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Developing approaches to learning (ATL)

Rachana Kothapally, PYP educator, Silver Oaks School Bangalore, India

This article summarizes how reflections help learners choose how they want to act. It shares a real-time example and utilizes an opportunity to appreciate the beauty of the PYP and how implementing it ties together all the elements!

As a committed PYP practitioner for five years, I keep appreciating the uniqueness of the programme. However, moving from theory to practice is not always an easy journey. The PYP stresses achieving a balance between acquisition of essential knowledge and skills, development of conceptual understandings, demonstrations of positive attitudes, and taking of responsible action. Making this a realty in a classroom and making it meaningful for learners will bring the outcomes of the programme to fruition.

The IB approaches to learning are unarguably the most important to acquire not only in the units of inquiry, but also for any learning and teaching that occurs within the classroom and in life outside the school. The five categories and their respective sub-skills encompass what is needed for a learner in the 21st century. In this dynamic, fast evolving world we need people who are not just knowledgeable but are critical thinkers and problem solvers.

Year after year I work with a new set of learners, each of them unique in their own way. This year I am working with learners who are highly energetic, curious and incredibly open-minded. We often engage in reflection sessions during which we discuss how we are learning in classroom, what is going well and what is not. Learners come up with sincere reflections including that we often fall short at displaying our skills.

Learners reflected that if they could work consciously towards displaying all the sub-skills, they would resolve most of the problems they face in and out of the classroom. In tandem with this thought process we as a class managed to develop a means to help assess our commitment to display these skills in classroom – The skills wheel.

This assessment model is based on Carol Dweck’s theory of Growth Mindset and the idea of “NOT YET” (Dweck, 2014).

Learners set up a skills goal for a period of 2 weeks. We display all the sub-skills of that category in an accessible area so that students know what they will be assessed on. After the observation period, the class meets up to discuss how they displayed each sub-skill. Learners provide each other feedback and those learners who have consistently made efforts to display the particular skill will be placed in the pink circle and those learners who have “not reached there yet” will be placed in the yellow part. Gradually, learners who try to work on their goal areas will be moved to the pink area too.

I have experienced a positive change in learners’ thinking and learning behaviour in the classroom while utilizing this tool. Learners evidently show more ownership to their actions as they are a part of this solution. It also encouraged learners to show commitment to their choice and be more open minded to feedback.

Although small, I feel this model acted as an effective means for me to make approaches to learning categories and sub-skills more meaningful for my learners. It gave our learners the opportunity to choose to act; to reflect and decide the course of their actions. That, I believe, is responsible action.

References:
https://www.ted.com/talks/carol_dweck_the_power_of_believing_that_you_can_improve

Rachana Kothapally is a PYP facilitator at Silver Oaks School Bangalore, India. She has been an IB practitioner for 5 years and is passionate about developing critical thinking and problem-solving abilities of learners.

 

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34 Responses to Developing approaches to learning (ATL)

  1. Niru Raghuram 11 October 2017 at 5:36 am #

    Brilliant idea to have a visual of it up in class. Love to use this idea

  2. Jonathan Tom 12 October 2017 at 8:17 am #

    That’s a really nice visual way to share skills reflections. Thanks for sharing.

  3. Piyush 15 October 2017 at 10:00 am #

    Its different approach that focus on learning rather exam preperation

  4. Majken Johansson 17 October 2017 at 4:18 am #

    Thank you for sharing your learning and journey. The ATL can seem massive so I appreciate your simple model to break them down easier.

  5. Ritu Dubey 3 November 2017 at 4:48 pm #

    Well done Rachana. Thank you very much for sharing this with us. Although, I don’t teach and am limited to MYP and DP but I find this idea a very useful way for the students to encourage active reflection.

  6. Anuradha 3 November 2017 at 4:57 pm #

    Brilliant idea Rachna!

  7. Kesa 4 November 2017 at 1:44 am #

    A brilliant visual and reminder for the students and the teachers.

  8. Rachana 1 February 2018 at 5:04 am #

    Thank you all for your encouraging words.

  9. Kelly Rogers 7 March 2019 at 5:38 pm #

    Can you explain the difference between the pink and yellow sticky notes? The pink ones seems to have a goal or something written on them and the yellow their name? Great idea! Thank you for sharing.

  10. Diane 8 May 2019 at 6:07 pm #

    I think this could be used with elementary students after some modeling.

  11. Payel Kar 18 May 2019 at 6:30 pm #

    Very unique and innovative ,I would like to do it my class

  12. Tracy McFadden 6 July 2020 at 11:25 pm #

    Thanks for sharing!
    I love your skill wheel and how it motivates the learner to in charge of their learning.

  13. Laryce 18 October 2020 at 7:17 pm #

    Rachana

    I loved the really bright visual and reminders for the students.

  14. Yaruna 20 October 2020 at 1:02 pm #

    Well done Rachana,
    Thank you for sharing your pathway with us, It’s really encouraging and gives us some hint how to be a better PYP teacher in the future and to be more knowledgeable.
    All the best in your teaching career,

  15. Donald T Smith 20 October 2020 at 2:54 pm #

    I like the different ways to learn. Its a game changer

  16. Zeina Mansour 21 October 2020 at 11:51 pm #

    This is a terrific approach to learning. Thank you 🙂

  17. Bakhtawar Qasim 2 April 2021 at 3:52 pm #

    Explained quite well

  18. Harish K. Sharma 16 May 2021 at 8:46 am #

    Just one slide says it all…..Its a READY RECKONER for all the learning community, Its helpful reminder to both the Learner & Facilitator.

  19. seema sharma 16 May 2021 at 8:12 pm #

    This is very positive approach of learning . It helps holistic development of learner .

  20. pooja jolly 22 May 2021 at 4:14 pm #

    well explained and a very creative and transparent way of assessing learners on their skills.

  21. Naini 31 May 2021 at 9:30 pm #

    I am curious as to where you got the photo from Rachna? I did something quite similar and remember putting this on my blog! Unfortunately, cannot seem to locate it. What an interesting coincidence.

  22. Unaiza 14 June 2021 at 7:18 pm #

    Reflection I believe is always very fruitful i always practice this with my staff during training and everyday tasks it helps you to be your best version as a professional and as a person.

  23. Asifa 15 June 2021 at 5:13 pm #

    Wow.A very motivational effort to develop positive change in learners. I will also experience it in my class.

  24. Asifa 15 June 2021 at 5:14 pm #

    Wow.A very motivational effort. I will also experience it in my class.

  25. Andrea Dalling 24 August 2021 at 3:08 pm #

    This is a nice idea to bring the group together and revisit those sub-skills in order to reflect.

    Thank you for sharing.

  26. Deniz 27 August 2021 at 10:04 am #

    Wonderful idea. Thank you! I will try it in my class.

  27. Gillian 17 October 2021 at 6:36 pm #

    I like this very much as it is a visual way to see development of the skills used by the students.

  28. Gillian Guilhermino 18 October 2021 at 5:20 pm #

    This is very visual and gives the students time to consolidate their reflection.
    I’m a visual person so I really like this.

  29. Omnia 15 January 2023 at 12:50 pm #

    It was a unique idea that pushed students to persevere in improving themselves in order to achieve the best desired result.

  30. Amani 15 January 2023 at 4:29 pm #

    I like the way of thinking throw the pyp and how connecting many ideas at the same time from different areas,

  31. Lubna almarzooqi 16 January 2023 at 6:40 am #

    I like this very much as it is a visual way to see development of the skills

  32. Benita sager 20 January 2023 at 6:40 am #

    I am a visual learner and many students are as well so having a visual representation help my students best. (I do, we do, you do. In other words if someone shows me I can and will be most successful.

  33. Benita Sager 20 January 2023 at 6:43 am #

    I am a visual learner and I like that students can reflect in the various sub skills.

  34. Lymari De jesus 24 January 2023 at 12:53 pm #

    Is a great idea, is so suceful. I Will use it in my class. Thanks forma sharing it.

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