INTRODUCTION TO LEARNING
Student Learning Profile and Goals for the Year
Explanation of This Assignment
Students complete this assignment at the beginning of the year. Part 1 is the “Student Learning Profile” which is an inventory of key issues that effect student learning. At Hilldale School in the beginning of sixth grade, students wrote about their learning by answering specific questions. Then, they made updates to their answers at the end of each semester to map their progress from sixth to eighth grade. In Part 2, the students map out their personal “Learning Goals for the Year” in each of their subject areas and record their progress at the end of each semester.
The document below is the work of an eighth grader. I cut out the student’s goals for all classes except humanities so that I don’t overwhelm the reader. This student’s final document from grades 6 to 8 was 76 pages long. This version is still quite lengthy, but this very thorough student gives you great insight into the learning process she went through and illustrates how my program of study encourages students to take charge of their own learning. Setting goals and reflecting on your progress is a key part of doing that.
Note that there is a section where parents are asked to add their thoughts to the document at the beginning and end of the year. The document is a dialogue about the student’s learning between the student, his or her parents, and the teacher.
Explanation of This Assignment
Students complete this assignment at the beginning of the year. Part 1 is the “Student Learning Profile” which is an inventory of key issues that effect student learning. At Hilldale School in the beginning of sixth grade, students wrote about their learning by answering specific questions. Then, they made updates to their answers at the end of each semester to map their progress from sixth to eighth grade. In Part 2, the students map out their personal “Learning Goals for the Year” in each of their subject areas and record their progress at the end of each semester.
The document below is the work of an eighth grader. I cut out the student’s goals for all classes except humanities so that I don’t overwhelm the reader. This student’s final document from grades 6 to 8 was 76 pages long. This version is still quite lengthy, but this very thorough student gives you great insight into the learning process she went through and illustrates how my program of study encourages students to take charge of their own learning. Setting goals and reflecting on your progress is a key part of doing that.
Note that there is a section where parents are asked to add their thoughts to the document at the beginning and end of the year. The document is a dialogue about the student’s learning between the student, his or her parents, and the teacher.
Key Understandings About Learning
This handout shows the key topics I explore we new students to introduce them to the topic of learning and intelligence. Below are charts that summarize the key concept of the fixed and growth mind-sets; this conceptualization helps many students to better understand how to be an effective learner.
Intelligence and Learning: Study Questions
These questions provide an outline of some of the key topics we explore in our study Introduction to Intelligence and Learning.
