There is a new buzzword in education… Student-Directed Teaching. This approach is revolutionizing the way students are taught. Created by long-time education pioneers Don and Anne Green, and originally designed at the University of Calgary for gifted students, this is now being offered to all students from kindergarten to Grade 9, not just those who are gifted.

Student-Directed Teaching incorporates five teaching styles that respond to the individual learning needs of each student. These include: Command, Task, Peer Partner, Student-Teacher Contract and Self-Directed.

Students choose the teaching style and work at their own pace and level of complexity, depending on the subject, the topic within that subject and their personal strengths. They are aware of the class schedule and their personal benchmarks, and understand exactly what they must accomplish. The teacher becomes a mentor to the students, and only one of many resources, rather than a director. 

Through Student-Directed Teaching, students make choices about how they learn: The teacher’s role is to hold them accountable for those choices. The choice is never not to work, but how to work. Students are guided by what they are expected to know (program of studies), and they choose how they want to learn it. They are encouraged to focus on individual interests and passion areas that will keep them engaged in the learning process. Once students make the choice of the teaching style they prefer, they get to work. They can ask another student, look in a book, research on the computer, ask a teacher and more. To demonstrate their understanding and achievement of objectives, they can choose to write a report, create a picture, perform a skit, write a poem, film a video project, et cetera; the choice is theirs. 

An example of how Student-Directed Teaching translates into individual projects and ultimately a love of learning can be found in the following story:

Tarek is 12 years old and in Grade 7, and is benefiting from a Student-Directed Teaching environment. Previously feeling bored and misunderstood in a traditional learning environment, and not fitting into the “sit still and take notes from the blackboard” model, Tarek is now excited to get going on projects; after all, they tap into his personal passion areas and he is able to choose how he shows his work. Tarek is a kinesthetic learner, which means that he learns best when he is active. Last year, he did a project on trees. His research included a field trip outside to study trees, drawing the trees, researching different kinds of trees online and designing a poster about trees. For most of this unit, Tarek chose the self-directed teaching style. A year later when Tarek’s mom asks him about trees, he can tell her every detail about trees with the same enthusiasm. He found his learning interesting and fun; hence he retained the information. 

Parents, too, can implement this approach at home by offering their children choice and by respecting their decisions, whether these are related to play, homework or necessary household chores.

Through Student-Directed Teaching, students learn to be more self-reliant and resourceful. In life, answers are not given to us; we need to discover them.

Student-Directed Teaching is offered at Green Learning Academy. For more information, visit their website greenlearning.com or call 403-873-1966.