Holistic Style Study Tips
Do you relate to the nutty professor? You might if you are a holistic learner. You're smart, but you may sometimes come across as flighty or scattered in your thinking.
Holistic learners like to take their time learning—making mental comparisons when they read new things. They like to compare new concepts to concepts they already know, using mental pictures, similes or analogies.
A holistic learner may benefit from the following.
- Pay attention to outlines. If your teacher offers an outline at the beginning of a new term, always copy it down.
- Make your own outline. This is a good way to remember important details you'd otherwise miss.
- Don’t skip introduction or summary. You will benefit from reading these before you read the actual book.
- Look for boundaries. Holistic learners may have trouble discerning where one concept or event ends and another begins. It might be helpful for you to establish concrete beginning and ending points.
- Ask for examples. Your brain likes to make comparisons, so the more examples, the better.
- Use images. Use pictures and charts if they are offered. When reading a long passage or explanation, make your own charts and pictures.
- Draw timelines. This is another way of creating boundaries. Your brain likes them.
- Look at sample assignments. Your brain likes to use examples as a frame of reference. Without them, it’s sometimes hard for you to know where to start.
- Make drawings of concepts. The more you can sketch out and characterize concepts, the better. Using political parties as an example, you could draw circles and label them. Then, fill in sub-circles of beliefs and established ideologies. The “Democratic Party” circle could contain traits like “supports social programs” and “civil rights.”
- Make summaries as you progress.
- Use a time-keeper tool. Holistic learners can get carried away thinking of possibilities and lose track of time.
- Avoid thinking of all the possibilities. Holistic learners like to make comparisons and find relationships. Don’t get distracted from the task at hand.
Analytic Style Study Tips
Do you become frustrated when people assert opinions as facts? People who are very analytic learners might. Analytic learners like facts and they like learning things in sequential steps.
They are also fortunate, because many of their preferred methods are used in traditional teaching. Teachers also enjoy giving tests that favor analytic learners, like true and false or multiple choice exams.
Since your learning style is compatible with traditional teaching styles and you enjoy order, your biggest problem is getting frustrated.
An analytic learner may benefit from the following:
- Ask for clear rules. You need clarity. Without rules, you might feel lost.
- Don’t get frustrated by opinions. Some students may offer opinions in class, especially the holistic learners who want to make comparisons! It is just their way of understanding, so don’t let it bother you.
- Don’t worry about not finishing a task. You may not want to move on to a new task if something (like a lack of supplies) interferes with your work. Try not to get hung up. Sometimes it’s okay to move on and re-visit a project later.
- Don’t worry if things don’t seem logical. We don’t make the rules sometimes. If you come across a rule that doesn’t make sense, don’t let it bother you to distraction.
- Group your information. Analytic learners are good at categorizing information. Go ahead and place your information into categories. It will help you recall the information when you need it.
- Sit in the front of the class, to avoid distractions. If you’re annoyed by rowdy or talkative students in the back of the class, try to sit where you won’t notice them.
- Don’t worry about big concepts right away—give yourself time. If you’re reading a book or chapter and you don’t seem to be “getting the message,” give it time. You may need to know all the details first, and then put them together.
- Take things step-by-step, but don’t get hung up. If you’re doing a math problem with an equation, don’t get hung up if you don’t understand a certain step. Take a leap of faith!
- Ask for specific goal. Analytic learners may feel the need to understand the specific goal before they can get into a project. Go ahead and ask for clear goals if you need them.
Now that you have a clear understanding of holistic and analytic learning styles, you may want to explore other tips and learning styles. Find out whether you best by seeing, hearing, or acting out the information. It will pay off!
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