REFLECTIONS ON CHAPTER 25
 
This was an interesting article. It certainly challenged
me to think about providing an array of uncomfortable
environments for students even though, as they get
older, they seem to protest more loudly, about most
everything that intrudes into their social lives! This
chapter's main thrust is to present options that will
assist both teachers and students to challenge their
models of teaching and their styles of learning by
mixing them up. 
 
They stress the relationship between the development of
the learner and the environment as discussed in Hunt.
The relationship, if too comfortable may arrest the
level of learning done by the student; while
deliberately mismatching the environment and the
learning style will most likely create an environment of
discomfort for the student and challenge him or her to
acquire the skills necessary to meet and beat the
challenge. The result of this modus operandi is that
both the student and the teacher develop more teaching
models and the skills needed to relate to a more diverse
learning environments.
 
The authors go on to focus specifically on the marginal
learner. They summize that the marginal learner is
capable of learning but may only need to have more time
to become a successful learner. They go on to state that
there are no special models for these learners but the
most valuable thing we as teachers can do is assist
these students by presenting them with a variety of
environments they can learn to relate to and succeed
with.
 
I think this would be difficult to do especially with a
large class of students with many different learning
styles. The frustration level could be very high at
times when a large group of students' comfort level is
challenged. I think that it would be extremely important
to plan these activities thoroughly and prepare for
confusion,m oments of outbursts and continue on despite
of it all!