Power and the Promise of Personalized Learning

Hope came for me when I found a school that let me work at my own pace. That tiny bit of autonomy saved my life. I was a Navy brat- grew up all over the country. Saw teachers from coast to coast. These systems failed me like they are failing thousands of students today. But I found hope- it is not as difficult as it may seem. It was a systems change that helped this salt water fish get out of the fresh water tanks...

Are you looking for the silver bullet to close the achievement gap? How about I give you a whole arsenal? Build a system of personalization and you can cure our educational organisms of this confounded disease. It takes effort and expertise to build such a system- but there is a network of educators out there that would be happy to help with the process.

To me personalization is about creating a system of learning that is dynamic and adaptable to the learners we care for. Key word- care. To care- have a heart... and that foundation followed by the skills in creating the dynamic system... builds a plan of care that gives every student a healthy academic environment. It all starts with understanding every individual that crosses our threshold. Every unique soul we have the privilege of serving.

This system needs to create pathways- well designed- that produce growth- in every child. 

How? 

If you get a chance- visit Anastasis Academy. Kelly Tenkely there built a school on the Learning Genome platform. She dreamed of creating learning experienced that seem to know who the learner is, preferences and all. The ergonomics of these classrooms feel better- to the kids. Personalization lives there.

Sometimes personalization is leveraging tech to bring in a variety of experts... sometimes it is creating choice menus and options... always it involves giving power to the learner. Power of knowing data/ their current reality. Power in goal setting. Power of time usage. And even power in creating the paths of learning.

There is the rub. Power.

Who would have thought that power is such a prominent part of elementary schools? Yet- it might be the invisible root cause for things like the achievement gap- like gifted students dropping out- like untapped potential in this next generation.

Power in the hands of our students gives them the ability to overcome now and in the future. Where better to learn how to make choices than in the care of a compassionate and intelligent teacher? This power in student's hands can close the insidious achievement gap. It can inspire the bored gifted child. It can turn the "bad" kid into your most hard working student. I believe in this- and have seen students thrive in such dynamic learning environments. Students like me- in third grade- when I was given power to set goals and follow my own path.

So tell me why has our profession taken so long to adopt this promising practice? 

Maybe because power may be one of the most difficult things we adults must learn to share...

But when we do we get a reward...

Joy.

And maybe the surgeon that works on your kidney someday had their start in your personalized learning environment!