Personalized Learning Plans
September 8, 2015
What is a Personalized Learning Plan????
Step 1: Student Profile
The Profile will include the following things:
- Questions & Answers: Who are you? How do you like to learn? What are your likes & dislikes? Future plans?
- Interest Surveys to help determine your future, especially educationally: Myers-Briggs, etc.
- Strengths & Challenges: all about you!!
Step 2: Identifying Your Goals
What goals do you have for yourself (personal)? What goals do you have after you finish your schooling?
With the help of a teacher or counselor, you'll work through questions (similar to below) to help determine and identify your goals:
- What do I want to accomplish?
- Am I willing and able to work toward this goal?
- How will I know when it is accomplished?
- What is my timeframe for accomplishing this goal?
Step 3: Plan
This PLP will map out your academic plan based on your responses, as well as common learning goals of your fellow students.
When creating your plan, use guiding questions such as the ones below:
- What learning expectations are common for every student at my school?
- Where do I have choice in course selection?
- How might various activities help me meet both my goals and common learning expectations at the same time?
- How might learning experiences outside of my school help me meet common learning expectations and/or my goals?
- How will I know if I have been successful at following my plan?
- When will I have the opportunity to adjust my plan if things change?
Remember, your PLP is a "living document" and it is a guide to help you reach your goals! It can be changed/altered at any time, especially as your interests change!
Step 4: Do
Remember to always keep in mind your goals. What are you trying to achieve? Continually refer back to your plan to see if you are on target OR if you need to make adjustments.
Also, keep communication flowing between your parents, teachers, and counselors as they are their to support you and the achievement of your plan.
Step 5: Assess
Reminder: if you've met a goal or if you're on the way to meeting a goal, you'll need evidence to show that you have achieved it!
How can assessing be done? Self-Assessment; Family Discussions; Staff (Teachers & Counselors) Discussions; Peer Talks (Talk with Your Friends)
Examples of Questions to Consider While Assessing:
- Which goals have I met?
- How do I know that I’ve accomplished my goal or am making progress?
- Where in my academic plan am I feeling challenged?
- How do I know that I am challenged?
- What kinds of information do I need to show that I have made progress?
- How will I display or share this information with others?
Step 6: Reflect
If you don't reflect, then how do you know how to proceed forward???
Formal Reflections: Journal, Dialogue, Presentation, Video - the ultimate thing to remember is to be able to show what you've learned and accomplished!
Guiding Questions to Help You Through the Reflection Process:
- What did I learn from the assessment portion of the Personalized Learning Plan process? What have I learned about myself thus far?
- What went well? How do I know?
- What do I wish had gone differently?
- What did I have control over?
- What do I better understand about my own learning and goal setting?
- Was there any unexpected learning? What was it?
- How could I use this experience to revise and/or make my next plan?
Step 7: Revise
Secondly, a formal revision occurs yearly.
Why do revisions occur?
They occur because of your reflection, BUT also because of your interests, goals, circumstances (life) have happened. Revision or change shows growth!
Who's involved?
- You!
- Your parents
- Teachers
- Counselors
When you make changes to your PLP, you MUST document the revisions AND the reasons for the revisions!
Guiding Questions for the Revision Process:
- In looking at my reflection, what has encouraged me to change my goal?
- What level of effort did I put into meeting my previous goals and actions?
- Were my goals realistic given my motivation and effort?
- How are my new goals more in line with my future plans?