Engaging All Learners Through Personalized Learning

The enactment of Vermont’s Act 77 in Vermont offers an opportunity to transform the public school system as we have known it. This law allows for personalization of learning as well as a redesigned reporting system that focuses on learning. With these changes come difficult and uncomfortable moments for classroom teachers, students and parents. Daniel Pink’s work on autonomy, mastery and purpose as essential components of intrinsic motivation, provides the foundation for my proposal. Personalization requires teachers to rethink the management of their classrooms and the design of their curriculum. Students will need to be more self-directed than ever before. I will research and explore models of self-directed learning as they relate to a public school. I will develop tools for both teachers and students that will help to scaffold self-directed learning. I will explore the impact that technology might have on personalization in the classroom. The most important aspect of this change that I will be working on will be the change in culture needed to make these changes in a way that they “stick”. The development of a collaborative, sharing culture of constant change will be vital. I will be working collaboratively with our teacher leadership team and principal to create systems and structures that will facilitate these changes in a productive and collaborative way.

The ultimate goal of this project is to develop a public school system for personalized learning that engages all students in meaningful learning. The systems, structures and tools developed will give all students the opportunity to be self-directed learners.