Who owns the learning? – Dare to Care

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:

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