Self-directed, game playing and social – how it can work in schools

So called ‘alternative’ education – letting children decide what to learn, with the tools that interest them and without all the talking from the teacher – has been shown to work well in schools as well 

We’ve been underestimating how well our kids can think.

Dan Rothstein (Right Question Institute)

It can be genuinely difficult for people to get their heads around how home education works, particularly self-directed learning, because it is just so different from what we experienced.

It can be helpful to see how some of the concepts which underpin home education work when applied in a classroom.

Self-directed learning in the classroom

Thinkering Studio: Supporting Self-Directed Learning

Genius Hour in Elementary School

Moving away from the idea of teacher as giver-of-knowledge

For Students, Why the Question is More Important Than the Answer (KQED, Mindshift, 26 Oct 2012)

Hands-Off Teaching Cultivates Metacognition (Edutopia, April 21, 2015)

The Social Classroom

Where playing games (even video games) is valued

Capital of Children: Billund is the Capital of Children. Here children learn through play, and are creative citizens of the world

A School Day That’s All About Play (KQED, Mindshift, 9 Jul 2014)

Using Minecraft as a teaching tool (Forbes, 5 April 2011)

Mixed age learning

Home educated children really benefit from mixing with all different ages. It can be done in a very positive way in schools. It can also be done badly, where kids are made to feel like failures because it is tied into assessment of ability.

Why Does Age Determine the How, What, and With Whom of Learning? (Education Reimagined, 13 June 2018)