One Classroom, Many Minds: Differentiating for Every Learning Style
Zoe Montgomery
BIO: I am in my fourth out of fifth semester at Whitworth, studying elementary education. Becoming an elementary school teacher is a dream I highly anticipate, as it has been my desire since the age of four. I have lived in the Spokane area for about 10 years. Though, before I moved around almost every summer as a military child. During my time at Whitworth, I went on the first year’s honors trip to Italy in 2025. It was an amazing experience that inspired me to take another study abroad trip. Along with fellow education majors, I will travel to Spain next Jan term to teach for three weeks. I look forward to expanding my teaching experience beyond the practicum experiences I have had in Spokane. Outside of school, I have coached high school girls basketball and pursued my passion as a rodeo queen. In 2025 I held the title of the Pend Oreille County Fair and Rodeo Queen. This year I am serving the Spokane area as Miss Spokane Interstate Rodeo. I look forward to graduating next May and then finding a place at an elementary school nearby. It is my dream to teach 3rd grade. Eventually, I will pursue my master’s degree. I plan to take a few years in the field of education to decide what I want my degree to be in. Though my time at Whitworth is not quite over, I have learned a lot, met many great people, and have had amazing experiences.
MAJOR: Elementary Education
Endorsement: Reading
Project Overview: I have always had a passion for understanding learning styles and differentiating instruction based on those styles. Throughout my own education, I have been aware that I am a visual learner, which has helped me choose learning and study habits best suited for me. As a future elementary school teacher, I wanted to explore how teachers can better teach to various learning styles in their classrooms. I believe that we can increase the success of our students when we plan our classrooms and lessons with their learning styles in mind. Building differentiation for learning styles into lesson plans can allow students to engage in the content in the way that best suits them. When I came up with the idea for this project, I wanted to learn more about the improvements teachers can make and why they should make them. One conclusion that I have come upon is that this can be a time-consuming process, though a worthwhile one. When lessons are planned around learning styles, students are more engaged because the content feels more accessible to them. Students also become more able to grasp complex concepts because the information is presented in multiple ways. Among the many other benefits, learning style modifications are a great way to support diverse learners. My project aims to inform my future teaching and educate others on the importance of planning a classroom with learning styles in mind.
