Learning to Learn
At Hull Collegiate School, one of the initiatives we have introduced is a Learning to Learn programme to encourage pupils to learn independently. This consists of three modules, taken over the course of Years 7 to 9.
The three sections each relate to a different aspect of Learning:
I Learner (Year 7) focuses on an individual’s learning: learning styles, learning environment, goals and achievements; as well as introducing some key ideas for learning such as mind maps, and using de Bono Hats.
Team Learner (Year 8) is centred on pupils working together to improve their learning. This starts off by identifying the “5 Rs” of effective learning. These are key ideas that pupils can use to identify how well they are progressing at any particular task by asking themselves how proficient they are at being:
- responsible
- resourceful
- reasoning
- resilient and
- reflective.
The rest of this section then focuses on pupils working in groups, identifying key roles within a group and evaluating their own performances in a variety of structured tasks, many of which can be translated into a subject specific lesson.
The final module: 21st Century Learner introduces pupils to the different types of technology available to help their learning, and outlines key ideas as to how these technologies can be used effectively, as well as the pitfalls of the technologies. Again, a number of the techniques used in the module: presentation of information and evaluation methods can be translated directly into a classroom for a particular subject.
