Nothings succeeds like a budgerigar

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

The philosphical tension between how much self-directed rope to give senior students is quite a real one.

On one hand - the desire for students to succeed (the down side of that is the lack of desire for students to fail, and thereby learn about themselves); and on the other - the desire for them to be (or become) self-directed learners.

How much do we intervene when they are poised to fail? Riddle me that. How much?

I checked my previous posts on self-directed learning on this blog and I think there's a real danger, from time to time, of forgetting the central precepts of SDL.

I wrote this two years ago: 

What conditions need to exist to improve S-DL?

Great question. Here's my response!

• Environment (personalised places/conditions to do it)
• Learning goals (set by the student and owned!)
• Choice (what to study and when to study)
• Self-reflection (How am I doing? What needs to change?)
• Support: Learning coaches (help is on the way)

BTW: Those last two are linked. Self-reflection is tough for kids and that's why a coach is a crucial ingredient.

When one or more of those elements are missing there's an imbalance in the force.

There's also potential imbalance when the desire for results becomes a primary driving force and coaching becomes something else.

It's a dilly of a pickle.

I will wait, I will wait for you (Mumford and Sons)

Photo by Evangeline Shaw on Unsplash

Currently, there is some lively debate happening within my school around the 'lesson' (teacher led activities) versus 'study' (student directed activities). 

Mainly we are thinking about the balance that is needed for each. What we have agreed, as a school, is that it needs to be flexible,  and it shouldn't be 100% anything.  

However, it wouldn't be teaching if everyone had the same opinion. Each teacher appears to have taken a different approach. And everyone tends to think that their approach is the right one. Interesting.

During my reflecting on all this, I remembered this useful info-graphic.

I like this and it's worth keeping in mind for a few reasons:

• The student is at the centre, with specific and individualised goals, needs and preferences
• Self paced implies a lot of student directed activities (study) rather than a lot of teacher led activities, I think
• The one on one teacher tutorials are an important part of the process
• Feedback is a key ingredient (John Hattie agrees)

Since you've been gone (Rainbow)

If Self-Directed Learning is the answer, what was the problem?

This was the big poser from Teacher Academy's induction course last week.

The bottom row of beautifully hand crafted red boxes (above) was our group's response.

It says the problem was:

• Teacher led lessons and approaches were the norm  
• Students needed to have more focused targets and goals
• Students were leaving school and entering the business world with a limited range of life learning soft skills 
• The detrimental effects of an industrial teaching and learning model 

Because of those four things - something had to change and Self-Directed Learning (SDL) was the vehicle needed to make that change.

The yellow boxes sitting on top of the problem indicate what SDL brings to the party. 

The little Lego figure is our OneSchool Global student with her/his eureka moment.

Ta Dar!!

If only you believe like I believe, baby, (If only you believe like I believe) we'd get by (Jefferson Starship)

Primary school teachers are very different to secondary ones.

Shock!

Hardly a revelation I know, but I've been at Teacher Academy for a few days recently for induction and really enjoyed the mix of approaches when it comes to workshop/learning activities.

There were around 50 new inductees at that event - it's a big organisation!

We had to answer a big question: If Self-Directed Learning is the answer - what was the problem?

My group was made up of 5 - two secondary blokes and three female primary teachers; all different ages (I was mos def the oldest).

It was fun and the mix of approaches worked with leadership, creativity, problem-solving, laughter, mucking in and presentation attributes and skills all on display.

Thanks to that mix!

Baby, you've been on my mind (Linda Ronstadt)

Photo by Jamie Street on Unsplash

Meta cognition, a.k.a. learning to learn, has been on my mind this week. 

Incidentally, it's our school motto and features on our gate. So I see it every morning as I arrive at school. That constant reinforcement is pretty cool.

Why is it our motto? Well, because when students are aware of their thoughts and actions it makes them move in a positive and focused direction.

My students have set their own learning goals which they own. I check their commitment to them and they ditch them if they are not totally committed.

From then on it's a pathway to success through hard work and persistent effort coupled with thinking about what they are doing. That in turn feeds the belief that they can succeed.

The real trick I am keen to see develop more is students maintaining their focus in the learning centre when other students go off task. Because of the learning centre lay out with its variety of study locations, it does happen more and more that meta cognitive students realise they have no control of that other student but they can maintain their own focus.

I had an interesting conversation with a student yesterday who was wanting to know how he could gain enrichment (a great scheme by which self-directed learners can work from home one day a week). I explained that he needed to do just as I've outlined above - divorce himself from a tight group of other boys who distract him and focus on his own learning.

He listened carefully and nodded his understanding. Now I need to see him do it. If he does, and I think he will, he will have grown as a self-directed learner and be able to pursue a more positive path.

Please please and thank yourself (The Exponents)

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

Continuing the focus on Self-Directed Learning, this post takes a gander at a recommended cycle (cycle - geddit?) of SDL:

• Assess the demands of the task
• Evaluate own knowledge and skills
• Plan an approach
• Apply strategies
• Monitor progress
• Reflect and Adjust strategies

For my money, individual lessons coulda woulda shoulda replicate this cycle to embed these aspects.

For instance - after the welcomes, learning objective and snappy opening, a junior school lesson could segue naturally from prior knowledge to task plan to plenary reflections and next steps.

SDL cycle. Right? 

Just imagine if that was done over and over and over again. 

Let's get excited, we just can't hide it (The Pointer Sisters)

Photo by Andre Hunter on Unsplash

Volunteering to lead innovative initiatives is a good thing to do. A virtuous thing. 

Throughout my career, from time to time, I have found myself as a committed champion for innovations that excite me, and so, I wasn't surprised when I found myself doing it again last week.

As the blogosphere is well aware, I am a true believer in Self-Directed Learning (SDL), and so I volunteered to co-ordinate a group of dedicated doers looking into the current state of SDL in our Westmount campuses and wondering where we can go from here to improve things.

What was that? Oh, you're welcome!

What did I do and what should I do next?

My first move was to send a link to this very blog to my devotees...admirers? Would you believe fanatical supporters? 

Coincidentally a recent post tackled the 'how do I improve SDL' conundrum. My aim is to use it with those dedicated doers as a pulse-taking activity.

And so to the 'what next?' bit.

Well that centres on my dedicated doers. 

I'm Mr Excited by the idea of strengthening SDL and at this stage I need my dedicated doers to share that feeling. 

Does that idea really generate enthusiasm in them?

I'll get a greater sense of that over the next week or so. I have yet to receive any responses from my initial email but I'm also a firm believer in relentless positivity. 

Maybe I need to frame it differently; I'm hoping no one starts talking about how busy they are, I would hate it to die the death of a thousand cuts.

Five perfect storm requirements needed for Self-Directed Learning to go gang busters!

Photo by Dan Gold on Unsplash

Self-Directed Learning is what we are about at Westmount School. Old news. But what conditions need to exist to improve S-DL?

Great question. Here's my response!

• Environment (personalised places/conditions to do it)
• Learning goals (set by the student and owned!)
• Choice (what to study and when to study)
• Self-reflection (How am I doing? What needs to change?)
• Support: Learning coaches (help is on the way)

BTW: Those last two are linked. Self-reflection is tough for kids and that's why a coach is a crucial ingredient.

My take on this (and it is mine - go ahead and Google 'What conditions need to exist to improve Self-Directed Learning' and see how you get on!) is that, as educators, we can work wonders when these five conditions intersect.

If even one of the five elements is missing - you end up with something that is less than successful. Think about each one. Are any expendable? Disposable? Didn't think so.

Recipe for success? You bet!

Stir well. Allow to simmer. Watch the results unfold over a lifetime!

It's that same old dizzy hang-up, I can't do with you or without, tell me why is it so (Isaac Hayes)

Photo by John Reign Abarintos on Unsplash

We talk a lot about Self-Directed Learning at our school.

To get to there, our students need a certain degree of self-awareness. Staff debate at the moment is centering on the readiness of many of our students to be Self-Directed Learners, as they appear to lack this requisite self-awareness.

Awareness of our selfness. That's a big ask for anyone.

According to Hsing Yun (366 days of wisdom), it incorporates estimating our value in accordance to our:

• morals
• knowledge
• working skills
• interpersonal skills
• achievements
• family and educational background

That's some list.

As he says, if we don't know ourselves, we will end up without any value.

From that starting point comes self-discovery, then comes self-confidence, then comes self-empowerment, and finally self-independence.

And THAT'S where my direct job ends, and where my influence takes over.

That's MY goal. Always has been.

The rain water poured up under my motor hood, I knew that were doin' my motor good (Chuck Berry)

Photo by Samuel Clara on Unsplash

Self-Directed Learning. At Westmount School we 💖 S-D L!!

Why do we 💕S-D L?

• It taps into student motivation
• It taps into intrinsic motivation
• Students feel a greater sense of purpose
• Students' learning is deeper and richer  
• Students appreciate the value of learning 
• Students appreciate the value of school

But don't take my word for it. Listen to a student like Nick Bain!