Are some children/people more suseptable to styles of teaching or personality clashes when being taught?

[KatyMac]

I'm not sure that explains it well

Most teachers say DD is a dream to teach, works hard, concentrates, not always producing excellent work - but always interested and enthusiastic

A few says she barely works, no effort, lacks concentration, 'could try harder' & she does abysmally in class - making slow progress

So is that the same for everyone or does she particularly struggle with some styles of teaching or individual teachers?

Teachers teaching the same subject have massively different experiences and outputs of work; so it doesn't seem to be subject based

Yes. A student who has a good relationship with a teacher will be more open to learning.

So what are the skills she needs to approach some teachers differently?

Because she needs to learn what they teach

Have you asked your DD what she thinks the reasons for the discrepancy might be? As I recall from your other posts, your DD is old enough to articulate how she responds to different teachers and teaching techniques.

I'm not even sure there is enough evidence for it to be a trend

I may wait until after GCSEs

Could it be as well who she's with? Could there perhaps be a group she wants to fit in with, or a boy to impress in the lessons she's not working?

As in any area of life there are always going to be people with whom we get on better, inspire us to do our best, and those who with whom the personality works the other way. It's not necessarily a better teachering method, just different.

Are you sure it's not just that she tries hard in the subjects she likes, but not in the others? Pretty common. I was probably a dream to teach in my favourite subjects, but was as lazy as sin in my least favourite ones.

Oh sorry - missed the last bit of your post. Ignore me!

She went on a series of workshops - 1 lesson was awful & pointless the other 5 were amazing & she learnt loads

I wasn't sure if that was usual or if she's a bit odd

Ds did tests at school recently. Apparently he has a very high spatial ability which means he is a visual learner.

Unsurprisingly he does far better in those subjects where that skill is important, eg science. He says he can look at a diagram and remember it by visualising it in his head. Unfortunately he does less well in English.

I suspect answer is yes, but don't ask me to explain how.

I think DD is Visual & Kinesthetic....not like me

It's an interesting subject pedagogy is fascinating (except when you don't understand why something happens)