2008 Personal Learning Plans
An update
Student, Family, & School Planning: Personal Learning Plans
Click the links at the end of this section to see examples of Personal Learning Plans and Projects currently being developed.
Personal Learning
At Fitzroy High School students are not only involved in Inquiry and Toolbox sessions but also in Personal Learning. This is the most tangible representation of how what we have identified as 'essential learnings' has become embedded in our practice.
Personal Learning is a model for creating a collaborative framework that supports students' active participation in their learning. Personal Learning provides students a stake in their education, a vehicle for teachers to know students on a more personal level, and opportunities for families to be involved in their children's education. Personal Learning addresses the unique strengths, interests and priorities of students with the guidance and support of their teachers and families. The process is a valuable learning experience that teaches students to set goals, evaluate their work and take greater responsibility for their learning.
Much has been written about the importance of schools providing engaging and stimulating learning experiences, promoting a culture of life long learning and adding value to previous student learning and achievements. Fitzroy High School has adopted an approach to address these curriculum issues through the development of Personal Learning Plans and the provision of Personal Learning Time and structures for the achievement of individual learning goals.
Along with current demands of the school standards and curriculum, it is our belief that students should expect to find aspects of each school day meaningful, exciting and a reflection of their life outside of the classroom as well as within. Personal Learning gives students and their teachers an opportunity to ensure interesting and meaningful activities for every child. It provides a vehicle to involve and motivate learners, and support discussions with parents and carers giving a more holistic approach to student's education.
A major goal of the school is to help young people build the habits of taking responsibility for and directing their own learning, habits that will last long beyond high school and create better balanced adults, capable of meeting personal goals and managing their lives with confidence. Fitzroy High School works toward this goal by mentoring students with the advisor program and by requiring each student to take responsibility for their progress towards achieving the goals and targets as identified in their Personal Learning Plan. By giving children more say in their education, Personal Learning Plans improve pupils' self esteem and sense of involvement in their futures.
Personal Learning Plans provide a process to assess personal strengths, weaknesses and learning preferences, and establishing individual learning goals appropriate to individual abilities and qualities. It is about teaching our students how to learn, setting personal targets, recognising and monitoring progress. It is also about challenge and support, identifying areas of personal interest, securing independence and building self esteem.
Personal Learning Plans at Fitzroy High School address literacy, numeracy, social and scientific reasoning, artistic understanding and expression, well-being, organisation and management skills, information technology and languages other than English. Recognition is also given to out-of -school activities and their contribution to learning.
The development of personal learning plans and the concept of personal learning time have the power to refocus learning opportunities from those determined by the teacher or outside curriculum pressures to those determined by student need and interest. The teaching and learning opportunities become flexible, multi-layered and involve students and teachers learning together. This is becoming evident as teachers at FHS increasingly recognize the need to undertake professional development to deepen their expertise in a range of areas which broaden their understanding of the teaching and learning process, including assessment and reporting. The school has also introduced the lesson study approach to focus on recognizing productive pedagogy, to inform effective teaching and learning and to develop teacher professional learning plans.
Significant change to teaching practice and thinking also comes from the use of a variety of data sets to inform teaching and learning. For personal learning to be effective, teachers must know students as learners and as individuals. Data from a variety of sources over time provides an objective reference point to determine student need and to evaluate student attainment.
Co-development of personal learning plans with families and carers to determine learning priorities is an area which provides a powerful learning opportunity for teachers. 3 way, parent-student-teacher, interviews provide a platform to begin the process as parents provide input regarding their child's perceived strengths, areas of improvement, needs and interests. In one-on-one sessions, students and teachers also engage in valuable and insightful conversation where students reflect on their learning and suggest areas for development. Working in partnership with students and their families both challenges teachers thinking and practice and provides fertile ground for change. Personal learning changes the emphasis from teacher as instructor to teacher as mentor, guide and learning facilitator.
Stages in the development and implementation of Personal Learning Plans
1. Develop Plan
Students begin the process of developing their personal learning plans through a process of self-discovery. This occurs in the first year of their entry into the school. The Progress File enables students to get started by examining what they have achieved and what constitutes evidence of achievement, their strengths and interests, what they have learned and how they learn best, examining their skills and personal qualities - especially those that assist their learning.
Students negotiate their personal learning plan in conjunction with their parents or carers and their Advisory teacher. Areas of improvement, opportunities for extension and personal interests are identified and a series of goals and targets developed. The personal learning plan makes connections between in-school learning and learning outside the school that supports identified goals.
Personal learning plans have several components. Given these basic components, each advisory teacher works with the student and parents to tailor the plan to the needs of the student.
The basic components of personal learning plans are:
• Student's strength, interests, and needs
• Student's priorities, goals and targets, to be addressed during the school year
• Potential home, school and community projects or learning activities through which the student can address his/her priorities which build upon on the student's strengths and address the student's interests
• Opportunities for home, school and community collaboration
• Strategies for assessing the student's progress in completing the activities set forth in the plan.
2. Decide activity focus
Students develop a personal project which addressing a number of goals and targets as identified in their Personal Learning Plan. The project with the associated goals is agreed to by the student and teacher. The project focuses on specific, achievable learning outcomes and is monitored and reviewed by the student and teacher. The activity phase is designed to promote engaged, purposeful learning.
3. Use learning time
To be effective, personal learning plans need to be embedded in the learning process. Students negotiate a personal learning project that meets several of their goals and allows them to meet multiple targets. The project, or parts of the project, may be undertaken during Personal Learning Time, Team Inquiry or Toolbox sessions (see timetable). The planning documents become vital to organize and maximize student learning time and provide access to teachers and resources.
4. Documentation and Demonstration
Student achievement and educational experience through the personal learning process is demonstrated and documented. Tools are provided to enable self-responsibility and ownership - these include planners, record sheets, evidence records and display folders.
5. Review and revise
It is important that Personal Learning Plans be underpinned by formative assessment strategies which allow for continuous reforming of goals and targets. The Plans must be flexible enough to encourage teachers, parents and students to include achievement in the widest possible sense. Students are encouraged to reflect on their weekly progress and use of personal learning time. A minor review of the Personal Learning Plan is undertaken half-yearly where student achievement is monitored and recorded formally in their plans. New goals and targets also may be formulated at this stage. At the start of the year, the previous year's plan is reviewed, achievements recorded and new goals, targets and strategies formed.
In the review process, it is important to understanding the tasks undertaken to achieve goals and the associated learning outcomes, to identifying criteria for success, to recognise the completion of tasks, to review the task against the criteria for success and to identify the next steps towards improvement.
The school and class organization at Fitzroy High School supports personal learning in a number of ways. The timetable structure of 3 blocks per day allows time for in depth learning to occur, the arrangement of students and teachers into multi-age teams and Advisory Groups allows for flexibility in the delivery of programs and supports the development of positive relationships, small groups of teachers working with teams of students allows for much greater knowledge and understanding of each student's learning needs, the curriculum arrangement of Team Inquiry, Toolbox and Personal Learning provides flexibility in the delivery of targeted learning opportunities for students.
Related Files
Personal Learning Plan Cycle
Year 7 & 8 Personal Learning Plan Example
Year 9 & 10 Personal Learning Plan
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