What Is a Shut-Down Learner?
| SHUT-DOWN LEARNER SIGNS The following typically start to emerge in the upper elementary grades, becoming much more pronounced by high school: • A sense that the child is increasingly disconnected, discouraged, and unmotivated (shut down) |
Shut-down learners come in a variety of different shapes and sizes.
They all share an underlying frustration with school. This frustration has led to embarrassment and shame along the way. Often this is acutely felt; sometimes it is experienced as a low-level underlying emotion. Even if it seems like he is coping, the typical shut-down learner becomes increasingly insecure as he proceeds through the grades.
There are common themes with most shut-down learners, even if personality variables result in different styles. I know many very successful adults who are former shut-down learners. They come from a variety of different fields and professions. These professionals include high-level executives, CEO s of companies, engineers, photographers, graphic designers, exhibit designers and producers, surgeons, landscapers, musicians, and trades people. The most significant variable they share is their talent in the visual-spatial dimension of ability (explained in depth later), coupled with their dislike and discomfort with reading, spelling, and writing.
Labels do not well describe shut-down learners. Some are called dyslexic, others learning disabled and attention deficit hyperactivity disordered. The label overly focuses on the deficit, on what he or she cannot do (such as read well, pay attention, learn effectively). The shut-down learners that I have known are incredibly talented and misunderstood. Sadly, many of them are casualties of school. Their self-esteem is so beaten down and their sense of shame and defectiveness runs so deep that they cannot overcome these emotions.
However, there are those who make it to the other side and are enjoying very productive, satisfying lives.
This book explores the variables that enabled them to get to this successful other side, putting the shame and embarrassment experienced in school behind them.