Personalized Learning for Students

Read the articles below to gain a greater understanding of how you might focus your coaching on supporting your teachers to incorporate personalized learning into their classrooms.

In this Teachboost blog, Nancy Meisenger, instructional coach at the Kaneland Community Unit School District 302 in Illinois, advocates her seven qualities of instructional coaches necessary to support the implementation of personalized learning.

https://blog.teachboost.com/coaching-strategies-to-support-personalized-learning

This guide from Edmentum provides step-by-step instructions to create personalized learning plans. Peruse the guide and discuss how you might use it to guide your teachers.

https://www.edmentum.com/sites/edmentum.com/files/resource/media/AC026-02%20ISTE%20Sunrise%20Handout%20-%20Interactive_0.pdf

In this report, Hanover Research presents findings related to the support of successful personalized learning program implementation. It discusses the changes in district policy, classroom structure, and teacher roles that are necessary for a successful transition to personalized instruction. The report also presents the best practices associated with establishing positive learning environments and increasing teacher responsiveness to leverage personalized instruction and address diverse learners’ needs.

https://www.hanoverresearch.com/media/Best-Practices-in-Personalized-Learning-Implementation.pdf

In addition to organic discussions about supporting your teachers to build personalized learning experiences for students, discuss:

• Reflect on individualized learning vs. personalized learning. What parts of this learning path are personalized? What parts are individualized?
• When considering how your teachers can create personalized learning experiences for their students, where is one place where you might suggest that teachers can take a step back and learners can take a step forward? (i.e., How can you empower learners to make authentic choices?)
• Read the Google Slides produced this morning by the network. Are any coaches working with teachers on personalized learning? Which coaches can you talk to about what they are doing with personalized learning?
• Think about the frameworks you are familiar with and we have discussed in our workshops or in PD in your school: UDL, SAMR, etc.--what can you draw from those frameworks that can guide your and your teachers' thinking about developing professional experiences? What are the challenges? What are the "low hanging fruit" steps you can take to move towards personalization?
• After exploring the resources provided, what else do you need to know about personalized learning? Do some research/exploration on your own or with your group.