Independent Learning Workshop

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Independent Learning Workshop

• June 2007

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Workshop outcomes

• To discuss the issues surrounding IL
• To consider some strategies for effective
  learning
• To explore the concept of developing learner
  resilience
• To look at coaching as a tool for parents
  assisting with IL

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Flow

• The things we learn best are those that capture
  our interestthat provide a challenge without
  being stressful, that we feel capable of
  achieving without becoming bored.
• A famous psychologist (with an impossible name)
  calls this Flow

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• Csikszentmihalyi writes about the optimal
  conditions of learning once we have achieved
  these we lose track of time and become completely
  absorbed in the task.
• This is what we want our children to
  experience.the joy of doing a task for its own
  sakeand the pride we feel when weve done it to
  the best of our ability.

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How do we achieve Flow?

• We need to know why were doing the task, and
  what we might learn from it.
• We need to know what a successful outcome might
  look like.
• We need to have the right conditions for
  absorption in the task equipment handy, time
  and space to work
• We need a sense that the task will challenge us
  but that it is achievable with effort.

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Learning Dialogues

• Did you have a good day at school love?
• Hmmm
• What did you do?
• Nothing.
• Sound familiar?

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Problems with Homework at Secondary School

• Parents can sometimes feel out of touch with the
  methods used in school.
• Children want to be independentthey dont want
  an adult breathing down their neck, or checking
  up on them.
• When they do ask for help, there is a dilemma
  about how much and what sort of help to give.
  Everyone gets cross with each other

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Helping with IL

• Helping your child with their Independent
  Learning is about teaching them the skills they
  need to become a successful learner.
• You dont need to be an expert in any given
  subject area to be able to do thisyou just need
  to know the right questions to ask.

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Why Coaching Could Help

• Coaching is about asking the right questions to
  facilitate learning - it prompts learners to find
  the answers for themselves.
• Coaching allows parents to be actively involved
  in their childs learning without needing to be
  an expert in a specific field.
• It promotes a positive learning dialogue.
• It helps the learner to develop resilience.

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3 Homework Tasks

• Please choose the task you would feel most
  confident about doing yourself and sit in the
  following area
• Pot Plant Draw a pencil sketch of the plant,
  using shading techniques
• Sudoku Complete the following sheet of Maths
  puzzles
• Book Write an opening chapter for a terrifying
  story

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Now that you are out of your comfort zone think
about

• How do you feel about having to begin this task?
• How motivated are you to begin it?
• What might help you to get started?
• How confident do you feel about your ability to
  complete the task?
• In your group, discuss these questions and write
  down your responses.

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Building Learning Power

• Guy Claxton talks about the tools that students
  need to become effective learners. These are
• Resilience - Absorption, managing distractions,
  noticing, perseverance.
• Resourcefulness - Questioning, making links,
  imagining, reasoning, capitalising.
• Reflection Planning, revising, distilling,
  meta-learning.
• Reciprocity Interdependence, collaboration,
  empathy and listening, imitation.

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Resilience

• This is about being able to enjoy the challenge
  that learning brings, without being scared of
  failure.
• The resilient learner knows that mistakes are an
  important part of learning.
• Its about being tuned in to learningbeing
  willing to get involved.
• A resilient learner can become absorbed in a task
  despite barriers to learning and environmental
  distractions.

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• It doesnt help a child to tackle a difficult
  task if they succeed consistently on an easy one.
  It doesnt teach them to persist in the face of
  obstacles if obstacles are always eliminated.
  .What children learn best from are slightly
  difficult tasks which they have to struggle
  through. Knowing they can cope with difficulties
  is what makes children seek challenges and
  overcome further problems.
• (Carol Dweck cited in Claxton, 2002.)

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• In her studies, Dweck found that the children who
  experience difficulties in their learning are
  often more resilient learners than those who
  typically find learning easy. Academically
  bright children are more likely to give up when
  something is difficult because they are not used
  to struggling.

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What about your resilience??

• In the face of these taskswhat is dissolving
  your own resilience?
• Record your own thoughts or share with the group
• What might help you to build resilience and have
  a go?
• Write an encouraging statement that youd like
  to hear on a post-it note. (Not including You
  dont really have to do this task!)

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Now that youve considered your own feelings

• What barriers does your child encounter when s/he
  attempts a difficult task?
• How might these barriers undermine his/her
  resilience??

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• Many young people believe that trying hard is a
  bad thing its not very coolyou wouldnt want
  to be a Keener
• Our modern culture celebrates celebrity,
  overnight success and easy moneywhat does that
  tell our children about hard work? That its
  sad? A sign of failure?

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• I often ask young people to talk about the people
  they admire and would like to bewe discuss what
  that person had to do to get to where they are
  today
• How many times has David Beckham missed the goal?
  
• How many thousands of hours worth of practice
  does it take to become a musician or professional
  football player? Are they sad because they
  tried hard?

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Fixed Mindset

• If we believe that our intelligence is fixed and
  that if we have SEN then it cant be fixed very
  high.then what is the point of trying too hard?
  We can only achieve so much and effort only leads
  to disappointment and failure.
• Fixed Mindset thinking is based on the idea that
  the brain is a containeritll only hold so much,
  according to how big a brain youve been given!

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• Do you ever find yourself saying to your child,
  I cant do that I was never any good at it,
  youre just like I was when I was at school.
• What message does this give? That theres not
  much point trying really

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Growth Mindset

• We need to remind learners that their brains are
  balloons.capable of storing all sorts of amazing
  pieces of information.
• The harder they work on developing their skills,
  the more rewards they will receivethe more
  enjoyment they will get out of learning.
• I found that difficult too when I was at school
  but talking things through with my teacher /
  asking a friend / taking time to think about the
  problem quietly helped me

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Learning isnt just about school

• Talking openly about the mistakes we make as
  adults, and the lessons we learn from them,
  teaches our children not to be afraid to ask
  questions or try something new.
• A positive learning dialogue is a two-way thing
  be prepared to discuss your learning journey and
  take advice. There is nothing so empowering to a
  young person than being listened to!

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Transferring Success

• Most people know what it feels like to be
  successful in at least one area of learning
  sport, art, music, socialising, computer games,
  cooking
• This experience of successful flow of learning
  can be transferred to other areas that the
  student feels less confident about.

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In what areas does your child display effective
independent learning skills?

• Skateboarding? /Socialising? /Creating Web pages?
• If your child has ever persevered in the face of
  difficulty or initial failure.then they have
  displayed learner resilience. They know its ok
  to get things wrong and they have an interest in
  continuing in order to improve their skills.

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Transferring strengths to develop learning courage

• List your childs learning strengthsthink about
  the things they enjoy doing.
• Think about how these strengths might be
  transferred to other areas of learning. Consider
  how this might help you to develop a positive
  learning dialogue to develop your childs
  learning courage and stamina.

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The Coaching Grid

• In pairs, take on the role of coach and
  studenteither from your own point of view or
  imagining you are your son/daughter.
• You can use one of the homework tasks set
  tonight, draw from a recent experience of a
  learning conversation or discuss a learning
  dilemma of your own.

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Discussion

• What might be the benefits of this type of
  conversation?
• What might prevent this approach from working?
• How might these difficulties be avoided?

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Feedback

• If you are willing to take part in my study,
  please try the learning grid with your son/
  daughter for the next fortnight.
• You can use the grid to record the conversations
  you have had and any questions or problems.
• When you have completed the trial, fill in the
  second questionnaire and return it to me at
  school.
• Thank you!