Judy Willis

How Your Child Learns Best

“I am more of an auditory learner and this book taught me that time, effort and patience to learn my style of communication and way of retaining and retrieving information is important. Throughout my years of schooling, I struggled with fine gross motor skills and have adapted techniques to help me overcome them in small ways. As I get older, I realize that my learning disability is an asset and that I can use my auditory learning skills to my advantage and create a plan of action that works for me and that I can stick with, grow with, and flourish I independently on my own terms both in reading, writing, and understanding information. I do not have to learn like anyone else. I do not have to process information like anyone else. I do not have to write information like anyone else. I can do it in my own unique way. That is good enough for me. I am satisfied with that.*… (mer)

There are a number of brain-based books on the market, some of which are reviewed in this column. This one is the pick of the litter for the year. Willis has her M.D. specializing in neurology, so she knows of what she speaks and draws upon more recent sources than most. This is a slim volume not to be read in one sitting. Too much to think about. Chapter one, covering most of the major ideas could be a wonderful discussion topic for a professional development hour of reading and drawing implications for practice. There is much support of the teacher librarin here. Much support for using the full resources of the library media program to help every learner master both content and the learning skills they need to survive and be world-class. It provides a much-needed foundation for how we create learning experiences collaboratively with teachers and principals we need ourselves as teachers when we have to go it alone. Willis gives us a principle, provides the reason because of brain function and then gives good ideas for implementation in teaching. Reading this book made me want to make a strategies list to review and review, particularly in a planning session. Best of all, Willis realizes that we are just beginning to understand brain function and that we will have to review all our methods as we learn more and more. Another must-read.… (mer)