Dive Brief:
- Engaging students, other school administrators and even parents can help educators as they work to bring personalized learning in their classrooms and across districts, according to an article in EdSurge, which is planning to address this topic during the upcoming EdSurge Fusion Conference in October.
- A clear, consistent vision, one that tracks from elementary through high school, can help support a “lifelong learning experience,” which is what happens in Jill Edwards' school district, the assistant principal at Florence High School in Alabama, wrote in EdSurge last year. All teachers, no matter what grade, have access to professional development, she wrote.
- Having parents involved has proven valuable, as they partner with educators and feel they have some ownership in their child’s learning.
Dive Insight:
Involving the community in a child’s learning — particularly parents — can bring positive results, particularly “higher student achievement outcomes,” according to a 2012 report from Hanover Research, “Best Practices in Personalized Learning Environment.” Methods can be as simple as sending home reports and memos that outline progress in student work, while also encouraging parents to volunteer in schools.
Community members, including parents, can collaborate on student projects. Real-world experiences have a positive impact on student learning, as Education Dive recently reported. Showing children that what they’re being taught in school can make a difference in the real-world and helps them understand the purpose for their education.
Inviting parents to speak about their jobs, taking students on field trips to places of work, or partnering with community members on real-world projects for students can help expand a child’s learning and enhance their educational growth.
