We have both the opportunity and the responsibility to impact how our students see themselves as learners. Dispositional learning makes that possible.

We are excited to take some time to talk with Jodie Mills for our November Master Class, Learner Know Thyself: Empowering Students with Dispositional Learning.

Wheel listing the learning dispositions: Creating, patience, Thinking about thinking, Active listening, Thinking interdependently, persistence, self-awareness, compassion.

One of the few things that leaders in government, business, and education have agreed on for years is the importance of so-called soft skills which influence how a person thinks and performs. In education, these can be thought of as dispositions or habits of mind. The idea that the focus of education ought to be “learning to learn” is so pervasive that I have not been able to track down its origin.

We can agree that we want all of our students to develop dispositions such as perseverance, adaptability, impulse control, and humor, but they have not traditionally been supported by curriculum or reform efforts. In this discussion, Jodie is going to pull from her own experiences as an educational leader to share why these skills are so important and what steps we can take to develop them.

Every teacher has heard the question, “When will we actually use this?” When the focus is on how students think, the ways in which they approach problems, and when and how to apply their efforts, their learning transfers to all aspects of their life. As more students shift to virtual or other forms of distance learning, they are being asked to be more independent, responsible, and self-motivated while often receiving less support and attention than in traditional settings. This reality has shone a spotlight on inequities in our educational system as well as our lack of preparedness for major shifts in how schooling happens. We must take action to ensure that all of our students are prepared with the skills and understanding they need to not only survive, but to thrive in whatever circumstances the future holds.

We hope that you will come with questions and your own success stories regarding the teaching, development, and application of learning dispositions in school.

Join the conversation to:

  • Clarify what it means to know yourself as a learner
  • Explore learning dispositions
  • Learn practical steps you can take to develop learning dispositions with your students

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Who: Partner Consultant Jodie Mills

What: Register here for our session: Learner Know Thyself: Empowering Students with Dispositional Learning

When: Thursday, November 19th (4:30 Pacific/7:30 Eastern)*

Why: Engaging learners in reflection regarding dispositions affects not only the lesson of the day, but the ways in which they process each opportunity and/or challenge they face. Creating a plan to help students understand, recognizing, and develop specific dispositions empowers students to take ownership of their learning and strengthens the overall learning culture.

*This time doesn’t work for you? No problem! Register and we will send you a recording of the webinar by the start of the next week.

Have a burning question or an educational topic or strategy you want to learn more about? Let us know at isaac@thecorecollaborative.com and we may be able to plan a TCC Master Class webinar, #CoreChat, or Core Communique blog to continue your journey of professional learning.