SELF-DIRECTED SCHOOLING
Preparing for Change
What tools, resources, and supports are necessary for this approach?
Planning and Motivation
There are many facets to change management and professional development. Take a look at a few past articles exploring core principles and practices in support of a Self-Directed Schooling approach to education.
Academics comes first.
Shift to a Competency-Based Model to clarify and align expectations for academic mastery.
A schooling system must first have a clear and accessible framework for what, when, how, and why learning happens.
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Principles & Practices of CBE
Competency-Based Education (CBE) is based on many principles and practices.
Mastery Learning
Aligning standards, assessments, grading, and reporting.
Student Empowerment
Managing agency and autonomy as part of the learning process.
Culture & Values
Redefining roles & responsibilities of both staff and students.
Behavior Is Next.
Work on Social-Emotional Character Development for both staff and students.
Reshaping a shared understanding of Culture and Values in a school community requires reflection by staff and students on expectations for behaviors that align with changes to expectations for academic mastery.
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Principles & Practices of
Social-Emotional Character Development
SELF
The SELF domain of SECD emphasizes self-awareness and self-regulation, promoting personal responsibility and encouraging students to reflect on their decision-making processes.
SOCIAL
The SOCIAL domain emphasizes building positive relationships and communication skills among peers, encouraging empathy and cooperation via collaborative peer-based learning.
SOCIETAL
In the SOCIETAL domain, SECD motivates students to engage in civic responsibility and social justice through service-learning projects, fostering a commitment to the common good.
Cognition develops in stages.
Using a Metacognitive Constructivist approach can support a "Developmental Mindset" that increases ongoing academic and behavioral student success.
Teachers understand their role is not just to teach content, but to nurture and guide students as developing humans -- this looks different at each stage of development.