Conesville K/1 Fusion: November 2014

In our Fusion classroom, we are trying to instill ownership of learning in our students. We want them to take control of their learning and own their growth. When students are able to take control of their own learning, amazing things can happen!

"When students feel a sense of ownership, they want to engage in academic tasks and persist in learning."-Barbara McCombs, Ph.D, University of Denver

Awesome things are happening in our classrooms. Students are working hard and moving through groups like crazy! In our classrooms, we have I Can Statements posted for different concepts students are working on. Underneath these statements, there is a list of student names. As students master a particular concept, they are able to cross their name off the list. They also have personalized folders where they will cross off a concept as they master it. Each time they master a concept, they get a learning card for the new skill. The kids LOVE when they are able to cross their name off and get a new card.

Students begin to own their learning when they are able to track it. They help set goals for themselves and track their progress to those goals. By doing this, students become aware of where they are in the learning process. They are able to see how far they have come and where they need to head next. It's amazing to see kindergarten and first grade students so aware of their learning and engaging in it.

Above, students are tracking their progress toward a goal. Each week, their challenge is to beat their own score!

We are also having a blast working on differentiated groups. Differentiated groups mean that our kids are split into groups based on what they need to learn at a certain point in time. Our kiddos are working at their own level all the time! As teachers, we have been having a fun time planning for the groups. We always pre-assess our kids to ensure they are learning the concepts at a level that is perfect for them.

In these groups, we present instruction in a variety of ways. We do this to allow kids to learn in a variety of ways. Some kids learn better through seeing, while others learn better through hearing or a hands-on approach. We try to hone in on how each child learns best and present information in this way. When students are able to learn through a modality that fits them best, they are likely to be more successful.