Individual Learner

The Individual Learner

What is the individual learner? Why does it matter in an educational sense that people can be categorised on such a singular basis? These are extra questions which I believe are relevant to what has been asked in the title.   When I began looking for the meaning of ‘the individual learner’ I came across this quote below from John Dewey:

"In sum, I believe that the individual who is to be educated is a social individual and that society is an organic union of individuals. If we eliminate the social factor from the child we are left only with an abstraction; if we eliminate the individual factor from society, we are left only with an inert and lifeless mass. Education, therefore, must begin with a psychological insight into the child's capacities, interests, and habits."

John Dewey, from ‘My Pedagogic Creed’, School Journal vol. 54, (January 1897), pp. 77-80

The quote here gives a relatively in depth summary of what the individual learner is and how it links in with educational importance.   He simply puts to the reader that the individual is just that, a single being with contrasting requirements, both socially and educationally.   From an educational perspective his beliefs lie in the fact that to teach a child successfully the teacher must have an insight into what makes them tick as a learner and any issues that may affect the way in which they behave and learn.

The subject in my case is a pupil in year 10, for the purposes of confidentiality he shall be called Tom for the duration of the study.   I began the study by finding out as much about Tom’s home life as possible so that I would have a greater understanding of any issues that might face him on a daily basis away from school life.   To do this I was able to see two people, the deputy Head mistress and the Child liaison officer.   They provided me with information that they had deemed suffice to share with a member of staff.   Through this i learned that Tom had recently lost... [continues]

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