Personalized Learning

 

Each student in Spring Lake Park Schools is known by name, strength, interest and need, leading to personalized student work and learning experiences

At Spring Lake Park Schools, we want to change the relationship too many students have to learning.  We strive to create authentic learning experiences that inspire students to volunteer their time and attention. We hope to see students demonstrate persistence when faced with challenges, find the work meaningful and valuable, and learn what they are expected to learn.

Each day we are working to bring our vision for personalized learning to life. That vision calls us to create personalized and engaging experiences so that each student feels valued, inspired and has a sense of belonging, resulting in college readiness and each student’s aspirations for success.

Using the four components of personalized learning, teachers get to know the individual needs and interests of each learner to support the best path to learning. These components are:

  • Competency-Based Learning: Flexibility for learners to demonstrate mastery of rigorous academic, career and life skills competencies
  • Learner Profiles: Deeply knowing each learner to design engaging work and experiences
  • Personal Learner Maps: Learners, families and staff co-design learning goals for success in SLP and beyond
  • Flexible Learning Environments: Flexible use of time, space and resources to enhance learning
Updated Personalized Learning Map Graphic

Students and teachers use the components of personalized learning to co-design learning collaboratively. When their efforts are successful, the learner is engaged, their passions are ignited and they achieve rigorous learning outcomes. They become powerful, independent and curious learners.

 

Learn more

What is Personalized Learning?

The Changing Landscape of Education

Components of personalized learning

Stories of personalized learning

Three students in Jen Haviland's class working and smiling

Have you ever taken a test and then promptly forgotten everything about the topic? Studying to get through a test or grade is not uncommon, and while it is reality sometimes, it doesn’t often lead to learning a student is able to apply in life. At the secondary level, competency-based learning is an approach that aims to deliver the grade AND the skills students can authentically apply to real situations.

Read More about Learning . . . to Do
5th graders doing a science experiement

Spring Lake Park Schools has implemented a science specialist learning model at grades K-6. There is a new curricular resource for science at grades K-8, and new science competencies are guiding science learning. The goal is to support deep thinking and doing science, relate it to real life and ignite interest and engagement in science.

Read More about Encouraging Emerging Scientists
Staff member Jan Burda working on a STEM project with two students

Competency-based learning is an education-y mouthful of words for an approach to learning coming to life in real ways for Spring Lake Park Schools’ students. The focus is on developing each student’s knowledge and skills to gain proficiency versus simply covering a subject for a defined period to fulfill a requirement.

Read More about Practice Makes Proficient
A student and teacher talking in the classroom

Kindergarteners chant each others’ names in morning greeting. Third and fourth graders learn what kind of candy they each like (split between sour and chocolate). High schoolers share adventures they’d like to have and qualities they value in a friend. Across schools and classrooms everyone is getting to know each other.

Read More about Getting to Know You