Do You Own a Learning Plan?

Every learner should have a learning plan. Adult learners. Young learners. Every learner.

What’s a learning plan? Well, let’s start with what a learning plan is not. A learning plan is not a lesson plan, nor is it a scope and sequence, or a curriculum guide. Lesson plans, scopes and sequences, and curriculum guides attempt to outline learning for large groups of students following a certain time schedule like a semester. These documents are usually produced by state boards of education, local school boards, and school district curriculum departments. None of these begin with the individual learner in mind. Instead, they attempt to teach our youngsters what a group of state legislators, elected school board trustees, and school district professionals deem important. This strategy might have worked back in the 1950’s when the goal of American public school was to educate the masses with similar expectations, but it’s not working today.

2022 isn’t hosting the same world as the 1950’s, even though some Americans are trying to take us back 70 years, or longer, with their cries for renewed nationalism, bordering on jingoism, restrained democracy, and limited racial opportunity. In 2022 the world needs to embrace globalism, expanded democratic practice, racial harmony, and personalized learning for every person on this earth.  So let’s get rid of lesson planning, developing scopes and sequences, and curriculum guide production and instead invest our time and energy in developing a learning plan for every global citizen, or at least every American.

Learning plans start with a question not asked much in traditional school settings – “What would you like to spend some of your time learning?” This is an important question, especially if the goal is to immediately engage the learner in their own learning. Learning should be a negotiation, and young learners should feel a certain amount of power when it comes to deciding what they are learning. Although this is the first question, it’s not the only question. Building an individual learning plan focuses on other questions like “How skillful are you when you read, write, and problem solve?” and “What types of character skills would you like to develop?” Most of these questions aren’t asked in traditional school settings. Instead, others answer those questions for the individual learner, preventing them from “owning” their own learning.

Learning plans answer four questions for the learner, whatever the learning goal might be. Learning plans:

1. define the specific goal the learner is currently engaged in learning – think of this as the “why” of the learning plan
2. develop an outline for the learner to attain the goal – think of this as the “what” of the learning plan
3. present a pathway for the learner, their coach, and their community to follow toward the goal – think of this as the “how” of the learning plan
4. develop an assessment or evaluation of how well the learner attained the original goal

Think of the learning plan as a map for the learner, the learner’s coach, and the learner’s community.

The learning plan starts with a needs assessment (where the learner currently is with their learning,) continues with a long-term work plan (where the learner wants to go with their learning,) which is broken up into smaller collections of goals focused on personal interests and skill development (academic and character.)

In future articles, we’ll dive deeper into each part of a comprehensive learning plan. And, very soon, I’ll post some documents on the website to help get you started on your own learning plan journey.

For now, try to develop a learning plan for yourself by asking the first question “What would I like to spend time learning?” Then find someone who can serve as your coach, someone to hold you accountable to your personal interest goal, someone who can possibly serve as resource or guide as you progress toward your goal. Then begin searching for a community (other learners working on their own special stuff) interested in developing their own unique learning based on their own unique plan, and at the same time supporting your work as critical friends.