Personalized learning: the right approach for each student

The key to personalization is assessing the academic, social, emotional and behavioral needs of each student, and using that information to deliver and adjust each child’s learning. At the beginning of the school year, the teacher, parent and student collaborate to complete the annual Personal Learning Plan (PLP). The PLP sets annual goals in Academics, Life and Career Goals, Learning Styles, and 21st Century Learning, and to collectively monitor progress that is not reflected on a traditional report card.

The most important part of the PLP is the inclusion of the student in its creation. Research has shown that students learn better and are more confident when they feel ownership of their education.

The Personal Learning Plan

The Personal Learning Plan has four sections that are developed by the student, teacher, and parents working together:

Academic Skills: Sets reading and mathematics goals for the year, and responsibilities for meeting these goals.

Life and Career Skills: Sets goals for study skills, such as time management or organization, to advance academic performance.

21st Century Projects: At the conclusion of each learning project, students choose which product (art work, brochure, report, poster, diorama) or performance (skit, song, debate, poem) they will do as their final assessment of learning.

Learning Styles Profile: Addresses ways to adjust classroom and home learning environments and activities to the student’s learning style. The learning styles inventory profiles each student’s learning preferences with regard to:

• Disposition – ways of working, communicating and learning
• Modality – modes of receiving and processing information
• Environment – how surroundings affect thinking, learning and working
• Interests and Talents