Lauren Vann, a fifth grade teacher at Red Bank Elementary School in Lexington One School District, describes her "why" on this journey of personalizing learning for her students.
Prior to entering the world of personalized learning, I had found much success in the traditional learning model and had become weary of the stream of efforts to change my approach. When I came on board at Red Bank Elementary (RBE), I immediately recognized that students at RBE were different. They were learners who wanted to take the reins. They were excited and motivated. It was nothing I had ever seen before. It challenged me to think about my experiences as an educator. I began to think of all of the students I had previously taught who had gaps in their learning. I questioned whether or not I’d made a real attempt to close those gaps. I thought of the “high flyers” who always wanted more and wondered if I’d taken them as far as I could have in their learning. While I had always been intentional about teaching to all students and making accommodations for different learning styles, I couldn’t say that I taught specifically to each child’s needs and met them where they were along the learning progression. After researching personalized learning in a competency-based setting and hearing unbelievable stories about student success, I made the decision to be “all in.” I never knew the extent to which personalizing education for my students would completely change the way I think about teaching and learning.
While it can be challenging and overwhelming to think logistically about how to be effective in meeting each child’s learning style, pace, and needs, it is truly the most efficient way to ensure that every child is getting the most out of their time in the classroom.
Personalized learning is best practice teaching. It is dependent on the teacher’s ability to intentionally meet the needs of the individual student. Recognizing personalized learning as what is best for students is a paradigm shift for most educators. While it can be challenging and overwhelming to think logistically about how to be effective in meeting each child’s learning style, pace, and needs, it is truly the most efficient way to ensure that every child is getting the most out of their time in the classroom. Every student has an opportunity to experience success. This has been one of the most motivating outcomes for me as an educator.
What Does This Mean For Students?
Since beginning my journey in personalized education, I have witnessed students who previously struggled academically to shift towards a growth mindset because they recognized that learning isn’t “one size fits all.” Students believe that just as we all learn to walk and talk at different times, some of us take longer to acquire certain academic skills. Students are inspired to overcome their circumstances. They recognize that it’s not that they “can’t,” it’s just that they aren’t there yet. Students working in a personalized learning environment learn to respect and appreciate each other’s strengths. This contributes to a culture of teamwork and collaboration. It is powerful when students take control of their own learning. All students set S.M.A.R.T. goals, develop plans to make their goals a reality, and most importantly, hold one another accountable.
Essentially, personalized learning is the best way to prepare students with the qualities presented by the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate. Personalized learning promotes intrinsic motivation and self-direction. Students become creative, innovative, and get to know themselves as learners. Students have voice and choice in how they will learn and how they will demonstrate mastery through a variety of modalities. When one approach to learning is not working, students use critical thinking to problem solve and design new ways to reach desired outcomes. Additionally, personalized learning requires students to not only know the standards, but understand them. All stakeholders hold students accountable for maintaining rigor and meeting learning objectives.
As an educator, it is my mission to inspire students to be lifelong learners. It’s not my goal to merely get them through the school year, but to provide them with tools to be successful in the future. For many students, personalized learning is a new beginning. It is hope that current circumstances do not define them. It is a belief that they can be successful with the right supports. Ultimately, I believe that personalized education is the most effective and efficient approach to teaching and learning.