Today I met with another adult client. What a surprising turn my business is taking: that I’m attracting more and more adult learners who are going back to school.
It is so impossibly sweet to see these grown-ups sincerely wanting to learn and feel competent, but feeling so stuck as they relive the learning trauma they experienced when they were young.
This client — who is extremely visual and kinesthetic — is drowning under the verbal barrage of instructions that hurtle out of his teacher’s mouth. Before he has time to integrate the first instruction, out comes the next one. Bam! Bam! Bam! Soon, he’s completely lost, frustrated, and down on himself for not being able to keep up.
I’m not sure what’s more helpful: my love, empathy and reassurance, or my toolbag of tips and tricks for studying. Luckily, I have enough of both to go around.
For example, this client needed reassurance that he’s not crazy, that he has a legitimate learning style that just happens to be anathema to his teacher’s instruction style. I recommended trying out the Smart Pen, so that he can can record the teacher’s instructions while he’s taking notes. We then worked out a study process for how to process the recorded instructions when he gets home. Finally, we decided that he needs to seek out his teacher during office hours, show his teacher his notes, and ask what’s missing.
I’m looking forward to next week’s update about whether these tips helped this grown-up find more ease in the classroom!