FAQs Archive

Q: How do I help others teachers or administrators to see the importance of shifting the paradigm?

The best way to do this is to show students’ improved learning and engagement and even get the students talking to the admin and district about how learner-centered education changes their lives.

Q: What advice do you have for learner-centered teachers in more traditional school environments?

Take small steps in your practice. It is easy to take one thing you do and transform it into a more learner-centered practice. When comfortable, add another and another. Baby steps turn into much larger steps. You can read more about this here as Katie Martin goes into what this might look like in The Evolving Role of the Educator.

Q: What does “learner-centered” mean?

Being learner-centered means you put learners at the center of school decision-making, instruction, policy, and structure. Discovering their strengths and weaknesses, their interests and their passions becomes a vital part of the learning process. A learner-centered approach taps into the learner to reach and actualize their full potential.

Q: What does it mean to partner with Learner-Centered Collaborative?

Through our strategic and evidence-based offerings, we meet schools and districts where they are on the continuum toward learner-centered education. Our approach provides our partners with practice-embedded professional learning specifically designed to put learners first. Learn more about collaborating with us.

Q: What is the learner-centered approach?

Beginning with whole-child outcomes, intentionally designing learning experiences that nurture those outcomes, and thoughtfully creating the enabling conditions that will support educators in creating the learning experiences that lead to those outcomes. Take a deeper look at our learner-centered framework for more information.

Q: How do you define learner agency?

Agency is the power to act. Learner agency simply describes the ability of a learner to make decisions, influence, co-construct, or even self-direct their own learning based on their strengths, interest, and needs. Agency is fueled by self-reflection. Rachel Riggio shares 3 actionable ways you can get started right away fostering learner agency in the classroom.

Q: What does learner agency look like in a learner-centered classroom?

Agency looks like students making decisions about their learning. In this environment, students are up and moving, collaborating, questioning, and making mistakes. Student agency in a classroom looks like learning grounded in choice and ownership. Get a better look at learner agency in this case study: " Fostering Learner Agency in a 3rd Grade Classroom "

Q: What does learner-centered assessment look like?

The purpose of traditional assessment is often to sort and rank students, whereas learner-centered assessment illuminates the learner’s next steps. When applying a learner-centered approach, assessment becomes less about determining what a student can’t do, growing into an opportunity for students to show what they do know and can do. Read more about learner-centered assessment here: Uncovering the True Purpose of Assessment

Q: How can a school or district shift to a learner-centered approach and still meet standardized testing expectations?

A learner-centered approach does not mean you no longer teach core skills like reading and math. In fact, a learner-centered approach goes well beyond the assessment into deeper learning and application. The assessment becomes much easier for the learner as the learning becomes deeper and more meaningful. If you like to read a little more on this, Devin Vodicka goes deeper into the role of standardized testing here: " How to Test Less "