Developing Independent Learners

Meeting aims:• Consider schedule for working

party• Collaborate ideas for

classroom posters/ definitions to assist pupils to understand how to be an independent learner

Suggested TT Schedule for working party meetings

1. 11th September: Decide upon pupil-friendly definitions of what an ‘independent learner’ is. Create posters of generic tips/ prompts to assist learners to understand how they can demonstrate independent skills in the classroom. (to be distributed for use around the school)

2. 6th November: How can pupils demonstrate independent learning skills in your lesson? Create subject-specific guidance for pupils.

• 4th December: Teaching tools: how can I present opportunities for pupils to show independent skills? Collaborate ideas.

• 12th February: Building independent learning tasks into our lesson plans.

• 12th March: The Agile Teacher and the Agile Pupil

• 14th May: Sharing good practice: what has worked well? What barriers have there been and how can they be overcome?

Is there anything else you would like to do in the working party sessions? Please let me know so I can adapt the schedule to suit all and the needs of the school.

“HOW DO YOU SPELL….?”

“SHALL I UNDERLINE THE DATE?

“CAN I WRITE IN BLUE PEN?”

“WHAT ARE WE DOING? I DON’T GET IT.”

“WHAT’S MY TARGET?”

Why bother?

• OFSTED says we must “develop independent learning skills” in our students.

• Staff working harder than pupils – too much ‘spoon-feeding.’

• Quest for independent, life-long learners• Behaviour/ motivational issues• Shift of thinking from ‘what’ to ‘how’ we learn

– transferable skills

What is an independent learner?

• Write your own definition.

• Is it pupil-friendly? If not try to re-phrase it.

Top-Tips for pupils

• What generic suggestions can we make to pupils to demonstrate independent learning in the classroom?

Compile a list which can be made into a poster and laminated for classrooms.