Naeema Butt’s learning style can best be understood through her earliest influences and experiences with education. The influence of her parents specifically would have large implications not only in her personal learning preferences but also in the different education related activities that she still takes part in today. Naeema’s mother was a doctor. Education had played a large role in her life, and an emphasis on studying was instilled within Naeema from a young age. It was from these values that Naeema’s lifelong commitment to education and developing herself as a learner seemed to find its roots. It was the influence of her father, though, that seemed to be the biggest indicator of how her relationship to learning and her personal preferences would take shape. 

In Naeema’s words, “My father…was super emotional, poetic, mystic, and always gave me that liberation…I think I took it from my father’s side and I followed that instinct. I connected with that and I always used arts, sports, painting, poetry, [and] writing…for my growing and learning.” The influence of her father still impacts her personality today which she describes as, “more empathetic” with a focus on, “emotional connection [and] more connection to the consciousness”. These characteristics play directly into Naeema’s learning style and routine which she structures around meditation during key times throughout her day.  

In the mornings immediately upon waking up and at night right before going to bed are the two most important times for Naeema in terms of learning and personal development. According to her, these are the two unique times throughout the day where, “whatever you are going to put into your ear…will go [directly into] your subconscious mind”. That’s why she usually spends the first part of her mornings listening to a video or some form of audio related to meditation, self-healing, affirmation, or other things that aid in the process of helping one connect better with their consciousness. As she works throughout the rest of her day, Naeema enjoys listening to audiobooks and other recordings about work related subjects like AI and futuristic technologies in addition to meditation and other skills she’s interested in learning. Audio tools are a major part of Naeema’s learning process. She enjoys reading as well, but audio tools provide her with the freedom and flexibility to learn what she wants, when she wants, and exactly how she wants to do it. In the evenings before she goes to sleep, Naeema will mimic her morning routine by putting on videos or audio about sleep hypnosis, lucid dreaming, or meditation. In her current routine, Naeema includes time to watch documentaries or other educational videos about topics she’s interested in. Currently, she’s watching a Netflix series about AI which is representative of the type of content that she usually likes to watch. Right before bed, she’ll typically finish her day by listening to spiritual healing affirmations. According to Naeema, Binaural Beats are great for helping reprogram your subconscious using silent subliminal affirmations. The tracks themselves sound like nothing more than relaxing background music or nature sounds, but they’re effects on the subconscious are significant.

Naeema’s influences and learning preferences can be seen within her approach to teaching and training as well. In addition to being a sales expert, Naeema is a professional trainer. She has conducted numerous trainings related to different social issues. She likes to focus on experiential learning which is “the process of learning through experience, and is more narrowly defined as learning through reflection on doing”. As an actor and filmmaker, she uses Theater of the Oppressed techniques to create an environment where people can learn by experiencing different situations live. Theatre of the Oppressed is a theatrical form that “provides embodied learning experiences that engage the senses, emotions, and imaginations as well as the intellect”. Her natural inclination towards the arts and the arts based practices she uses in training are a testament to the passion and appreciation for this field that Naeema’s father helped her develop from a young age. 

Naeema’s learning profile is a great example of how different people and influences in our lives can have a massive impact on who we are as learners. Her background and experiences have allowed her to form a unique approach to education that connects spirituality and the arts to her learning process. Just as Naeema’s background and approach are unique, so to are all of yours who are reading this! #HowILearn is all about acknowledging and embracing the unique characteristics and experiences that define who we are as learners.That’s why we want to hear from you! We’re curious about the different experiences, tactics, and people who have helped you become the learner that you are today. Feel free to share your thoughts on the subject of learning, your reactions to Naeema’s learning profile, and/or a little bit about your own learning style/preferences/experiences in the comments or in a #HowILearn post of your own! Let us know what you think and tag @AhuraAI so that we can get to know you a little bit better.

Author: Alex Murray, Operations and Client Success Intern, UC Berkeley ‘23