Students sit in perfect rows, raise their hand when asked to, stand, sit, write, answer when they are told. This is called classroom discipline…and let me tell you it’s a thing of the past. Every TV show that your students watch tells them to be different, to be unique, and to flatter their talents not shut them down…but that’s not what teachers are telling us. Teachers tell us to write about a certain subject. They tell us to stand in perfectly straight lines, and communicate only when allowed. While some discipline and order is required for a functional classroom…when do we draw the line?
Personalized learning is the approach that I decided to research and use in my classroom. I plan to teacher older students from ninth grade to college level, and having been in these classrooms know what it feels like to seem controlled or as if you are not an adult but rather a first grader. Not only is this a painful experience, but at this age, you should be allowed to express your ideas and feelings. Instead of being told when to write about…you should have the option to write in the realm of your teacher’s ideas. Let’s say you’re lesson is based on authors before the 1800’s. Instead of assigning an author to each student let them decide who interests them. Give your students the freedom to explore that author any way that they would like to and divide up their study in their own way.
Another way to apply personalized learning in your classroom is to allow students to learn in their own way. Let’s say that six of your students learn best when you lecture and speak to them, fourteen of your students learn best when hands on, and five of them learn best when watching videos, and seeing examples, how do you apply all three in your classroom? Split them up! Move desks together and allow students to teach each other while you observe. For the kinetic learners, have them make a poster, use models, or draw pictures, for the aural learners, give them laptops where they can watch videos, and listen to lectures online, and for the visual learners, show videos, and write out notes that will help them learn. This way no student feels left out, but they can all contribute and learn in their own group. While you must take the role as a teacher in your classroom, it is always a good idea to let students roam on their own when you have established the idea of the lesson.
https://twitter.com/EdPersonalized
https://apt11d.com/author/laura11d/
When using a personalized learning classroom you will find that there might be a lot of noise, but have no fear…this means collaboration! You might not have full control…but do not worry, this means creativity and leadership. You may not be the ultimate source of learning, but do not fret…this means that you are evolving your classroom. This approach means that your desks will not be in perfect lines… your students will not be raising their hands, and sitting in straight lines…but this is good. This is the new idea, the new classroom. Students need change and you can be that change!
https://www.edutopia.org/stw-differentiated-instruction-ten-key-lessons
Hi Kelly, I think this is a really cool learning method, and it is very similar to the one I chose (inquiry-based learning). I think students would really benefit from learning in their own individual ways, and I think giving students that freedom will increase their enjoyment and productivity. Since students may learn differently, will they have different assignments, tests, projects, etc. as well? How do you make that fair?
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Timmi,
Thank you for reading and replying! I agree that those two methods are very similar. Students can learn together and teach each other. Collaboration and creativity are what make the classroom spin round.
Thanks Again!
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Kelly,
It seems like personalized learning is just what it sounds like: personalized. I really love the way you have broken it down and given new ways to think about your assignments and organize your classroom time. Personalized learning is definitely ideal for learners of all ages. Every single student we will encounter will be unique and will learn in their own unique ways. While I would love to teach to every individual student in a completely personalized way, I think that this leaves us with some challenges as well…How do you go about personalizing your students’ learning experiences when time and resources are limited? How do you think you would assess your students when each of them are doing different things? Just a couple things to think about!
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Ashlyn,
Personalized learning is a great way to get the students involved in their education. Many kids struggle with learning because they have never been given the tool that they as individuals need to succeed. With personalized learning, they receive those tools and the help from their peers.
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I really liked how you wrote this, I also did personalized learning and thought that it is a great way to get students to enjoy learning. It is hard to teach all the students the same way and expect them to understand it. Since they all do not learn the same, it is kind of foolish for us to think that we can all teach them the same. Anyways, great post!
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I agree…students need to learn in their own way or we will fail as educators.
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Kelly,
I have really never heard of personalized learning until I read about it your blog. You made some very good points on how to help all of the students out in your class. I think splitting them up like that would be very beneficial to all students and would make it easier for all of them to learn.
Great Post
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Thanks for reading! I enjoyed learning about PL as well!
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