At Thoroughgood Elementary School, fourth-grade teachers Troy Saunders and Meredith Blumling are taking personalized learning to a whole new level.

Both teachers attended conferences where the keynote speakers impressed upon attendees the importance of teaching students how to analyze and problem solve; not just oversee the rote memorization of facts.

Afterwards, Saunders and Blumling began to incorporate a host of new practices to meet the individualized needs of their students.

To begin, Saunders and Blumling create ActivInspire flip charts filled with books, articles, video clips, and other types of research; so that when each child is learning they are doing so at their own pace and in their own style.

“We do not waste a child’s precious time by teaching them something they already know. We pre-assess each child and start them where they can show the most growth,” Saunders said. “The children come to us with a huge and varied knowledge base so we utilize that to personalize their learning.”

Each student chooses his/her own way to approach learning each new standard. They are gathering information, extending their knowledge with note-taking and creating personalized foldables, just to name a few options available.

While students are researching and learning about each of their standards, they are also conferencing with their teacher and peers to be held accountable for their work.

“We are able to confer with each student and hear what they have learned and discovered about each objective,” Saunders said. “The student to teacher interaction has increased and we really understand what each student knows. This has allowed the students to take charge of their learning and personalize it. It also allows us to differentiate and remediate the students in real time, not after the fact.”

In fact, students also must take pictures, voice recordings, or videos of their progress daily using the “Three Ring” app. This app then shares the information with the child’s parents so that parents are even able to comment back to what the child has sent.

Once a student has mastered a standard they will get a teacher check-off and be able to move to the next standard.

“As they approach each new objective, they are able to show a depth of learning far beyond the objective and usually far beyond our expectations,” Saunders said.

At the end of the school year, students will complete a written test and independent study project to ensure that the material was gathered and learned completely.

For more information about ActivInspire flip charts, visit here. And, for more information on the Three Ring app, visit here.

 

 

 

 

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