their education.”

For decades, previous generations were taught to work smart, not hard, ignoring that there is no one-size-fits-all for education. “This has led to one of the largest declines in visual kinesthetic careers that are capable of helping to build and restore communities,” said Heiden. “According to the data, 60% of these students are mainstreamed into the general education classroom close to 80% of the time. Currently, due to the pandemic, we are seeing larger classroom sizes and staffing shortages across the board. This could mean that current education techniques are outdated, are not equitable, and are missing crucial understanding of different learning styles for the next generations.”

Recognizing and adapting to different learning styles in the classroom, and for continued adult education, could be critical in achieving higher levels of employment and prevailing wages for those who learn differently.

Let’s acknowledge different types and styles of education at trade schools, for licensing exams, and for work certification courses, and create equitable levels of employment!

RHK Construction will be at East Aurora High School’s Career Fair on April 19, 2023, from 12:30 - 2:15 p.m.

For more information, please contact:

RHK Construction, Inc.

219 West Galena Blvd.

Aurora, IL 60506

331-212-5158

rhkconstructioninc.com