Five parent moves to help your learner direct their own learning
Written by Caleb Collier
It can be frustrating to be a parent of a learner who is struggling to direct their own learning.
The simple premise of The Forest School is that we can't learn for others; it's a responsibility they must claim for themselves. Many learners are still early in developing the skills they need to direct their own learning. Here are five caregiver moves we have found helpful in building these skills:
Start with the end in mind. When your learner thinks about the future, what kind of life do they envision for themself? What skills and abilities have they developed? What kinds of tasks do they feel capable of achieving? What kinds of practice will be needed to develop those skills and abilities? It's crucial that learners can identify the "why" in The Forest School approach.
Let the learner own the plan. We, as Guides, can lay out the work learners need to accomplish to finish their badge work and help them think deeply about strategies and pacing, but the plan has to be their own. What do they want to accomplish by when? What resources might they need to complete this plan? What incentives or consequences will motivate them? What obstacles are they likely to face? What are some ways to overcome those obstacles?
Celebrate successes. Make a big deal out of small wins. This pays huge dividends in building a learner's sense of what they can accomplish.
Encourage a diverse set of resources. What do we do when we get stuck? It can be helpful to have a pre-made list of "go-to's," which can include the best peers to reach out to as well as links to helpful websites, Youtube channels, or articles. Resourcefulness is a key trait of self-directed learners, but sometimes some scaffolded supports toward resourcefulness are needed.
Let learners experience natural consequences. We make no judgement on a learner who is behind on their badge plan. In each of our Studios (Spark, Elementary, Middle, and High) we show learners how their current pace carries over to the timeline for entering the next Studio (or graduation, for high schoolers). Some learners may choose to transition to the next Studio behind schedule, but it's our bet (and experience!) that learners shoulder more responsibility for their learning as they sit with the consequences of their choices.
We're strong believers in our learning model and we take the view that self-directed learners are made, not born.
It may take time, encouragement, guidance, and consequences, but we think all learners can get there. It can be really frustrating to take on responsibility for someone else's learning — we know from experience! That is why we encourage you to continue to push the responsibility toward each learner.
One day, they'll step up and own it for themselves.
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