For as long as I can remember I always told my students it was my job to make them independent learners. I wanted my students to leave my first grade classroom knowing how to set goals, ask questions, and find the answers to those questions. Above all, I wanted them to leave with a general love for always wanting to know more. I implemented these three things in my classroom that made tremendous impact on my students: The Daily 5, setting academic goals, and research projects.
Now researchers call this philosophy, "students taking ownership of their learning." Research shows increased academic progress in those students who set learning goals, have an interest in what they are learning, and have choices as to how/what they learn. It's never too late to start creating independent learners! Start slow. Start now. Start with one thing. Watch your students blossom. It will change your world as a teacher. I promise.
Suggestions on how to create independent learners:
1. Find a book, blog article or research article about students owning their learning. Within that book or article, find one new idea choose to implement in your classroom. I've listed a few links below to get you started:
Books
Leaders of Their Own Learning by Ron Berger
Learning that Lasts by Ron Berger
The Daily 5: Fostering Literacy in the Elementary Grades
I may make a very small amount of money if you purchase from an Amazon link.
Blogs
4 Ways to Let Kids Take Ownership of Their Learning
7 Things That Happen When Students Own Their Learning
Articles
2. Take a look at your current instruction. Are you already implementing strategies to create independent learners? Can you tweak something easily and make it student centered?
3. Conference with your students individually. Use goal sheets to guide the discussion. An easy goal to begin with is an Accelerated Reader goal with a focus on engaged time reading or points or STAR goal with a focus on Percentile Ranking or Grade Equivalency. Create your own goal sheet or save time with a goal sheet that has already been created. If you need a quick and easy goal sheet you can download my Goal Setting Sheets, print and start setting goals with your students. A digital version is also included.
4. Student Data Notebooks: Create notebooks or folders so that students can track their own data. I found a free simple reading and math data notebook for early elementary on TPT. You can download it here.
5. Research Projects: My students LOVED research projects. Yes, my firsties became quite the researchers! At times they would collaborate and at other times they worked independently. Sometimes I assigned what they would research and other times they were given choices. I always checked out books about the subject from the school library and had them available in the classroom. Kid friendly search engines are another plus when doing a research project. Think about units you are already teaching. How can you add a research component to these units? I have several research projects that I created for my classroom and offer in my TPT store. One of the absolute favorites is my Research Tourist project. My daughter-in-law just used it with her third graders last month and they had a blast! See the pictures below of the finished product. You can purchase Research Project Washington D.C. today and be ready to start the project tomorrow.
Created by First Graders
I promise if you teach your students how to take ownership of their learning you will see growth like never before. Take baby steps and ease into the pool of independent learning!
Much Love,
Rebecca Wrenn
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