Dive Brief:
- Students at the Making Community Connections charter school (MC2) in New Hampshire all have individual learning teams, led by a teacher/advisor with parents, the student and other adults on board — and personalized learning is key.
- The school’s CEO, Kim Carter, writes for The Hechinger Report that students start and end each day with advisory periods, where they learn how to manage their own learning, motivation, goal-setting and project management, and they write daily reflections about their goals, challenges and successes that staff members and families respond to.
- Students engage in project-based and experiential learning activities, always working with teachers and mentors to co-design meaningful work that Carter says fits into curriculum standards and also teaches global competencies.
Dive Insight:
Student-centered learning has become a key focus for schools on all sides of the charter, public, private spectrum. Educators are experimenting with giving students more control in an effort to better engage and empower them for future careers. While it was important during the industrial era for students to learn how to memorize facts and follow directions, many of today’s students will need to master critical thinking, communication and leadership skills. Educators are increasingly putting students in charge of their classrooms.
The shift is not an easy one, however, especially when teachers did not learn this way or train to be teachers this way. High-quality professional development can help teachers overcome the stress of relinquishing control and better facilitate conversations among students that are meaningful and productive.