Create Learner Profiles

Have learners reflect on who they are as learners– their strengths, interests, goals, needs, and how they learn best. These Learner Profiles can help learners become more self-aware, while teachers can use it to adjust learning experiences to leverage each student’s strengths and interests and better meet their needs. Some of the these profiles can take the form of visuals, resumes, brochures, a letter to a teacher or just a document with text. The process begins with supporting students in understanding themselves but goes further to have them reflect on how they would describe themselves in the learning community and how they learn best. These plans can be created at the beginning of the year and reflected on and updated throughout the year.

To connect to larger college and career goals, these Learner Profiles can turn into Personalized Learning Plans (sometimes called Individualized Learning Plans) which go further to outline long-term goals and create plans around what coursework to take and internships or other programs to take part in to reach those goals.

Bright Spots

Gain inspiration from authentic examples of this strategy shared by teachers who have used them with their learners.

Creating your own Bright Spots? Let’s get them out into the world! Share yours here.

Student Resumes

Students at VIDA in Vista Unified, CA create 8th-grade resumes summarizing their strengths and interests

Learner Portrait Examples

Learner Portrait Prompts

Katie Martin shares prompts for students to consider as they create their Learner Portrait in her book Evolving Education

Unit Based Personalized Learning Plan

Source: The Learning Accelerator

At CICS West Belden, students create personalized learning plans for each unit based on the essential standards for the unit and their personal learning preferences and needs. Students use the document to plan their learning path, similar to a playlist. You can hear a teacher describe this process and learn more here.