Philosophy
"If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away." - Henry Thoreau
I've been working with students with disabilities for over ten years. I'm often impressed with their ability to work out new, creative ways to circumvent barriers. I continue to find joy when a student demonstrates to me yet another unique technique to overcome a limitation.
My biggest lesson from them is that there is no best method of teaching or learning. There are only different ones. Blind students see with their ears and Deaf students hear with their eyes. Dyslexic students write by using dictation and read by listening to audio books. But this is stereotyping by ability categories. A simplification.
The learning style favored is not only determined by ability but by a thousand other variables such as culture, upbringing, focus, subject matter, age, wisdom, and environment. How many of us haven't used closed captions in a noisy environment? Haven't we all listened to books when our eyes are otherwise occupied like when driving? Teaching methodology should be a reflection of the preferred learning style...in any given surrounding...and within the present moment.
Good teachers are those that are open to these moments.