A learner's perspective

The first part of my Modern Learning Practice PLD is looking at learners. This is the first of 4 sections relating to Rethinking  Learners.

What expectations do our students have? And how do can we meet them?

http://www.leavingtolearn.org/

Some of these questions resonated with me.

Do I have real choice about what, where and how I learn?

This is interesting as I think it is easy to say ‘yes’…but the choice being offered isn’t real. Lots of our classes have versions of ‘Must Do/Can Do’ independent tasks…but they are still a teacher directed affair. Getting some input/voice from the learners would be a good first step in changing that.

Do I have opportunities to apply what I am learning in real-world settings and contexts?

We are at a bit of a crossroads at our school with Inquiry Learning…where the learning had become more 'research', with little real learning or action happening as a result. I can see ‘real’ inquiry as being a great vehicle for providing real-life issues and problems to solve…and the chance to apply all the great stuff learnt in and out of school.

I started to consider what my students would say, and how I could improve/change what happens to better meet the aims of the questions...built myself a little table. Could be a great self-review exercise for our teaching teams. What parts of their programmes need a tweak? What are we doing well?

We were directed to have a look at the Learner Charter from Future Lab

http://archive.futurelab.org.uk/resources/documents/opening_education/Learners_Charter.pdf

I think unpacking what this could look like at Primary level would be great. If we viewed it as what the education system as a whole should be fostering, then what is our role in the early part of schooling? 

It is interesting reading…and my first response was to consider myself as a learner, but not as a child-learner. What a growth mindset environment a school would be IF these criteria applied to us as ‘learners’. Personalising the learning, the systems for teachers at school is something I have started to look more at…and this fits so well.  

A part of the charter reads...

As a Learner I expect:

To have access to people who are able to develop and extend my understanding in my chosen areas

This sounds like a great Teaching as Inquiry PLD programme to me…where the school, or school leaders, are available to help facilitate teachers to find the people or resources that they need to develop their skill/practice in a chosen area. 

Core Ed leaves us with a challenge to interview and engage with children, preparing and asking them a series of questions such as...

What are the things that most excite you about your learning?

How do you learn best? How is this catered for in your time at school?

What things make you really engaged with what you do? Examples?

Where do you complete most of your assignment work? What works best for you?

How important is it to you that you have choice over what you study?

1. select a group of students who you think may represent the 'typical' view of learners in your context and invite them to have a conversation with you

2. record their thoughts and share them in summary form

3. reflect on anything that emerged for you through this process that (a) may have come as a surprise and/or (b) suggests something that you may be able to immediately change to meet expectations?

A job for Monday!