independent+learners

What's an independent learner?


At the beginning of the semester we discussed what it means to be an independent learner, and why becoming an independent learner is beneficial and important for you at school but also beyond school as a lifelong learner.

When we leave school we don't stop needing to learn new things but we do often lose the support and structure that school provides. You're on your own more and having habits, skills and approaches that enable you to be confident, efficient and effective in gaining new knowledge and skills is important. I think an important role of teachers, above and beyond the specific subject curriculum, is to support students in becoming independent learners.

We would have discussed what some of the habits, skills and approaches independent learners possess in class, but here's a refresher. As students, even senior students, you probably don't have all these traits finely honed to perfection and that's okay. However it is a list of traits that I encourage you to strive to adopt and develop over the semester and which as a class we hold as ideal for helping you achieve your best.

//Try hard to develop or improve the below traits over the semester.//

Independent Learners:

 * are self-aware
 * are self motivated
 * are self directed
 * are reflective (they self appraise and reflect on their own performance)
 * are proactive
 * take responsibility for their own learning
 * use their initiative, seeking to solve problems themselves before asking others for help
 * seek help when its necessary
 * make plans and set goals
 * use a range of systems and approaches to achieve their goals
 * persevere and work through challenges
 * take advantage of all resource available to them
 * are willing to take risks

//You can see a more detailed list of traits and approaches of independent learners on the Education Quarterly Australia website, [|here].//