Students at the Center
Fairport Harbor Schools Personalized Learning Initative
It's a NEW YEAR!
Welcome to the 2019-2020 school year! I am incredibly excited to be taking on a brand new role this year for the Fairport Harbor Schools as the Personalized Learning Coordinator! I will remain in my role as Director of Pupil-Personnel and also help to guide the expansion of Personalized Learning (PL) through out the middle School and high school. Over the last several years, I have spent time learning about the power of Personalization and how it can improve teaching and learning throughout our school district.
The vision of PL is to ensure that every student is at the CENTER of his or her learning. Curriculum becomes relevant to our students when instruction is aligned to their individual talents and interests. This year our grant will focus on developing our Personalized Learning model at the 8th grade level. You will see this listed on your child's schedule as "Personalized Learning Cohort". This will include flexible time, space, and teacher roles that adapt to the needs of students through the use of technology and flexible learning structures. (Rather than being a fixed,"one size fits all" approach). During PL time, students move at their own pace and receive credit when they demonstrate mastery of learning targets at each new level. Students exercise voice and choice in their learning and co-create personal academic profiles and learning plans focused on their interests, goals, and learning challenges. All the student work in a PL environment is standards-aligned and includes project- and community-based learning, with multiple opportunities to demonstrate what they know and are able to do.
During my tenure in the district, we have acquired well over a million dollars in funding to support our change initiatives. In the role of Personalized Learning Coordinator, I will work to obtain further funding for the innovative programs in Fairport Harbor. As PL grows in popularity across the nation and in Ohio, we are poised to become a leader in this area. PL embodies current educational theory and we believe that it is better for kids than more traditional models. In order to meet the needs of today's learner, we must provide multiple access points to the curriculum to increase engagement and success! PL is the framework for this individualized learning.
I believe strongly in the vision of this school district and have dedicated my career to the success of Fairport Harbor. I am excited to grow professionally and to help transition Harding into a nationally renowned Personalized Learning Community!! I will be sharing our Personalized Learning Journey in several ways. Please subscribe to this newsletter and look for our PL Website Launch to follow shortly!
The Future is Bright!!
What Does Personalized Learning Mean for Students?
Personalized learning means that each student will have his/her learning needs met. PL classrooms may look and feel different for today’s students than they did when their parents were in school, but students are likely to understand the changes.
Students are excited about personalized learning for these reasons:
- Students have a say in their learning.
- The individual needs of each student are met, so each student is successful.
- Students have a clear understanding of their learning goals and know how to achieve them.
- Students get to make choices about how they “show what they know.”
- Students get the support they need when they are challenged by a concept.
- Students get the encouragement they need when they are ready to move forward.
What Does Personalized Learning Mean For Teachers?
Good teachers have always attempted to match their teaching to the unique needs of each student—by offering options to dig deeper into an assignment for advanced learners or by offering additional support or a modified assignment to struggling learners. In personalized learning models, teacher professional expertise is valued and respected. In fact, many teachers explain that one of the biggest benefits of personalized learning is that they can “get back to the reason I became a teacher.”
Teachers are excited about personalized learning for these reasons:
- Teachers form stronger relationships with students because they get to spend more time getting to know them and their strengths, goals and interests.
- Teachers focus on research around how students learn best.
- Teachers have more time each day where they can communicate and collaborate with one another, asking questions and figuring out what’s working and not working.
- Teachers get to be more creative in how they design curriculum and instruction.
- Teachers get more time working individually and in small groups with students.
- Teachers spend less time preparing students for high-stakes tests and more time acting as guides and mentors to students as they are learning.
- Teachers get to help students to better understand themselves and their goals for the future.
- Teachers have more opportunities to develop their own skills as teachers and to work in collaboration with other teachers.
Read the full article here! Getting Smart: What Does Personalized Learning mean for teachers?
Contact Us About Personalized Learning
Jennifer Polak
Personalized Learning Coordinator
Director of Pupil-Personnel
Email: jpolak@fhevs.org
Website: www.fhevs.org
Location: 329 Vine Street, Fairport Harbor, OH, USA
Phone: 440-354-5400
Twitter: @principalpolak
The PL Newsletter
The purpose of this newsletter is to help build a district-wide understanding about Personalized Learning and why it's good for the students of Fairport Harbor! I will be sharing our journey in many ways- you can choose the method that's best for you. Subscribe to my newsletter, follow me on Twitter, LIKE our district Facebook page or check out our new Personalized Learning Google Site COMING SOON!!!