13 Principles of 13 Principles of LearningLearning

An OverviewAn Overview

3 Groupings of the 3 Groupings of the PrinciplesPrinciples Principles of LearningPrinciples of Learning

– Principles 1 – 5Principles 1 – 5 Principles of TeachingPrinciples of Teaching

– Principles 6-10Principles 6-10 Principles of CurriculumPrinciples of Curriculum

– Principles 11-13Principles 11-13

1.1. Effort Produces Effort Produces Achievement Achievement

Debunks that inherited Debunks that inherited intelligence mainly determines intelligence mainly determines academic achievementacademic achievement

Amount of effort the student Amount of effort the student makes has much more to do with makes has much more to do with academic achievementacademic achievement

Given the right conditions and Given the right conditions and support, almost everyone can support, almost everyone can achieve at high levelsachieve at high levels

2.2. Learning is About Learning is About Making ConnectionsMaking Connections

We learn by adding new knowledge We learn by adding new knowledge to the knowledge we already haveto the knowledge we already have

We must organize our existing We must organize our existing knowledge into some sort of knowledge into some sort of structurestructure

Either the new knowledge fits the Either the new knowledge fits the existing structures, or we alter the existing structures, or we alter the structure to accommodate the newstructure to accommodate the new

This is a “creative” and active This is a “creative” and active process that requires a great deal process that requires a great deal of interactionof interaction

3.3. We Learn With and We Learn With and Through OthersThrough Others

We teach one another, exchange We teach one another, exchange ideas, reinforce concepts, solve ideas, reinforce concepts, solve problems, debate ideas, and problems, debate ideas, and challenge assertions with otherschallenge assertions with others

Student learning is enhanced with Student learning is enhanced with they understand and accept the they understand and accept the conventions that structure such conventions that structure such social interactionssocial interactions

4.4. Learning Takes Learning Takes TimeTime

How much we can learn is a function How much we can learn is a function of how much time we have to learn itof how much time we have to learn it

A given task will be learned only if the A given task will be learned only if the learner spends the amount of time learner spends the amount of time needed to learn itneeded to learn it

Students need different amounts of Students need different amounts of time in order to learn the same thingstime in order to learn the same things

5.5. Motivation MattersMotivation Matters

Students are best motivated by:Students are best motivated by:– Seeing a connection between their wants Seeing a connection between their wants

and what they are being asked to learnand what they are being asked to learn– Believing in their abilities to succeedBelieving in their abilities to succeed– Feeling good about themselves as Feeling good about themselves as

learnerslearners Motivation includes deep Motivation includes deep

understanding (mastery), understanding (mastery), demonstrating what they know to demonstrating what they know to others, and meeting a high standard others, and meeting a high standard of accomplishmentof accomplishment

6.6. The Teacher The Teacher MattersMatters

How much a student learns How much a student learns depends much more on which depends much more on which teacher within the school the teacher within the school the student gets than what school he student gets than what school he or she goes toor she goes to

Improving the quality of teaching Improving the quality of teaching is the key to school improvementis the key to school improvement

7.7. Focused Teaching Focused Teaching Promotes Accelerated Promotes Accelerated LearningLearning

The key to accelerated learning lies in The key to accelerated learning lies in matching instruction to the level of the matching instruction to the level of the learnerlearner

The teacher’s role is to “scaffold” the The teacher’s role is to “scaffold” the learning of the new task, revealing to learning of the new task, revealing to the learner how to move from what he the learner how to move from what he or she can currently do independently or she can currently do independently to a higher level of cognitive to a higher level of cognitive functioningfunctioning

8.8. Clear Expectations and Clear Expectations and Continuous Feedback Continuous Feedback Activate learningActivate learning

Students achieve at higher levels Students achieve at higher levels when they have a clear image of when they have a clear image of what is expected of themwhat is expected of them– Give example of work that meets Give example of work that meets

standardstandard– Access to clear criteria for judging the Access to clear criteria for judging the

quality of their workquality of their work– Access to continuous feedback on their Access to continuous feedback on their

work so they know how to bring it up to work so they know how to bring it up to standardstandard

9.9. Good Teaching Builds on Good Teaching Builds on Students’ Strengths and Students’ Strengths and Respects Individual’s Respects Individual’s DifferencesDifferences

Each child has a unique mix of Each child has a unique mix of strengths and weaknessesstrengths and weaknesses

Students find if easier to learn Students find if easier to learn using a particular ability or using a particular ability or adopting a particular styleadopting a particular style

Abilities and styles are capable of Abilities and styles are capable of being developed in schoolbeing developed in school

10.10.Good Teaching Involves Good Teaching Involves Modeling What Students Modeling What Students Should LearnShould Learn

Much of what the student needs know Much of what the student needs know and do are best learned by apprenticing and do are best learned by apprenticing to an expert – the teacherto an expert – the teacher

The teacher models the behavior the The teacher models the behavior the students is being asked to demonstratestudents is being asked to demonstrate

Through continuous monitoring and Through continuous monitoring and feedback the teacher gradually feedback the teacher gradually increases the difficulty of the learningincreases the difficulty of the learning

11.11.The Curriculum Should The Curriculum Should Focus on Powerful Focus on Powerful KnowledgeKnowledge

Knowledge is powerful when it Knowledge is powerful when it provides a basis for further learning provides a basis for further learning and when it concerns important and and when it concerns important and validated knowledgevalidated knowledge– The new basics (higher levels of The new basics (higher levels of

reading, math, problem-solving, reading, math, problem-solving, communications, etc.communications, etc.

– Discipline-based subjectsDiscipline-based subjects– Skills, strategies, and attitudes that Skills, strategies, and attitudes that

support independent, purposeful support independent, purposeful learning and problem solvinglearning and problem solving

12.12.All Students should All Students should Experience a “Thinking Experience a “Thinking Curriculum”Curriculum”

Students can be taught to manage Students can be taught to manage their own thinking and learning their own thinking and learning processesprocesses

Challenging tasks that support deep Challenging tasks that support deep thinking will stimulate intelligent thinking will stimulate intelligent behavior, as will explicit teaching of behavior, as will explicit teaching of cognitive and metacognitive cognitive and metacognitive strategiesstrategies

The learning of basic skills and higher-The learning of basic skills and higher-order thinking should go hand in handorder thinking should go hand in hand

13.13.The Best Results Come From The Best Results Come From Having an Aligned Having an Aligned InstructionalInstructional

The best results are obtained with The best results are obtained with the assessments, curriculum the assessments, curriculum framework, instructional framework, instructional materials and teaching are in full materials and teaching are in full alignment with the standards and alignment with the standards and with one anotherwith one another