The Self-Directed Learning Cycle

To help ensure that students are on the right path, teachers work with them to set and achieve both long- and short-term goals. Students set the goals, select strategies that will allow them to meet those goals, apply these strategies, and then determine if their plan of action worked. This process, called the Self-Directed Learning Cycle, can be applied to any task in the adult world. It is integrated into every aspect of a student's school experience in order to prepare them for college, careers, and life.
Examples of Student Goals
Goals can be anything from simple, daily tasks to larger, career-oriented objectives. For example, a typical goal may be any of the following:
- "Today, I will make key-term flashcards for the Figurative Language unit and get 80% of my check-for-understanding questions correct so that I pass the quiz tomorrow."
- "I will practice the skill of self-control to improve my classroom focus. Tomorrow in math class, I'll try to sit away from my friends who can often distract me in class."
- "I will earn an A on my next English project by using the rubric and paying special attention to the feedback from my teacher. I will work in class and over the weekend to turn my project in on Wednesday."
Rigorous yet Flexible Learning
More on Self-Direction
- Student Voice: 3 Ways Summit Learning Benefits Me
6th grader Isaiah Hill says Summit Learning gives him opportunities to learn independently, set goals, and work at his own pace.
- A Student's Most Important Lesson: Learning How to Learn
Students, teachers, and education leaders give insights on their experiences with self-directed learning and how it pushes students to develop skills they'll use their whole lives.