What is Self-Directed Schooling?
Self-Directed Schooling redefines what it means 'to learn'
from a PASSIVE to an ACTIVE experience.
Balancing Efficiency and Autonomy.
The traditional model is focused on consistent rate of learning, regardless of an individual's interest or development.
This places students in a position where compliance (task completion) becomes equally, if not more, important than conceptual mastery of topics.
Some students find interest in mandated topics and have the support and guidance to balance compliance and mastery over time.
However, too many students come to rely so heavily on compliance that conceptual mastery is no longer their focus for learning.
The self-directed model promotes a stronger sense of autonomy in contrast to the traditional compliance-based model.
Learning is focused on metacognition and collaboration more than it is on required content. Students are mentored socially and emotionally as they choose to learn based on both interest and a range of developmentally appropriate skill and concept progressions.
Assessment of learning is based on student communication of topic mastery and is translated to a standards-based reporting structure to guide student-teacher monitoring of skill and concept progressions.
Benefits of Self-Directed Schooling:
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Use existing school structures
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Maintain existing services to community
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Improve existing academic philosophy
