kinesthetic learners

[tropicana]

my daughter is 5 and i'm just now realizing, she's a kinesthetic learner. 

from all accounts she is very smart. we have her in a dual language kindergarten that is a 1/2 day program (2.5 hours, daily).

however, her whole life she has been incredibly active. to the point of being borderline "hyperactive."

but i've been reading online just now about kinesthetic learners, and i guess misdiagnosis as ADHD plagues kinesthetic learners... who comprise only 5 percent of the population.

she has little patience for studying words in a book, although she will sit still for long periods of listening to me read to her, including long chapter books like "Little House on the Prairie."

homework time has been interesting. it takes awhile. she does not like sitting still and focusing on writing her letters and numbers neatly is a challenge. similarly, it is a real challenge for her to color in the lines, and we are getting a lot of that in homework, i guess to build fine motor skills.

speaking of which, fine motor skills are improving, but they still lag.

her gross motor is off the charts good. she walked early (10 mo) and never stopped moving. i have every confidence in her when she wants to try something that would be very daring for other kids (such as jumping off a high platform). i let her and she always lands on her feet. she learned to swim this past summer.

she's highly sociable, very empathetic and socially mature. she gets along with others very easily and seems to emerge as a leader; the other kids follow her lead.

i could go on with more descriptions, but i was wondering if others can relate. if you have a kinesthetic learner, can you tell me about him / her? 

after reading online a bit, i'm going to make some changes in how i help her learn. santa will be bringing her a bean bag chair for studying, for example. i will be letting her practice writing letters in shaving cream. i will encourage her to spell words by pointing her finger in the air and "writing" in the air.

and i will be on top of things when it comes to first grade next year, when she will likely have to sit still for longer periods of time. i will give her strategics for moving her body even when at a desk, such as using her hands, or her feet. and i will communicate with her teachers about the fact that she is a kinesthetic learner, and how to best accommodate / encourage.

also, as a FYI and to see if anyone experienced similar, i don't know if it's common amongst kinesthetic learners or not -- again, they are only 5 percent of the population -- but she was a late talker. precious few words until 2.5 yo, and then suddenly talking in sentences, clear and articulate as an adult, beginning at 2.5. people always comment on her strong vocabulary, and the fact is, you can never get her to stop talking nowadays.

i don't know if that relates at all to kinesthetic learning or not, but wanted to throw it out there... in case anyone can relate, i'm so interested in learning more! many thanks!

[JayGee]

DS is like this and he's 10.  He studies for all his tests either on the trampoline or while passing a soccer ball back and forth with me.  I'm also a bit like this and used to find an empty classroom to study in during college.  I'd pace up and down the aisles, write on the blackboards and "teach" an empty lecture hall.  Sure worked better for me than poring over my books and notes in the library! 

[monkeybum]

It's really important to have the teacher on side with this.  My son is the same (now 7) and he cannot sit while he is learning or working - he has to be walking, jumping, standing, just moving.  He is very bright and got straight A-'s last year in grade one b/c the teacher was very understanding to his learning style and let him work that way, but she repeatedly said he needs to learn to sit still, sit at a desk etc.  They let him do his work that way, and he did great, but she said at the same time, it was disruptive to the class apparently.

Interestingly, he has to be moving when playing, working, watching a movie or eating, or doing anything but reading.  But for some reason, he can sit still while reading.  I honestly think that reading and sleep are the only two times this boy stops moving! LOL

[tropicana]

JayGee -- what was your major in college? just curious. wondering if my DD will wind up in an "action" profession.

thanks for the input MonkeyBum. how is it going for your DS this year, in 2nd grade?

[34me]

I have one of these that's 15.  Luckily he is also an Aural Learner.  What helped a lot with the sitting still piece was lots of outside activity outside of school (has become a competitive ice hockey and lacrosse player) , having teachers always place him so that his desk was always on the outside of any grouping (allowed him to squirm and wiggle without being in any one else's direct line of site to the teacher) and maturity.

[meemee]

dd is in 4th grade. she is able to hold it together for school but lets loose when she comes home. thankfully she had a great second grade teacher who used a lot of kinesthetics to teach kids things.

dd uses her white board. she has got a few. a large one and some smaller ones.

she also uses an exercise ball for a chair.