Newsletter

I recently took a road trip to Austin with my daughter. Somewhere along the way, we became wrapped up in conversation. Wanting to hear her better, I turned down the GPS. Several miles later, I realized I had missed my exit. By the time I noticed, my phone had rerouted us onto a completely different highway. We eventually made it to our destination and had a good laugh about it. 

On the drive home, my daughter decided to be the DJ and plugged her phone into the car. This time, I could hear the GPS directions from my phone, but I could no longer see the map on my screen. And, you guessed it. I missed another exit.  

In both situations, I had only part of the information. In one case, I could see the directions but not hear them clearly. In the other, I could hear them but not see them. My brain needed both visual and auditory input to fully process the information. The right information was there, but there was a disconnect in the communication. 

Similarly, our students sometimes struggle when we don’t communicate in ways that accommodate their needs. 

Some learners need to hear information explained aloud. Others need visuals, written directions, demonstrations, discussion, movement, or hands-on practice. Strong educators recognize that learning is not “one size fits all,” and they communicate information in multiple ways to help every student connect to the lesson. 

A few small shifts in communicating information in our lessons can make a powerful difference for the adult learners in our programs. A few tips for consideration include: 

• Enhancing spoken instructions with visuals, models, or written examples,  
• Providing multiple ways for students to demonstrate their understanding, and 
• Planning interactive lessons that build in time for discussion, questions, and reflection instead of lectures. 

Effective teaching is not simply delivering information. It involves creating opportunities for understanding. Sometimes the missing piece is simply the need for better communication. As educators, we must meet that responsibility with intention.

And occasionally, much like a distracted driver headed to Austin, we all just need both the map and the voice guiding us forward.