Student-Centered Instruction for Personalized Learning
In student-centered instruction, the focus is on the student not the teacher, which makes it one of the most powerful personalized learning strategies you can incorporate into your classroom.
In stark contrast to teacher-centered instruction, in which teachers convey knowledge and students attempt to receive and understand that information, student-centered instruction forces students’ participation and engagement.
What Is Student-Centered Instruction
Student-centered instruction is as much a mindset as it is a set of practices. At all times, as a teacher, you’re aware of what students need and adjusting your teaching style and curriculum to accommodate those needs. While that might sound like a lot more work – and a risky approach – when implemented well, student-centered instruction can be easy and fun.
Student-Centered Strategies And Examples
Specific strategies and activities for student-centered instruction will vary from grade level to grade level, but below are some tips and ideas that could work well for students of all ages.
Group activities and projects: Design activities and projects that small groups of students or the class as a whole can do. These could include brainstorming sessions, presentations, discussions, question and answer sessions, and more.
Student pairs: Pair up students to teach each other, role play, solve problems, and complete projects. These informal partnerships can raise cultural awareness, increase student engagement, and allow students to be both learners and teachers.
Student input: Give students a say in what goes on in the classroom. Get their input about what they’d like to study and how they’d like to learn it. Encourage students to ask questions and express their opinions.
Cultural relevance: Emphasize diverse cultural references and examples in your teaching, and you’ll meet students where they are, which is one of the hallmarks of student-centered instruction.
Social relevance: Let students use social media and internet tools and resources as part of their learning and projects, and you’ll see their interest and engagement soar.
Benefits Of Student-Centered Instruction
The primary benefit of student-centered instruction is that it can instill a lifelong love of learning in students of all ages. This style of learning can raise students’ self-confidence and self-direction, which can also benefit them for years to come.
When students learn more easily and engage more readily, classroom management becomes a breeze. There’s more interaction among students, and it’s less likely that any students will get left behind.
Best of all, perhaps, student-centered instruction inherently promotes equity in education by accommodating students from diverse backgrounds, with diverse learning styles.
Learn More About Student-Centered Instruction For Personalized Learning
If you’d like to learn more about student-centered instruction, we offer a we offer a 3-credit online course on Personalizing Learning that covers not only student-centered instruction, but also data-driven instruction, inquiry-driven instruction, and assessments.
Education 4 Equity
At Education 4 Equity, we’re committed to providing the best professional development courses for teachers, delivered 100% online. We offer 1-credit, 2-credit, and 3-credit online courses for teachers that qualify for graduate level credit and have been approved for LAUSD salary points through the Los Angeles Unified School District.