Barriers to Learning

At Kip McGrath, Oldham North, we know all about barriers to learning.

We’re not really talking about diagnosable things here, such as dyslexia, ADHD or autism, but we’re talking about barriers to learning that can affect all of us in different ways.

Things like boredom, things like a lack of interest, things like not really being in the mood...

Who can relate to those three things?

We’re betting that most people out there, children and adults alike, suffer from boredom, a lack of interest, low mood or even a combination of all three at some time in their daily lives.

And what does this present us with?

A barrier to learning.

When we’re not engaged, enthusiastic and energised, we find it difficult to learn.

So, should we accept that these issues come up every once in a while, and that there’s little we can do about them?

Or...

...should we invest time and energy into understanding our students, and getting to know what drives them to want to participate, to make progress and to succeed?

The second one...

That’s exactly what we’re all about at Kip McGrath Oldham North, forming relationships with our students in order to show them that we really do care about them as individuals.

It’s about acknowledging the barriers to learning they may face, and then working out a way to navigate through them.

If they need a mascot, let’s work out who their favourite character is.

If they need a run around in between answering questions, let’s get out in the car park and do some star jumps.

If they need a little sweet treat every now and then, so do we!

Relationships are at the heart of everything we do here. They’re what we form when completing our initial assessments, nurture as we embark on a learning journey, and then achieve success through, as we push on from one challenge to the next.

We find that the prize cabinet is always a pretty good way of overcoming barriers to learning too.

Who doesn’t like a little reward for their hard work?

‘One size fits all’ approaches rarely work with learners, we know that.

We tailor our techniques to the individual...

...and once armed with the tools, tricks and tips of the team at Kip McGrath Oldham North, we can overcome any barrier to learning, no matter what it is.