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I like the fact that Alfie Kohn makes the reader think.  He is a word smith and must love kids!

Educational Admin. needs to work with schools to come up with other forms of assessment that meet up with individualized forms of learning. 

Yes, new forms of assessment will be needed with PL.  I think this maybe a challenge because standardized tests are tied to funding.  I am afraid standardized tests are here to stay until funding changes are made at the state /federal level.

This is always an issue. Making sure everyone is on the same page.

I think my original comment about change being difficult for veteran teachers was deleted (accidentally by me).  Part of my statement mentioned the need for PD on PL.

I agree that everyone needs to be on the same page.  Too many times we get bombarded in PD sessions and walk away with mixed emotions and different understandings about what we learned about.  PL needs to be a clear, cut definition amongst everyone in the building.  It wouldn't be a bad idea to have PD on PL.  Veteran teachers absolutely need to be up to date on reaching all learners and stepping themselves out of their comfort zones to help reach every student's needs individually, not in a whole group setting.  

This will be a big challenge getting everyone on board.

I agree that it would be a challenge to get everyone on the same page. I like the idea of PD, but how do we get our administrators to "buy in"? Then after that, how do you get people who are set in their way, especially if it is improving test scores, to change their thinking so we are focused on the whole child?

I guess I would like to go back a step and look at how college educational departments are teaching Personal Learning. I would say most teachers are teaching the way they were taught. Maybe the change needs to start there also.

As a district we tried to define creativity during PD incorporating the 4C's. It was no easy task. It is even more difficult to measure!

It seems as though we need a multi-phase approach at infusing PL in our educational systems. I agree with needing PD for our current teachers and that colleges need to be modeling PL for our new teachers. We also need to inspire our students to be individual thinkers rather than the 'check mark the box' learners that our system currently promotes.

This sounds like more of the same unless PL stakeholders and teachers are involved in the R&D.

When thinking about the constraints of our current system--Common Core, standards assessments, pacing guides, etc.--I wonder if PL will become anything more than a dream or a small scale implementation.

Educators will need to be informed on what it will look like for students to take these opportunities which won't be directed by us or possibly by curriculum. They will need to learn how to help students on this path and not hinder them.

PD is vital for teachers.  If left out it will not be good for anyone most of all the students.  

This definition is vague, I too would like to look at specific curriculum pathways and opportunities. Seeing personalized learning in action, and the role of the teacher would be interesting.

I now understand more the difference between "personalized" and "personal" learning, but I do agree that staff and administrators need to be more informed and given specific examples or experiences to help us learn more about implementing it and what our role is as a teacher. It would be nice to be given examples of this in action. It seems so confusing once you think about how teachers do this in the classroom, but I think it can make a big difference in schools and student learning in the future. 

This quote really helped me to understand more of what we are learning about. 

Agreed, this is a very helpful statement, but I think I would also agree that I would like to see what PL looks like. (Alissa Hansen)

This is a very helpful statement, PD with time to implement is important for success. In addition to teachers being educated about PL, parents will also need to be educated. In my district as we have tried to incorporate more technology, unless the parents are in agreement, the changes have not been successful.

I have a better understanding of personalized learning vs. personal learning.  I like how the author states the difference; it makes it very easy to differentiate between the two terms.  In regards to the rest of the statement, I think that professional development is a vital key in getting teachers "on board" with this concept.  I have cotaught with many general education teachers, and it is difficult for some to see how this will work and what this can look like.  A bank of teachers "in action" would be great for all teachers to access to get ideas!  

I totally agree that there are a lot of people who would have to get on board. I now realize that I'm just providing personalized learning with my Odysseyware, not personal learning by any means.

Our current way of teaching is somewhat like a 'helicopter mother'. We aren't letting students try and fail on their own, without us being there to catch them. We need to be more of a teacher/resource person to instruct and /or guide when needed. Also, like a grandmother-giving positive feedback.

We do not teach students that failure is part of learning or the importance of what we can learn from a failed attempt. Sticky notes are a perfect example.

Some of the online programs such as Khan Academy and E2020 are the epitomy of nonpersonalized learning, yet we are enrolling more and more students each year.

This is where students could/should be encouraged to seek out resources that fit their individual interests.  It is a step in the right direction, but needs to be applied in a way that will help students become stronger learners. 

I agree the online programs are just classroom lectures put on the computer and are more of the same. 

I think it is a great idea to have students be responsible or the "owner" of their own learning, we need to get parents and administration on board with this, I feel that way too often it is the teachers fault or the schools fault when kids are not learning. 

I have to admit, I am that 'helicopter mother' teacher sometimes. I agree, teachers need to find individual interests in students and figure out how they want to learn and step away and allow students to figure out how they learn best, even if they do fail at first.

The idea of each student having a teacher(s) know her/him well is vital. We don't want students just being set free and only "check in" as they go along. They will feel very disconnected and alone. They need to be known, cared for. Teachers might have times during the year when she gets her students together to do activities to get to know each other, celebrate holidays, etc.

I like your idea of getting students together for a celebration It could be a celebration of learning to highlight student work / projects.  This fits into the PL model of "learn to learn, learn to do, learn to be." 

I wonder in an ideal PL environment what the student/teacher ratio should be?  Large classes are tough to get to know students in the way that PL suggests

"Ah Ha".. every teacher who is there for their students should know their students well.  Not only how they learn, but about their family life and themselves personally.  Building a relationship with each child is huge.  I couldn't imagine walking into my room every morning and not wanting to connect with each student, individually and personally, daily.  If teachers aren't going to be caring and willing to get to know each of their students, then they shouldn't be allowed to have their minds to mold.  

Part of the requirement of the Voluntary 4 year old preschool program is that I go to each home before school starts and do a home visit. I love it, I think it is the best idea ever and I really think all elementary teachers should do it. I really think that I make a strong connection with all of my students by having them meet me in their home where they are in the most control. Even though I know each child very well I just feel like there is not enough of me to go around, there are always those one or two students that require more time and energy while the rest are kind of on their own.

I think home visits are wonderful, although I am not sure my high school students would want Mrs. Hansen coming to their house! ha ha. I do make it a priority to keep the lines of communication open with families, in fact, I send out emails weekly (personal), make calls (5 a day, positive and negative), and even send out personal welcome letters at the start of the year. It makes quite the difference in how my students work for me! (Alissa Hansen)

The definitions we have read about personalized learning incorporate technology as an important piece of the personalized learning experience, so this surprises me.

Yes this surprised me too! A lot of my kids learn best through using technology since they are surrounded by it today within this generation, and engages them more so to me it makes sense to have technology be a big part of personalized learning. 

I agree! How can technology not be part of the personal learning environment? There are so many opportunities for students to use technology to reach out to others all over the world for collaboration. Technology doesn't have to be relegated only to ed-tech programs.

I guess the idea behind the technology is to use it so students have the freedom to gather authentic and meaningful information to help them towards mastery, instead of using technology just for technology sake. A lot of us do, but I have definitely encountered classrooms that like the idea of having technology in the classroom, but it does nothing to further learning in students. (Alissa Hansen)

I think with this statement, the author is trying to remind us that personalized learning is more than technology. You don't have to use technology to truly personalize learning for students but that it can be one of the "tools" in the teacher's toolbox to help students learn.

I think that the author is implying that technology itself shouldn't be the teacher but more like a partner in learning. I personally think that too many times technology impedes learning.  Students don't have to think or try to figure something out, they can just Google the answer.  If all the answers in the universe can be found in Google what is the point of learning?  We need students to think of things that aren't out there yet.  To discover the unknown.  

This sentence does appear to be a contradiction. Requiring teachers to teach a specific curriculum while infusing innovation and creativity is a challenge.

I absolutely agree with you!  It is VERY hard to teach the specific standards for the test while wanting to be creative.  More projects take time and time is inevitable.  We need more time to make learning "fun" and "meet all the standards".  I find kindergarten to be a challenge to balance the standards and crafts/fun.  I know I tried hard this year to let the kids "play" at their tables during math and reading with manipulative instead of constantly doing pages from our math/reading books.  

Curiosity is something I really see lacking in some students today (at least high school students).  Many have a really hard time thinking of things they want to know or learn about or believe they can just get the answer to a question by looking online.  I have many students, who when given the chance to research a topic of their choice, believe they aren't interested in anything. This would be a challenge with peronalized learning. 

I agree: curiosity has to have motivation.  I allow students to choose their research topic, and once they delve into it, they start asking me questions, which, in turn, I help them find internet info that might send them in the right direction.  Then, they fly!

Sadly, I too have seen more and more lack of innovation and creativity with students and the issue is on the rise it seems. I know with my own experiences as a high school English teacher that students really struggle coming up with their own original ideas, and even with lots of guidance and modeling beforehand. It's as if they do not trust themselves to make a good decision and this is so sad! I try to be very eclectic with how I teach the curriculum and my students will tell you that they do have a lot of choice and voice in my class, but they still need to meet standards and achieve mastery at some levels. I just don't know what it is that seems to be holding students back anymore. I do think PL can help this issue, but I do think that students will have difficulty (as with any chance) getting into such a different system if they already struggle being authentic, generating original ideas, and being creative. (Alissa Hansen)

This is very true in many schools. I can relate to this, since our school has been focused on following our new school's reading curriculum this year and focusing on test scores each week. It isn't allowing us to be creative in our classrooms. How do we change the views of administrators to help them allow us to have more personalized learning in our classrooms?

I worry about adding personalized learning to our environment too. We have seen 20% growth in reading scores on Iowa Assessments as we switched our Tier One instruction to a new curriculum. I think our curriculum and the way that teachers are constantly looking at data and working together to create better ways to meet student needs (small group instruction, mixing up classes, intensive guided groups, etc.) has been successful. I wonder how personalized learning lends it self to standardized tests...although the voice of reason in the back of my mind keeps reminding me that one test on one day is no way to measure what a student knows...or for that matter who they are!

We have seen a lot of growth with Iowa Assessments too, and it is a result of the amazing teachers in our building and the data teams. I do wonder what assessments look like in a PL environment. There has been a sharp focus on reading and math scores, and scores equate to funding, so I have a feeling that this would be a hard sell...sadly. How can the bureaucracy of the educational world come to terms with what learners truly need/want? I guess this is always up for debate, and once you add in the giving "students the freedom to follow a meaningful line of inquiry, while building the skills to connect, synthesize and analyze information into original productions," it tends to scare people.

(last comment was from Alissa Hansen)

This is a true concern, as we have pre and post assessments for each unit to gauge their mastery of the standards.  While I find that information valuable, it is a struggle (and great concern) for many of my colleagues regarding the "freedom" to be creative in how they approach the standards.  I hope to better understand how the idea of innovation and creativity can coexist with necessary curriculum through PL.  Sharing that with concerned colleagues will be a great boost to morale, for sure!

I had the pleasure of listening to Will Richardson speak at our school two years ago. I learned so much from his presentation and I was so excited about all of the ideas he provided for our district. I was saddened by how many teachers in our district were really turned off by Will, and felt that the presentation was a waste of their time. Unfortunately, because of this pervasive attitude, we never really proceeded with his ideas for our district.

These ideas require teachers to thinking beyond the traditional model, which is difficult for most to do or think about.  His example about flipping is a good example, it could be used to really create students who know how to learn, but most don't use it in a way that encourages personal learning. 

I love this section. It really talks about students taking charge of their learning. I think it is so important for kids to make goals and to really understand where they are and where they need to be. It is neat when students can see where they started and where they end and realize that working towards goals really pays off. (Dana Wefel)

Yes, students will only learn that metacognition and how it works by making their own goals and plans of action. I try to have my freshmen do this at the start of each school year and we revisit the list through the year. It is hard for them to create goals, even with modeling, however, so this is something that needs a lot of work (both the teaching of the concept and creating the goals). 14 and 15 year olds have a hard time seeing past the right now, and most struggle even more with articulating what they struggle with and what they are good at. I want to really help my students with this aspect as that will really help us get close to a PL environment. (Alissa Hansen)

I have never really understood how flipping a classroom is supposed to be the future of education like so many educators are saying it is. 

I totally agree. If I use the definition of flipping explain by this article, I've been flipping my classroom for most of my career.

This statement does a great job of summarizing the goals of personalized learning, but I find myself wondering how we can move in this direction? There are so many changes that need to be made at every level of education and government that it seems almost impossible that we will actually ever be able to provide this type of environment to our students.

Doesn't it also mean a lower student-to-teacher ratio? I also think it seems nearly impossible to implement on a wide scale basis. 

I agree the system needs to change from top to bottom. If we aren't able to see change in the levels of education we will continue to struggle to see significant change.

I agree whole-heartedly Jessica! Transitioning from a more traditional model to a personal learning model would be a HUGE undertaking. We aren't just talking about PreK-12 education, but post-secondary as well. Teacher preparation programs would need to be overhauled as well. How does everyone get on the same page in terms of what Personal Learning means and what it involves? There is much work to be done at all levels of the educational system as well as the government that funds the public educational system. I can't really wrap my head around this monumental task.

I agree students need to make their own choices.  How does the teacher motivate the student to choose more than the basics to get by.  Many students I see want to do the bare minimum and nothing more.

I agree that change is going to be difficult and that the entire educational system would need to be revamped, and that would also mean students would need to be trained for this type of learning environment because they have been born into this "one size fits all" system. I am curious what that training would look like. I am also thinking that communities that are homes to these schools would also need to be educated on personalized learning, or I fear major problems. (Alissa Hansen)

I changed up my teaching this year and did less large group time and more centers and small group instruction time.  I found that my time with a small group worked really well because it was individualized by what their needs were.  However, I am still tweaking my centers and how the kids motivate themselves.  I have things for them to do, but to get them to do "more" is the hard part, unless you are scaffolding it, constantly.  (Natalie Whipple)

In my traditional high school classes, I am trying to work towards a more personalized classroom experience, (although I realize in taking this class that it's actually more of a differentiation approach.) I think someone has to initiate the change and make it successful and more people will try it.  

I am curious what you are doing to make your high school classroom more personalized. I am trying to do the same thing, but is very tough as I have classes of over 25 and see over 100 students everyday. I want this as my goal, but it seems like quite the mountain to climb. I like doing small groups, but my biggest issue is that I only see students for 45 minutes. I am not sure that is enough time to create a truly "meaningful line of inquiry, while building the skills to connect, synthesize, and analyze information into original products." (Alissa Hansen)

What if a student's pace is excruciatingly slow?  How will a teacher ever get through everything? 

Some of my students are so sick of technology - and good for them. We need to remember it doesn't solve everything. 

I agree with this statement.  Learning is a process of discovery, the acquisition or knowledge and sklls, and although you can learn many things by googling information, true learning goes beyond that.  You must know how and when to use this information.

I too agree with this statement. Technology is a tool and shouldn't be expected to solve "problems" within education. I work in a 1:1 school, and as staff have come to a better understanding of technology and what it can and can't do, I see more true learning taking place. Once still has to remember that the most important component of learning are the people, not computers, iPads, etc...

 Agreed! I have students who cannot even tell time on a clock that is not digital or read a map...this is where things are going if we use technology for technology sake. (Alissa Hansen)

This statement really resonated with me. I feel like as a teacher, we are supposed to "do it all." We are supposed to meet the individual needs of each student while also providing a mandated one size fits all curriculum with the goal of better test scores, and if we can't do all of this, then we are told that we have failed as teachers.

Standardized testing is not consistent with personal learning. So how would schools be evaluated for progress? I don't see standardized testing going away anytime soon, but then again, it will take a long time to implement personal learning in a school, let alone the entire state and country.

Interesting and good point! I think this is important for all educators to realize and know that personal learning should never require technology. We need to use it to support our student's on going learning.

Maybe the idea of grading needs to be evaluated.  Even standards based grading does the same thing.  

This is always a difficult. How do we address this?

We use common rubrics that we design as a staff and use CCS as our guide.  It is difficult to set up at first, but it becomes second nature after a while.  On standardized writing, we set a baseline on three different student submissions so we are all on the same page while grading with the rubric, and we all understand what "proficient" and "approaching" clearly mean.  I have done this in two different districts--perhaps it is the same all over?

We also use common rubrics that we designed. We are constantly changing them as we learn more about the standards. I love your idea of bringing submissions to a PLC and discussing what is truly proficient. I do wonder, how did you get your team to be brave enough to share?

This is always a fear of mine. So difficult to not do for them what we really need them to do!

A comment from a recent high school grad--standardized tests don't show individuality yet schools are funded by test scores. 

I don't think it's fair that one test has so much value for a student.  Iowa Assessment scores are used for PSEO criteria, class placement.  If the student tests poorly due to illness, classroom environment, or just a bad day--it can have quite an effect on his/her future classes.

I worry about students who have gotten all the way to high school with a lack of intrinsic motivation.  So many are off track to graduate, so I guess I wonder how PL will help these kids if they already lack motivation.  Often, their goals are to be in a trade, which is fine, but they may see their parent making this work look easy.  For PL, I feel cautious around motivating the hard-to-motivate.

This is one of my greatest concerns as well. I have so many students who struggle to find anything to write about, read about, talk about that matters or is thought provoking to them. How would they handle the flexibility and independence that comes with PL? 

Not every subject lends itself to technology, such as science, which requires hands-on lab work.

Another image comes to mind. https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/1d/eb/5c/1deb5c1cf49a5dbb7689131f3cc8b9a9.jpg I am all for technology as an OPTION, not as a requirement.

I totally agree! It is a seemingly impossible task to get students to put aside their technology for the sake of real world interaction.  I use technology, and invite them to use technology when appropriate and, ahem, innovative ;) but to get them interested in a novel is becoming increasingly difficult.  I feel that I share my passion for what we're learning, but it is a constant struggle to keep them interested without a screen.

I think of my favorite teachers and the classes I felt I learn the most in and I never remember there being a computer there. Technology is a tool not a substitute for teaching. KB

Is this where Skoolbo, Moby Max, Scootpad, and other sites like these fit? 

YES! I don't see kids free reading enough. It's an inexpensive, easy, and effective strategy. It can be done when the internet is down, too! (I'm saying this because there have been times when we have lost power or internet and kids feel we should cancel school!)

hahaha. I have heard that from so many of our students, and believe me, a little too often than not because our school is moving closer to 1-to-1 and it has done a number to the stability of the Internet, so of course as the district was increasing our bandwidth, there were a number of hours we lost power. But of course, I have students read independent reading novels each semester and create a project/presentation over what they choose, this gave them time to read in class! Most students really enjoyed reading a book, but I did have students look at me like I was crazy, "What, a book that is 100 pages or more?!"  (Alissa Hansen)

There is so much information out there that talks about "personalized learning." So, yes, I agree that everyone in the district needs to be on the same page about the definition and ways to implement it.

This is exactly why I think that PL will be a hard sell to my district. We ARE seeing growth on the test...does that mean that we are taking into account the whole child...no. However, this is how we measure growth and I'd like to know how we can even change that?

I agree that not all students learn the same way, especially at age 5.  I honor their learning differences daily but I am often challenged by grouping them based on their ability  and fitting in time to have them reach the standard for the day on their own.  The common core wants all kids proficient by the end of their school year in all their standards.  It gets tricky to personalize every child's learning and have them do it at their own pace when some may take 4-5 weeks to accomplish 1 standard.  This is where I worry about not having enough hours in the day and days in the school year.  

I agree too! Not all students learn the same way I also think that is why now in the preschool classroom I am having to teach students how to play. I think that even at a very young age kids are taught to wait and be told what to do. I always think back to my youngest brother who struggled in school, and how he was told he would never make it. He went into farming and now at the age of 26 bought his first farm and milks over 100 cows, I would say he is successful even though he didn't make all of the common core goals. 

When I think of the work I do with high school students, this is clearly something we deal with every day.  I present information in a variety of ways to attempt to meet the needs of different learning styles and I really try to "keep it moving" to avoid losing the attention of very "short-attention-spanned" kids! I think we can all relate to this, and I certainly agree that personalization will help adjust traditional learning to meet the needs of all students a little better. (Jennifer Betz)

I agree that many students have difficultly thinking outside of the box.  I believe that is because we have quashed individuality.  We ask everyone to conform to our standards.  Our society has a habit of criticizing those that go against the norm.  We expect all students to follow the same path and to want the same things.  Students don't want to be embarrassed for thinking or looking differently.  I see this happen frequently during group work.  There always seems to be a strong-minded individual who takes charge.  Many times other members' voices are never heard even though they may have equally as good of ideas, if not better.  Many students have zero confidence in themselves so they never stand up and let their voice be heard.  Hence, cookie cutters. 

I am nodding my head in agreement to your every statement here Lisa. With all of the assessments and data driven curriculum we have not given students any room or confidence to be creative or innovative. And when we do ask for it, students are so reluctant out of fear and that fear is paralytic. PL has so many benefits. Don't we want our future citizens to be innovators and critical thinkers? I think we do and our current educational system seems to imprison any originality. (Alissa Hansen.

I agree with both of you (Lisa and Alisson) students today are afraid of being different or standing out because they are afraid of not being accepted. I also agree that society has taught us this lesson all too well. However, if we begin to initiate higher order, more individualized thinking and expression of ideas at an early age then our societal norms will eventually begin to change and persoanalized individual learning will become the expectation and eventually the new norm. We can only hope and dream for that day to come. 

This is what happened in my last school district.  The administration thought that a computer program could solve all the issues, but very few students learned well from a computer program.

We have been finding that technology works good for some students but not for all. Sounds familiar kind of just like direct instruction.

I think the issue is differences in the meaning of personalized learning. As we discussed in class previously, personalized learning is not the same thing as differentiation, which is supposed to meet students' needs. Personalized learning is truly about putting students in control of their learning and supporting them in developing that learning!

When a student is unsuccessful in the traditional classroom we look to computer classes to fulfill the credit requirement. The focus is on successfully fulfilling the requirement rather than on learning. If schools were to turn to component recovery with a unit that allows personalized learning, the student could do both - learn and fulfill the graduation requirement.

This line makes me think of this image. https://marinarn.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/pic1.jpg I think there will have to be some re"training" for teachers and students to be able to deal with the vast sums of knowledge available to everyone.

Agreed! In my own English classroom, and I know I am not alone, students have access to millions of reviews and analyses of the literature we read in our own classroom so my goal is always to have them either create a product based on their own understanding of a concept, character, plot point, etc. or I do my best to give them choices for them to navigate their own understanding. A lot of "required" literature is all found online and there is so much out there on most aspects of each piece. Technology can make this aspect very difficult as students have all of this at their fingertips, and our goal as educators is for students to gain their own sense of meaning from what they have seen, read, heard, while also building skills that lead towards mastery along the way. (Alissa Hansen)

This is a great piece in the article. It really got me thinking of how boring school is for kids. As an educator I 100% want my students to be engaged and having fun learning. It would be so great to hear old kids tell their younger siblings how much fun school is!

Technology has changed the way EVERYTHING is done in the classroom as students have access to EVERYTHING now. So, what can we do as educators to make sure they are having meaningful and authentic experiences in our classrooms? How do some of you deal with this issue? I know I put a lot of work into the in-class and out of class work that I have students do because many questions/answers can be found so quickly by students and this occurs anytime and anywhere. (Alissa Hansen)

I think this is a great quote that truly shows just how contradictory our world is! And especially with education. (Alissa Hansen)

Alissa, I like this quote as well.  We are free to educate as long as everyone gets 100% on the standardized test.

Technology is great and all, but it does have it's drawbacks.   A family friend was all excited that her baby could do XYZ on an iPad at a young age to find out later that her pediatrician thought that very thing might be why her speech was so delayed.  

I've been interviewing and the question every district seems to ask it about data, data, data.  Two and four years ago, this was not the case.  I believe this is because of the high stakes testing trend in recent years.  

This reminds me of the "hipster" trend - "let's all be different in the same way." 

There are districts using Rosetta Stone as opposed to foreign language teachers out there! 

I'll admit, there is one tiny, tiny part of me that thinks, "My parents' generation turned out alright without flipped/project-based/differentiated/insert every other educational buzzword here." Honestly sometimes I do wonder if all these best practice trends aren't leading to an egocentric, narcissistic  generation.  Selfies for example.  But then there's a larger part of me that knows the factory model doesn't work in education either.  

I agree!  I think of all the amazing things that have been invented in history and wonder, how in the world did they do it without technology?!  I know that our world is changing, and that to continue to grow we must change, but sometimes things are better left as is. As I type that, I realize our educational system needs to be overhauled.  It's just that every time I turn around someone is trying to "sell" us something else they claim will work, and before we even have a chance to get it up and running something new comes along. :)

It is hard to compete with technology.  When I think of technology, I think of even simple things like a cd player, video (the old VHS), radio station (for current news), etc.  As educators, we have been using technology to teach since we could get our hands on it. How about a simple cassette player with the ABC song on it?  I'm sure every educator has put their hands on any technology device that can help their students gain a better understanding of what is being taught. So I tend to disagree with idea that we shouldn't have to engage students without technology.  We should have to engage them with whatever is out there; doesn't that contradict the whole idea of listening to lecture is not an effective teaching strategy?  Basically, when I think of the term technology, I think of any form of it; not just the Web.  

Personalization scares me to the extent that we are not only talking about teaching the content, but being an expert in whatever they choose as personal learning.  Or at least knowing how or where they can access all the information for their personal learning.  With class sizes only growing, I am nervous to see how planning, tracking, and assessing the learning will go.  

I will admit, this is the component of personalized learning I have not yet been able to wrap my head around. In thinking about how to manage the learning of all students in the classroom when the content may be different is kind of intimidating. Teachers who have experience with personalized learning like project-based learning have shared that it is not as difficult as it might seem and that the students work harder than they do. I think it is important that people don't get the idea that it is a hands-off approach from the teacher; it is simply putting the learning in their control and supporting them with developing their learning!

When I think of these terms, I think of differentiation.  To me that is what personalizing, engaging, and flipping learning can be.  Only until you add the term personal does that change and move away from differentiation.  

Whether you call it personal or personalized learning, this is what it is all about! To nurture students' natural curiosity, we want students learning about things they are passionate about. By supporting students in creating projects that reflect their unique needs and interests, we are truly teaching to the child. Again, this doesn't mean teaching one student about addition using basketballs and another ballet shoes, but about getting students actively involved in their learning and putting more of the control in their hands. 

I wholeheartedly agree with all of the comments and agree that we need to place emphasis on the young learners to change societal norms which are incredibly strong in the high school culture.

Haha! As a former ELA teacher, several of my colleagues and I argued this exact point a few years ago. That's funny.

This is still the expectation in many of our college classes!

And in band, we have always lived with a model of teaching during small lesson groups and then assigning home practice to gain mastery of a skill. I spend valuable teaching minutes teaching home practice strategies and reflecting on those strategies at lessons. I want kids to set goals and practice the lessons on their own at home.

I'm concerned that teachers are not teaching enough deep learning in the general education classroom in grade K-4. There is so much focus on getting 120 minutes of reading but it mainly goes toward the daily 5 and not enough connected learning to the world. How do we incorporate deep learning into the daily 5?

good question! One way might be reading multiple books/articles on the same topic. More cross-curricular including SS and SCI topics

I agree! That this can be tricky. The Daily 5 is a model and teachers need to figure out how to fill the model with meaningful material that accesses the whole child. I like the idea above about integrating other subjects into the reading block and I actually think that the Daily 5 model is a good way to do that!

I had terrible test scores as a child and I get test anxiety about if I have enough time to finish the test. How can educators think that test scores are the best outcome for students?

Personalized vs. Personal Learning

This was profound for me!

I've noticed with my own students, that their excitement and engagement with technology has decreased as they increase the amount of time the are using technology in their gen. ed. classrooms. Since they are using technology to use programs that place them in a prescribed path after taking a placement test, they are loosing interest because they have lost the authentic connection to the content. The technology instruction is redundent and unpersonalized. They are missing the personal interactions with the teacher, discussing ideas with group members, and the choices provided in authentic learning. Students in my classroom are now more engaged through group work or hands on learning than technology.

Has anyone noticed this in their own classrooms as well? I believe technology should enhance instruction, not replace it in the elementary setting.

Yes, I could see how this would be the case. We use a program similar to what you're discussing. As a district, we're supposed to be utilizing this online tool, but how effective is the tool if the students are no longer engaged with it?

I definitely see this. I have trouble keeping my student's attention if I do not have the work projected onto the Smart Board.

This frame of thinking challenges me. As a special education teacher, we monitor progress on reading fluency weekly. We need to follow a research-based curriculum and every week my students are tested and we I evalute their graphs. This information is legally required. How can I impliment a true personalized learning experience for my students when I am required to teach a research based intervention? Has personalized learning been applied successfully in a special education setting?

This is a really good question and one that I am wondering about as well. Although I teach in a general education classroom, we too have to follow certain guidelines and use research-based curriculum. I wonder if personalized learning is only feasible for students who are at or above grade level?

I love this article and what the author seems to be struggling with is what I struggle with. For the students enrolled in beginning band, I cannot make it a totally free learning environment. I can offer choice and give kids some freedom in choosing which exercises demonstrate learning targets, but what I want kids to learn is not really the student choice. Is it enough to say that band itself is an elective and if kids chose to explore band, then that is part of a personalized learning model?

I am all for student involvement in making some of their own choices as they learn, but maybe I can't look past the needs of my content area to imagine a change in paradigm for all learners

We do function within a system...the question is how to negotiate that system to personalize for our students.

I think this is the hardest thing for both the teachers and students - it is easy to talk about PL, but once rubber hits the road it is very complex to make it work within the traditional confines of the school day and grading structures.

There seems to be a big contradiction, at least in my mind, with matching personalized learning to the need/desire to tie everything to particular standard and grade. Our current system and expectation of a grade seems to limit the true sense of personalized learning.

Ah- now I understand that if the choice is created and given by the teacher, it might not be personalization. Our district uses E 20/20 in some extreme cases and it generally does NOT meet any student's learning needs.

I think this is where the disconnect is, many my district will do online learning but it isn't personailzed because it is driven by the program that the district uses and students just fly though he program to get done. In the end I don't think they learned anything from their courses. If it were personalized they would take more ownership in their learning.

Partnering with community businesses and community organizations.

That's a good point. There are often so many other experts within our own schools and communities who could be valuable resources for our learners.

Makes me think of the directive "we can no longer teach what kids can simply Google." So, learning becomes more inquiry-based and connected to real-life purposes.

I recently heard that if a student can google the answer then we are not teaching them the higher order thinking that the industries are seeking now in their future employees. Google tends to give the surface answers and not the think out of the box answers unless they take the time to really dive into resources (which most won't take that time).

For me it keeps coming back to this: who drives the learning - the teacher or the student?

Do they know how to identify what specifically does drive their own education? We do a lot of modeling before asking the students to do different work. I think this is going to take some brainstorming as to HOW to help kids see what helps them learn.

Ha! We have the "individual vs. society" discussion in my class each year and many students notice the irony of trying to be an individual by doing something that conforms to someone else's norms (i.e. dying your hair blue...like millions of other teens trying to be individuals is a classic 9th grader example).

This is a great point! It is hard to fit in and stand out:) It is hard to excel in school if you risk doing something different.

I love reading your comments, Julie! That might be a challenge with personalized learning as well. Students struggle to be their own learner and achieve their personal goals - yet at this age, so many kids are drawn to the social dynamics of groups and trying to stay close in their developing friendships. As a fourth grade teacher I see students experimenting with the individual vs. group struggle on a regular basis. This will certainly be a challenge to stay on top of!

Yes! The most important "method" of teaching.

I think the core of PL is this - knowing the who/what/why/how for each student, this is true even within current school structures.

I agree! We need to care about our students as people, not just as learners and I think that this will create great success for not only the teacher but for our students as well.

While I agree, it takes MORE than caring! If caring is all it took, I'd be golden, but figuring out how to implement it for 50-100 kids is where I struggle. I hope to learn this by the end of the course.

I am grateful to read this...my students report each year that some of their biggest "ah-ha" moments come from their peers. I know I learn so much each year from my students; there's no way I can be the "sage on the stage" when we're all in this learning thing together!

While I agree it isn't the true meaning, nor the widely accepted meeting, however I think it is the reality for what teachers can do in the current structure. When transcripts, grade scales, grade books and class sizes are currently where they are, this is the compromise or baby step towards the largest goal.

I think there is a difference between the technical definition and the operational definition. When you read about innovative schools who do all kinds of things, the easy criticism is that they can do what we can't. There is truth there, but the reality is that we need to try to do what is best for all of our students regardless of the status quo, especially when the status quo isn't working at the highest level.

To his point, I think this statement is taken out of context to conflate tech and learning. Districts spend a lot of money on tech but not enough is done to change how teaching happens or tech pedagogy.

I believe this is the major gap. Many taking this course are already jumping in (or did a while ago) but I think we too often ignore where others are in relation to that change. There are still teachers who refuse to integrate anything but a few substitutions for what they have always done, instead of real change.

That's when teachers who believe in this change of learning need to use student work and proof of student motivation in order to get other teachers on board!

I would say, as educators, we fall into this trap when using technology. We need to look at what purpose the technology we are using is providing. Would it be more effective or simpler to understand without the newest technology? I'm not against technology, but sometimes we get so excited about what we found out on the internet that we don't keep an objective eye when choosing to implement it into our classrooms.

I think this connects well with the notion of dispositions - we need to create a system that supports learners who know how to learn - the whole candles to light instead of buckets to fill - but schools typically operate as bucket filling stations. A lot of students, families, and teachers need to support for this transition.

I completely agree - I HATE hearing the word 'cool' when a learning about a new resource or tool. Things being cool doesn't lead to learning or engagement.

I think this is the current status of innovative teaching and learning for a lot of teachers. Flipped = Engagement = Innovative = Personalized etc. Really though, I think the good intentions are there, but the time, energy and resources aren't to move beyond intentions for a critical mass.

This makes PL a tough sell - it isn't worth the time if it doesn't help the existing goals, but it isn't really PL if the goals are already defined.

I see a lot of SBG and SRG teachers explain how they can measure every discrete skill in an ELA standard with the right rubric, I feel that fits the cliche - seeing the forest through the trees. Every aspect of school can't be all or nothing - it is like the polar opposite of high stakes testing; a similar but different problem.

That's what I strive to do but the linear curriculum can really hold the teacher and student back.

How do we as teachers make sure that all students needs are met and that they are all able to gain the same amount of knowledge? I feel that there are so many different types of learners and sometimes as a teacher am overwhelmed by the different kinds of learns in my classroom. I struggle with how to meet each students needs to make sure I am doing my best as an educator.

I think an important piece is to help students (and parents) understand the type of learner they are. Students who know what works best for them (auditory, visual, reading silently and hearing it read out loud, etc.) can begin to take steps towards helping their learning and success.

I wonder if schools will ever start grouping students by learning type. For example, if there are 3 sections of second grade, one teacher might teach to the auditory learners, one the visual learners, and one the hands-on type.

I like the idea of grouping students by their learning styles. It would really hit that personalized learning. However, what would happen if there was an unbalanced separation in learning styles. Do you think that schools would accommodate or would it be too expensive? I see this working really well in both special educ classrooms and regular educ rooms.

I love this part of this text. As a kindergarten teacher, I believe it is important for students to have that exploration and discovery time in the classroom. They need to learn at a young age to be their own teachers. It has amazed me during our center time this past year what five and six year olds are able to discover and share with me!

Yes! I think this can work at any level for learners. Why would we want to limit a learner to stop at a certain point and not stretch themselves in a direction that will better them as a students. I believe this is where students discover their interests and strong points with a little bit of freedom.

This is a problem in itself when there is no funding to do this!