Episode description
In this episode, Jeffrey Bradbury interviews Eric Sheninger and Nicki Slaugh, authors of the book 'Personalize: Meeting the Needs of All Learners.' They discuss the importance of personalized learning and how to implement it in schools. They emphasize the need to identify each student as an individual and provide experiences that are engaging and challenging at their own level. They also highlight the significance of celebrating student wins and creating a culture of personalization. The conversation explores the concept of starting with your 'why' and empowering both students and staff. Eric and Nicki share their experiences and strategies for implementing personalized learning in their schools. The conversation focuses on the theme of personalization in education and the importance of creating a culture that meets the needs of all learners. Nikki Slaugh, a principal, shares her experiences in transforming her school to a personalized learning environment. She discusses the implementation of a mastery tracker and mastery minutes, which allow students to set goals and receive additional support as needed. The conversation also emphasizes the role of leadership in creating a culture of personalization, including providing time for collaboration and professional learning. The importance of feedback, accountability, and building relationships is highlighted. The journey of personalization is described as a continuous process of improvement and adaptation. If you are a new listener to TeacherCast, we would love to hear from you. Please visit our Contact Page and let us know how we can help you today! In This Episode …- Establishing a culture for personalization (risk-taking, collaboration, feedback, professional learning)
- Purposeful use of tech aligned to high-level thinking and relevance
- Use of high-agency strategies (voice, choice, path, pace, place)
- Data and AI-enhanced teaching & learning
- Establishment of relationships
Conversation Takeaways
- Personalized learning involves identifying each student as an individual and providing experiences that are engaging and challenging at their own level.
- Celebrating student wins is important for building confidence and creating a culture of personalization.
- Starting with your 'why' is crucial for both staff and students to understand the purpose and value of personalized learning.
- Empowering students and staff involves giving them voice, choice, and leadership opportunities in the learning process.
- Personalized learning is not about putting every student on a device, but about building relationships, relevance, and maximizing learning time.
- Removing points and grades can help shift the focus from accumulation to actual learning and mastery of skills.
- Effective implementation of personalized learning requires a shift in mindset, a focus on student agency, and a commitment to continuous improvement.
- Personalized learning is about unlocking the potential of every student and providing tiered supports to meet their individual needs.
- The role of leaders is to create a culture of personalization, lead by example, and provide support and resources for teachers to design personalized practices.
- Personalized learning is a journey that requires ongoing reflection, adaptation, and collaboration. Personalization in education involves creating a culture that meets the needs of all learners.
- Implementing tools like mastery trackers and mastery minutes can help students set goals and receive additional support as needed.
- Leadership plays a crucial role in creating a culture of personalization, including providing time for collaboration and professional learning.
- Feedback,...