The 7 Elements of Learner Agency These 7 elements contribute to learner agency: voice, choice, engagement, motivation, ownership, purpose, and self-efficacy. We arrived at these elements to define …

At the end of October 2018, the IB's Primary Year's Programme released the much-anticipated new digital resource, "PYP: From principles into practice" (available on My IB's Programme Resource Centre). This digital document helps educators working in PYP schools better understand the PYP's framework for international education, full of the PYP enhancements. Reading through this new document and exploring the teacher support materials will be an essential first step in deepening PYP teachers' understanding of the enhanced PYP. When I hear, read or experience something for the first time, if I have the chance to create something, I find I understand the new content better. To better understand the contents of "PYP: From principles into practice", I thought it would be a good idea to create digital content in response to what I read. To begin, I read the first section of the new digital resource on Learner Agency (IB, 2018). Afterward, I created different forms of digital content, using different digital media to synthesize my understanding of what I read. I ended up created 7 different digital products: a voice-over screencast, a podcast, a vlog, an infographic, a mindmap, a presentation, and a blog post. All the same content, just presented in different ways. Thumbnails and links of each are below, along with notes about what digital tool I used to create each. Creating these gave me the opportunity to explore ideas about learner agency and in sharing them with you, I hope you're able to grow in your understanding of learner agency, a new term, yet familiar concept to the PYP. Voice-over screencast created using Google Slides & Screencastify Podcast created using Anchor.fm Vlog (Video blog) created using Flipgrid Infographic created using Google Draw Mindmap created using Creately Presentation created using Google Slides Blog post created using Blogger After reading different sections of the new digital resource and exploring the teacher support materials, "PYP: From principles into practice", what will you create?

Implementing Learner agency Learner Agency is basically when our students have ownership of their own learning and action that comes from that learning.This student-friendly poster contains both coloured and black in white sets of PYP Learner agency poster ( colour and black in white option) Voice ...

It is the start of the school year and you have been preparing to have your assigned children enter your classroom. You have so many questions about them but one you may have not thought about is: …

Learner Agency isn't a new concept in the Primary Years Programme (PYP). Those of us who have been teaching in the PYP for some time might not recognize the word "agency" but the idea of centering learning and teaching around learner voice, choice & ownership is one that we should all be familiar with. from "Learner Agency" a section from "The Learner" in "PYP: From Principles Into Practice" Learner agency can be remembered as "voice, choice and ownership" which Bandura says "enable[s] people to play a part in their self-development, adaption, and self-renewal with changing times" (in Learner Agency, IB 2018). The idea of agency is closely connected to self-efficacy, a belief in one's own ability to succeed. When learners believe in themselves and have a strong sense of identity, they are more likely to exercise agency. When students are agentive, they: Take initiative, responsibility & ownership Express interest Make choices Are aware of their own learning goals Monitor and adjust their learning Voice opinions Influence and direct their own learning Develop approaches to learning & dispositions They also work collaboratively with teachers to: Make decisions together Create shared agreements Create shared routines Set up learning spaces Reflect together It is important to recognize that teachers cannot give learners agency, but rather they can create opportunities in which learners can exercise agency. They can do this by: Working in partnership, building relationship Actively listening Respecting and responding to learner ideas Noticing learners’ capabilities, needs and interests Reflecting on when students need help, intervening & giving feedback Establishing a welcoming culture Modeling desired behavior and language So what should PYP schools be doing, now that there is an increased emphasis on learner agency in the PYP? If you walked into a PYP that is dedicated and focused on giving students the chance you exercise learner agency, you would see: Students and teachers collaboratively creating learning engagements and assessments. Students setting learning goals and monitoring progress. Students fostering their own belief in themselves and their own ability to succeed. Students being active, engaged participants in thinking and learning. After reading the Learner Agency section of the IB document "PYP: From Principles Into Practice", I'm inspired to take ACTION! I will ADVOCATE for learner agency in my school by Modeling what learner agency looks like for teachers during PD Celebrating agentive learning when I see it by documenting it through pictures and videos on Twitter Asking reflective questions in situations when learners are not exercising agency The question is, now that you know more about what learner agency is, how it is connected with self-efficacy and what teachers can do to provide students opportunities to exercise agency, WHAT DO YOU FEEL INSPIRED TO DO?

In my school district we adopted the five learning beliefs from Education Reimagined to help drive our district vision: competency-based; personalized, relevant & contextualized; learner agency; socially embedded; open-walled. In working with these five beliefs, we must (1) have a clear understanding of what they mean, and (2) be equipped with explicit strategies to make them a reality. Otherwise, a vision is not much more than words on paper. That being said, here’s the Education Reimagined definition of learner agency: Learning that is characterized by learning agency recognizes learners as active participants in their own learning and engages them in

Some of my earliest frustrations with TAB stemmed from giving students too much freedom when they weren't ready and didn't have en...

Updated Continuum of Ownership https://t.co/utboQtonOI with graphic by @sylviaduckworth and updated content to show that it takes time to move from #compliance to #autonomy. When learners pursue their #passion, they discover their #purpose. #agency #motivation

Learner Choice, Learner Voice offers fresh, forward-thinking supports for teachers creating an empowered, student-centered classroom. Learner agency is a major topic in today's schools, but what does it mean in practice, and how do these practices give students skills and opportunities they will need to thrive as citizens, parents, and workers in our ever-shifting climate? Showcasing authentic activities and classrooms, this book is full of diverse instructional experiences that will motivate your students to take an agile, adaptable role in their own learning. This wealth of pedagogical ideas - from specific to open-ended, low-tech to digital, self-expressive to collaborative, creative to critical - will help you discover the transformative effects of providing students with ownership, agency, and choice in their learning journeys. 1 Tables, black and white; 13 Line drawings, black and white; 16 Halftones, black and white; 29 Illustrations, black and white

Continuum of Voice: What it Means for the Learner Voice gives learners a chance to share their opinions about something they believe in. We adapted the Continuum of Voice chart we used from researc…

How to Cultivate Student Agency in English Language Learners is the headline of the latest excerpt from our new book, Navigating the Common Core with English Language Learners (which will be out in…

Student agency is about empowering students to know themselves better, determine who they want to be and identifying steps we can take together to have this goal become a reality.

This text on Probability is the simplest approach towards the theory of chances.Concepts are clearly illustrated with suitable examples. Probability is the branch of mathematics that studies the possible outcomes of given events together with the outcomes relative likelihoods and distributions. In common usage, the word probability is used to mean the…

Educators desperately want and need support. They need practical strategies that are not just effective but also can be developed in a reasonable amount of time. To achieve this goal, we must first examine the foundational elements that lead to successful teaching and learning, whether the environment is remote or hybrid. In no particular order, these include: Maslow before Bloom's (SEL considerations) Instructional design grounded in sound pedagogy Purposeful use of technology Leveraging a learning management system for continuity and cohesiveness Equity Continuous feedback Job-embedded and on-going professional learning At first glance, one might think that there is a great deal to consider. Under the current circumstances, I would agree. That is why it is not the time to re-create the wheel and work harder. One pitfall is trying to teach traditionally under the current circumstances. Without a doubt, this will be and has been, more time consuming for educators. So, where do you begin? There are many strategies that educators were implementing well before the pandemic that hold more value now. Regardless of the terminology used, these represent more personalized pathways that focus on student agency leading to empowerment and more ownership of the learning experience. I feel the best way to support educators is to show how it can be done under the same conditions by sharing practical examples. For the past two years, I have been blessed to work with the Corinth School District in Mississippi on pedagogy, both digital and non-digital. We have seen incredible growth in all schools across the district through the coaching of both teachers and administrators. With the foundation established last year, they were able to adapt to the current landscape quickly. Over the summer, they really ramped up how their LMS (Canvas in their case) would be used K-12 to facilitate their hybrid learning model better. Through the lens of high-agency strategies, I will share some practical strategies that educators can implement right now as well as some examples. Voice Honoring kids' voices and allowing them to have a say during the learning process is a central tenet of student agency. In many cases, voice can be amplified through the cover of anonymity, which is critical for introverts and shy students. Virtual breakout rooms and digital tools allow all students to respond during reviews of prior learning, checks for understanding, closure activities, and after collaborative activities. I have seen all schools incorporate Zoom breakout rooms in Corinth but was super impressed with the pre-K teachers who used it in conjunction with Nearpod. The elementary teachers are also using both Seesaw and Canvas to promote voice. Choice Choice might be one of the most uncomplicated components to integrate daily, whether you are remote or hybrid. Strategies such as choice boards and playlists developed using Google tools afford students with greater control over their learning while also freeing up the teacher for targeted instruction or support. I have really been impressed with the choice boards at the high school and how Canvas is being used to set them up. The elementary school has also upped their game as of late. Path They are many ways to allow students to determine their own path during remote or hybrid learning. Path could come in the form of customized curriculum, asynchronous virtual courses, selecting the order in a playlist, or independent study. It allows students to progress towards standards based on their mastery levels, interests, and goals. Utilizing adaptive learning tools as part of a station rotation model or playlist provides tasks that align with individual strengths and weaknesses. I love how middle school teachers responsible for remote learners have created a virtual station rotation model in Canvas. Pace Pace is as simple as allowing kids to work through activities where they have to self-manage their time in order to achieve mastery. Some kids need more time while others less. Rigorous and relevant asynchronous tasks provide extended periods of time to complete tasks to reduce stress, dive deep into concepts, and prioritize learning. Self-paced activities allow all students to progress through concepts while freeing up the teacher to work with those who need the most help. The math department at Corinth High school has been using the flipped approach with Bitmoji classrooms as well as self-paced programs with a great deal of success. Students in the elementary school get to work at their own pace in various centers. Place Like many school districts, learners in Corinth can choose to work remotely at home or come to school for in-person learning, reducing anxiety and stress while emphasizing health and safety. For the students participating in in-class learning, social distancing measures need to be implemented. As a result, Zoom breakout rooms have been utilized extensively regardless of where kids are learning to foster discourse and collaboration. I must say how impressed I have been to see how the elementary teachers are making this work across the entire school. I am only scratching the surface regarding how Corinth School District educators have successfully utilized an array of high-agency approaches to personalize already this year. They have addressed the seven elements presented at the beginning of the post. Over the summer, they planned and trained staff on how to use Canvas better. After some feedback from my initial coaching visits in August, the use of breakout rooms became the norm as a means to get kids talking. Building principals and teachers working together to process and reflect on each coaching visit combined with an intrinsic motivation to improve and epitomize outcome-based professional learning goals. All in all, I couldn't be more proud of this district and what they have and will continue to accomplish. For more remote and hybrid learning strategies and resources, click HERE. If you are interested in having a conversation about Aspire Change EDU's professional learning solutions, including job-embedded and ongoing coaching, let me know.

Cheers Nina P.S I’ve started to finish my draft posts. Thanks Angela Stockman for motivating me to get back to my writing. The new posts will be building on my published learner agency posts.

Agency Posters to implement Learner Agency in your IB PYP classroom, by displaying it in your bulletin/inquiry board. Included in this set: Agency; Voice; Choice; and Ownership with kid-friendly definitions. ********************************************************************************************* Click here for more International Baccalaureate Products ********************************************************************************************* If you wish to be updated on my resources, click here

Every classroom has a few eager students who always participate and a less enthusiastic majority content to sit back. Often asking students to raise a hand when they know the answer exacerbates this p

Let's talk about Human Agency. Human agency is the ability for a human to make choices and then act on them in the world around them. They can choose their plan and make it come to life. Sounds good right? All human's thrive on choice. Kids especially. So, how can we use human agency in Kindergarten? Have you done choice time? Or choice boards? Have you given your child a choice between foods, clothes, or toys? This is human agency. While kids thrive on routine, they also need choice. When we think of human agency in the Kindergarten classroom, we are using their interests, respecting their ideas, and showing them that we care about them all at the same time. We can use human agency in school ALL DAY LONG. Yes, we will need to have assessments, yes we will need to do things we don't want to do. But, if we give kids the power to choose how they are going to participate in school, we are giving them a gift. Because we are living a crazy life right now, we can use agency to help students take control over their own learning. They can believe they are in charge and that you are there as a facilitator. As I have always said, and I was very glad to hear Kristi Mraz agree, you can put academics into just about anything. If we give children a choice on what to play, we can work through that to 1) get to know the child, 2) utilize their strengths, and 3) teach them how to be thinkers and doers. I had a boy in my class in 2017 that was 100% hands-on. He was painfully shy and easily overwhelmed. But, when you gave him blocks he came alive. He would build and tell stories. I gave him a paper counting test and he ended up in tears. I gave him a bunch of plastic bears and he did amazing. This is the point where we can take what he CAN do and teach him that he can do more. We can show him how to do things on paper, and when he is ready he will choose to do it. Ok, ok, I know some of you are like, "You can't just do what you want!" I agree, trust me. There are a lot of times where you just have to fall in line. But, what if in Kindergarten, we taught them to believe that their ideas matter? That they can speak up with their thoughts and feelings? What if we instilled in them the ability to choose the right thing? How? Well, it starts in play. Children will play with what they are interested in. The dollhouse is thought of as a "girl" toy. Yet, boys will play with it. The cars are considered a "boy" toy. But, I had a very elaborate car collection when I was a child. Why not just watch and see what they choose? You will be surprised at what happens, and then you can choose what to do with it. We all hear about Inquiry. It is defined as "the act of asking for information". Once you see what they are interested in, you can start to teach around it. Kinders love life! They are curious about everything! And each day is different. Pumpkins, friends, buildings, bugs, marbles, water, it is all there. What we need to flip is us telling them what they are going to learn and begin using what they like to start a conversation. My launch of K will contain very small groups, which I explained yesterday. I will look at interests and group accordingly. This will build community, love of school, and enhance their curious nature. Take a look at this infographic. These are all of the things we want our students to do. We have to give them the OPPORTUNITIES to learn how. .

My students and I were recently asked to Skype into a PYP workshop to share examples of how student agency works in our classroom. In preparation, we brainstormed everything this year that contribu…

Preface Early in my training as an educator, I was exposed to William Glasser’s conceptualization of basic human needs and their importance in creating a healthy educational setting. They ar…

My students and I were recently asked to Skype into a PYP workshop to share examples of how student agency works in our classroom. In preparation, we brainstormed everything this year that contribu…

Learn how to enact curricular, pedagogical, and policy shifts that nourish students' linguistic repertoires, redefine teaching and learning as reciprocal endeavors, promote student-to-student interactions that help newcomers feel less isolated, and create opportunities for students to experiment with language in both academic and informal settings. Drawing on their experience working with hundreds of educators and thousands of students in linguistically diverse school settings (grades 7-12), the authors challenge readers to engage in critical, collective action as they transform their approach to languaging, agency, and authority in the classroom. Ideas and strategies come alive through classroom vignettes, student stories, and samples of student poetry, prose, and art--as well as examples of linguistically affirming approaches to online teaching. The book is an enlightening professional conversation that represents the importance and impact of multicultural and culturally responsive education that ultimately leads to linguistically inclusive education for newcomers and other language learners. Book Features: Draws from classroom-based research in linguistically diverse school districts in Southern California that use an arts-based, multiliteracy enrichment program designed for newcomer and emergent bilingual students. Examines the ideological, curricular, pedagogical, and political factors that shape the daily experiences of students who are new to the United States and in the process of incorporating English into their linguistic repertoires. Shows examples of how educators create classrooms where newcomer and emergent bilingual students' identities, languaging, and humanity are invited, affirmed, and amplified. Features the voices of students who courageously explore their identities, experiment with their voices, and share their vision of what a radically inclusive community can be. For additional professional development resources to accompany each chapter, visit www.bravingup.com.

Social Justice through Pedagogies of Multiliteracies explores the ways in which pedagogies of multiliteracies can be used to promote and achieve situated forms of social justice, especially for minoritized L2 learners. This edited collection focuses on pedagogies of multiliteracies that seek to develop and strengthen L2 learner identity and agency within and outside formal educational contexts in bilingual, multilingual, multimodal, community, language, and teacher education. The volume contextualizes agency and identity around questions, ideologies, and issues related to language, gender, sex, sexuality, body, race, and ethnicity. Contributions illustrate the design and implementation of pedagogies of multiliteracies through a diverse range of modalities and settings: linguistic landscapes, graphic novels, picturebooks, photovoice, text, and imagery through instructor- and student-developed materials. The volume acknowledges, enacts, and builds upon the responsibility of L2 educators to develop pedagogies of multiliteracies that reflect the life experiences, identities, and needs of minoritized L2 individuals in the curriculum in order to realize the social justice aim of L2 education. Social Justice through Pedagogies of Multiliteracies will be of interest to L2 researchers, teachers, and teacher educators. 14 Tables, black and white; 3 Line drawings, black and white; 21 Halftones, black and white; 24 Illustrations, black and white

While there is a growing body of resources available on teaching growth mindset, there isn’t much in terms of thinking about how space can help facilitate this process. I wanted to highlight a few thoughts worth exploring as we head back to school. Hold time and space for defining agency…

By Tom Vander Ark - Given the rate of change in the world, helping young people take charge of their own learning is more important than ever.

Using images to make sense of information can support student learning and increase personal agency for diverse learners, says educator Sherrill Knezel.

“If a teacher tells me what to do, I’m not really thinking” – Third Grade Student Lately, many educators have been discussing the importance of learner agency and, as many people know, the ne…

By Tom Vander Ark - Given the rate of change in the world, helping young people take charge of their own learning is more important than ever.

One thing that I’ve learned being an IB Age 3 teacher is it’s difficult to introduce the IB Learner Profiles, Attitudes, Concepts, Skills, and Action Cycle to the students. However, I b…

Read all my posts on innovation, leadership, and learning.

Some of my earliest frustrations with TAB stemmed from giving students too much freedom when they weren't ready and didn't have en...

The Levels of Engagement explain how engagement is how a learner balances challenges and the skills needed to move from being compliant to flow.

This packet includes 2 versions of posters for each of the 10 learner profiles. The 1st is the original description from the "Making the PYP Happen" book. The 2nd is a more kid friendly version. There is also an extra set included for "courageous" and "risk-taker" depending on what you use in your school. **A light blue pennant with the letters for the words "IB LEARNER PROFILE ATTRIBUTES" is included. **The posters and pennant in this pack match the "IB Attitudes" packet. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/PYP-IB-Attitudes-Posters-Pennant-2691691

The Project: Education software titan Blackboard approached JESS3 to create a motion graphic depicting the changing state of education. The video was to focus on today's students — active learners — who no longer passively wait in a classroom to be taught, but rather seek out information on their own. Our Methodology: JESS3 and Blackboard worked together to craft a script that highlighted the adaptive traditions of the contemporary student. No longer confined to the classroom, JESS3 packed the piece full of colorful visuals and swirling scenes of today's virtual world. They broke the framework off the traditional schoolhouse and left it, quite literally, struggling to keep up. By creating a piece full of color and an almost constant feeling of movement, JESS3 was able to convey a sense of an educational experience, in constant flux. Although told from the perspective of a student, JESS3 incorporated data that appealed to various audiences within the educational community - including faculty and administration. In the end, the piece directs the viewer to "keep up" with the current pace of education today. If you think you have the stamina, we challenge you to watch this 2 minute piece on the active learner. Just remember to stretch first. The Results: The video kicked off Blackboard CEO Michael Chasen's keynote address at the annual BbWorld Conference held in New Orleans. More than 3,000 attendees saw the debut illustrating to Blackboard's own community that adapting for the current educational experience, was an immediate need. It successfully left the audience with an inspired viewpoint and a better perception on Blackboard's tools and potential in today's ever-evolving educational system.