The Power of Senses

There are five different ways people are able to learn and understand, based on the power of their senses. The most common is visual, followed by (in order) auditory, kinesthetic, gustatory, and olfactory. As a teacher, I need to be able to recognize the differences of each of these types of people in my students, but as humans in general I think it’s just as important.

Think about something as simple as trying to let someone know you love him or her. Saying those three words aloud is a great way to get it across if it is an auditory learner you are working with, but how would that work for the other four types? Barry and I were discussing this idea in my exit-interview-philosophy-talk as well, brainstorming ways to convey this one concept through the different types.

Visual: Show your love and affections through flowers or other gifts that are personal and show the thought and care put into them.
Auditory: Those three words. Simple enough, one would think.
Kinesthetic: These people need to be held, hugged, and kissed so they can understand the sentiments through physical touch.
Gustatory: This goes along with the statement that, “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” Barry was talking about how growing up, his mom always made fried chicken and he relates that with love. He told me that whenever someone makes fried chicken now, that connection is made and he feels similar sentiments.
Olfactory: Understanding the feelings through your sense of smell. You might recognize the scent of someone’s skin or perfume and relate that.

These are five completely different ways of conveying one sentiment. Think about how many ideas or concepts an individual tries to get across during a day, not to mention an hour, minute, or even second!

As an educator, my job is going to be similar to a gardener. I will till the soil until the seeds grow, but understand the intricate details to gardening. I won’t be able to plant all the seeds at once, because not all seeds take the same amount of time to grow and I can’t overcrowd the garden because then nothing will grow. After the seeds are planted, even if I can’t see progress, I will continue to care for and water the garden because eventually, the sprouts will start popping out of the ground. I will get dirty as I throw fertilizer out and do whatever I can to help my garden grow, but at the same time, I will understand that seasons are real and not everything grows at once. Understanding the differences will be the best assistance for me throughout the cultivation.

I start school tomorrow, and I think I am ready to take on this new adventure in my life. Every feeling you can imagine has consumed me, but in the end I need to just remember this is for the kids, not for me. I’m sure this school year is going to be successful and exciting, but for now I will be taking it just one day at a time.