Personalized Learning and Query Books
DECEMBER 11, 2014
Cathy Knutson An excerpt
“My interest in personalized learning and Genius Hour began changing how I worked with students, as I created opportunities for them to choose the way they demonstrate their learning, and provided choices for collaboration. I focused them on creating and sharing with their own voice.
An obstacle became immediately apparent as students began to direct their own learning. When allowed to choose which interests to pursue, many of my students didn’t know where to begin! They were not accustomed to this responsibility and didn’t consider their own ideas to be as valuable as those provided by others.
“They were not accustomed to this responsibility and didn’t consider their own ideas to be as valuable as those provided by others. Many struggled with the act of being curious or with pondering their own questions. They simply hadn’t given it much thought and couldn’t just flip a switch for instant illumination. As fourth and fifth grade students, they were used to adults telling them what to do rather than asking them to pursue their own ideas and interests — especially in an educational setting. They needed extra time to focus on and mull over their options. You cannot develop passion projects if you have no passion or haven’t really considered what those passions are. They had to first think through what piqued their interest. What would they like to know more about? What everyday problems have they noticed that need solutions? If they had never thought about it, they needed to reexamine their world with their eyes open to problems and their minds eager to find solutions.”
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/personalized-learning-and-query-books-cathy-knutson
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