Teaching Tips
Scaffold self-direction in students during the three phases of each unit of learning:
At the beginning of a unit:
> Spend time talking with students about their goals for learning.
Try to be sure that they understand why they're doing what
they're doing and why it's important.
> Involve students in establishing or reviewing the criteria for
success. Students should have a clear picture in their heads of
what a successful demonstration of a skill, knowledge or
disposition looks like.
> Discuss possible “hooks” that might link the content to personal
interest and previous learning. Have students talk about what
they find interesting about the topic.
> Provide choices for achieving goals. These choices may be in the
form of materials used, format for final presentations, etc.
> Encourage students to plan and benchmark. Provide them with
several strategies for doing so and allow them to talk about what
works for them.
During the unit:
> Provide strategies for and encourage time management and
benchmarking throughout the project. Conference often with
students who demonstrate low self-direction. Allow them to tell
you how they are doing and what they have yet to accomplish.
> Provide opportunities and tools for self-testing and record
keeping.
> Give hints, not answers. Avoid the trap of student “fishing
expeditions” and force students to think through material.
> Give tasks that require paraphrasing, summarizing, creating
metaphors, etc. (i.e. deep processing).
> Wherever possible, employ instruction, assignment tasks, and
assessments that are authentic.
> Provide students with the opportunity to act as consultants within
an area of study. This can be through peer tutoring, teaching
younger students, or presenting valuable information to the class.
After the unit:
> Provide opportunities and tools for reflection and self-evaluation.
> Value, reward, and report effort and progress on an at least an
equal footing with achievement.
> Guide attributions; avoid equating failure with lack of ability.
Students should understand that what matters is getting there,
not how long it takes to get there.
> Use achievement scores as a means for documenting progress,
not as a final judgment. Pretest and posttest so students can
see growth.
> Allow opportunities for reworking and refinement. The point
should be to produce the best work possible, not to be judged.
> Have students keep individual records of progress.
> Encourage and model transfer of content to the real world.
