A Teacher's Firsts and Lessons Learned....An Attempt at Personalized Learning

This year I have had the opportunity to seek out PD on the topic of personalized learning.  After returning from the iNACOL conference in Orlando, FL I gained the confidence in moving forward with my learning, and putting it into practice.  I had no idea what I was getting myself into.  To me, personalized learning is another term for student centered learning.  A focus is placed on student voice and choice, as well as pace and place.  Those four terms are the ones that I constantly reflect on when trying things out in the classroom.  I felt that my classroom was always student centered, but it wasn't to the degree in which my students were the ones driving the bus.

I decided to pilot this with my regular Chemistry class composed of primarily sophomores, with a few juniors, and seniors.  I even changed the sub notes, while I was gone at the conference to reflect my learning.  I wasn't sure how this was going to work, I wasn't sure about the management piece of it, as well as the student buy in.  After a week in, boy have I been SURPRISED!

What does it look like?

Students are currently working through their learning targets and formative work at their own pace. Students are also given the opportunity of an alternative assessment "application project" based on their interests that lie in nuclear chemistry and energy.  Students have a choice of what they want to research around the topic of nuclear chemistry, they have asked their own questions, and are given the opportunity to present their findings in a manner that is comfortable to them.  More details will follow on this project in the future.  It is still in the beginning stages.

What does one see?

Students are ENGAGED!!!  Each lesson begins with either a warm up question, or discussion based on some of the misunderstandings that have come up while working on formative work the day before.  Students are then given the outline of tasks for the day, and goals to where they should be leading up to the next day of class.  All worksheets are picked up by the students in the front of the room.  There is no time wasted in passing out papers.  Students still have an ultimate goal of the pacing, because currently they will take the benchmark on the same day.

BIG TAKEAWAYS-

1.  The students that were the least engaged and previously the lowest achievers are the ones driving the bus and leading the rest of the class!!!  I couldn't believe when the student that was least engaged and papers disorganized, is the one that is ahead of the class in terms of tasks.  I had a conversation with that student and he said that he's more engaged now, because he's not "bored".  He would find opportunities to act out while I was up in front of the room teaching, but now that his learning is in his own hands, he's taking it and running with it.  His phone is a tool, and no longer a device for entertainment in class.

2.  Behavior issues are MINIMAL and almost non-existent.  Students that would normally have their phones out during class, and the ones that would act out behaviorally are caught up in the task of their work and behavior is much less of an issue than it was previously!

3.  STUDENTS ARE ENGAGED!!!!  My previous method of teaching was a little lecture and more class activities, but sometimes no matter what I did, I lost some students in the transition between activities, or in one or the other because they would check out.  In maintaining this self-paced atmosphere, students are always aware of what their expectations are and the learning is placed in their own hands.  I was nervous that this would be a problem with students in terms of motivation, but we are a week in and going strong.  The students that were the least engaged before (the ones with their heads down) are some of the most engaged now!!

4.  Student focus is on MASTERY and less about the grade.  Students have been working through POGIL exercises and worksheets and they are more interested in getting the answer, rather than the grade.  

5.  I am no longer the holder of all knowledge!  Students are stepping up (ones that wouldn't normally) and are teaching and assisting their peers!!!  One particular student (probably middle of the pack) offered her to help another student at all times, which frees me up to assist the rest of the class, and is a beautiful situation for that student!  It is a wonderful thing watching students assist their peers!

6.  I know where each and every student is everyday in terms of their learning.  This model allows me more time to make my way around the room to assist students.  I know at the end of the hour where each and every one of my students is.  I spend more time giving formative feedback in class and much less of it outside of class, wasting endless hours on things that don't have nearly the effect on learning as a conversation.  Feedback previously consisted of formative quizzes that would cost me hours of grading, and would not be given back in a timely matter.  Today, it is a few question quiz that students will take in class and I am able to provide instant feedback.

7.  Students are given choice in their learning.  Students are provided with a various array of options to acquire content "the vehicle" for driving their learning.  Some students are using their devices, others are using textbooks, along with the computers in the back of the room.  There is not a "one size fits all" method in my class anymore.  Rarely are students at the exact same spot, at the exact same time unless they're working together.

8.  My room is a lot nosier because of the conversations that are occurring.  I have been able to sit back and observe the atmosphere for learning for the past week before offering it up as a conversation of discussion.  Some of the celebrations of learning have been a bit loud, and as we move forward will have to have class discussions based on what I see and what other students see.  What do we want our classroom to look like?

9.  Students have responded very POSITIVELY to this situation.  I was very nervous that students would see self-paced learning in a negative light, that I would be accused of "not teaching". Students have given very positive feedback and they realize how much more available I am to assist them.  I'm anxious to ask the entire class for feedback at the end of the week.

10.  Homework and policies have gained a different light.  Why should I have students complete a worksheet both front and back, when they show me that they understand it after completion of three problems?  Does it really matter if all students complete it at the exact same time, on time, or is it perfectly acceptable for a student to finish it prior to the benchmark date?  We stress out about some of these things as educators, but by requiring students to do "ALL OF IT" by the DUE DATE, we are forcing them to conform to a system and we're not meeting their needs individually.  This has challenged me to rethink my practices in the classroom.

I am very pleased about how things have been going in class.  I am a lot more relaxed and less stressed and the beauty of it is, MY STUDENTS ARE LEARNING!  But...I have noticed that I'm a bit more exhausted by the time I get home at night. :)

I am very excited to share this journey as we embark on our future endeavors.......