Tag: Carol Varsalona

In a Slice of Life post by Carol Varsalona this week, I was inspired to ask again my essential question about education:

How can I empower students to own their own learning?

Carol called questions like this burning questions. This is a burning question in my professional life. I’ve been saying it and trying it since 2011, when I first learned about Alan November’s book called, Who Owns the Learning? I struggle in my current situation because teaching and learning are much more traditional and academic than what I’ve been used to. I sometimes feel I am going uphill in a rowboat.

I don’t ever want to give up, but sometimes I struggle passing the learning torch on to my students.

I am trying to help students own learning, but to tell the truth I’m a little discouraged now. Here, perhaps as a reminder to myself, are some things I’m attempting:

1. Self-assessment checklists of learning
2. Tests can be retaken after students master the material
3. Student learning presentations to parents by students instead of parent teacher conferences
4. Students have a safe place to own their strengths and weaknesses, where they don’t have to pretend to be something they aren’t
5. Authentic audiences for student work–pen pals, a global audience through global projects, Twitter, and our class and individual blogs
6. Less emphasis on grades
7. Figuring out problems instead of easy answers
8. Student classroom jobs
9. Students believe: “All are students, all are learners”

I would appreciate any advice. What am I missing that I need to try or renew?

Here are a couple of images that inspired me today:

Never stop asking questions.

A post shared by Edutopia (@edutopia) on Mar 28, 2017 at 7:45am PDT