Teaching styles reflect the beliefs and values that teachers hold about the learners' role in learning; learning styles provide insight into the ways learners perceive, interact with and respond to the environment in which learning occurs. Many teachers teach in the way they were taught which usually can be characterized as field independent (content oriented, formal teaching methods, less student involvement, structured class activities); a style that can work well with students who are field dependent (prefer structure and guidance from the teacher). When students' learning preferences match their instructor's teaching styles, student motivation and achievement usually improve, but some students may do better with a learning/teaching style mismatch. Learners need to become better all-around learners by adapting their learning style to non-preferred teaching styles. Teachers can become more flexible by being willing to change their view of the role of students. The following five perspectives on teaching can help teachers to identify, articulate, and justify their teaching approaches: (1) transmission (focus on content, teacher directed); (2) developmental (values students' prior knowledge, directs students to develop more complex understandings); (3) apprenticeship (authentic tasks in real world settings); (4) nurturing (focus on interpersonal elements and students' emotional and intellectual needs); and (5) social reform (relate ideas explicitly to the lives of the students). (CG)