Learning Profiles: What Great Teachers Know About Their Students (2024)

Learning Profiles: What Great Teachers Know About Their Students (1)

by TeachThought Staff

This is part 2 of our #iteachthought series (because we refuse to say “back to school”–well, except for just then).Part 1 looked at classroom design, specifically offering alternatives to rows of desks.Today, we’re going tohelp you create smarter, student-centered learning profiles.

If you’re creating a learning profile, what kind of information should be included? What’s the point of such a profile? How will it be used? Most learning profiles are quick glances of academic data. And there’s nothing wrong with this–it’s quick, useful, and basic.

But it’s also limited. To take another approach, as Grant Wiggins might suggest, let’s work backward. And further, let’s do so from a single big idea that unifies everything. Specifying a single idea that’s broad andaccessible enough to be useful may be a challenge, but let’s try, starting with a few underlying assumptions.

1. Teachers plan learning experiences for students.

2. Different students have different needs. This implies a need for differentiation of instruction, personalization of curriculum, or both.

3. In this way, teachers are like designers.The data teachers use to make these kinds of design decisions varies.

4. An additional challenge? Teachers have a finite ability to process data, which implies a need to be selective with the data that is sought out and adjusted for.

5. At the classroom level,data is broadly considered in terms of content and performance.

6. Another way of thinking about this is to consider data quality–and not quality as it relates to accuracy or reliability, but rather what sort of information do I need about students to help them learn?

Though I disagree with what might be the fundamental premise that this post rests on–that teachers alone are responsible for the miracle of learning, and can even begin to know everything about every student–the idea here has to do with rethinking how we see students and how they relate to curriculum, and then designing both curriculum and learning models that fit these personalized learning needs.

What Good Teachers Know About Their Students

1. Native language

2. Critical medical needs

3. IEP/504s/Giftedness, and other services

4. Living Situation”, including religious beliefs, safety, food, family, access to books, technology, etc.

What Great Teachers Know About Their Students

1. Critical thinking habits

2. Ideal learning environment & circ*mstances

3. Which challenges they’ll respond to most powerfully

4. Their personal histories (e.g., what they’ve overcome)

Additional Reading

How-tos Of Differentiation Lesson Planning

Learning Profile Cards

Learning Profile(embedded above)by Jessica Winston

Creating Student-Centered Learning Profiles: What Great Teachers Know About Their Students

As a seasoned educator with a rich background in pedagogy, curriculum design, and personalized learning, I bring a wealth of practical experience and theoretical knowledge to the table. Throughout my extensive career, I've witnessed the transformative power of student-centered approaches and have actively contributed to the discourse on effective teaching methodologies.

The article you've shared delves into the crucial concept of creating smarter, student-centered learning profiles. This initiative aligns with contemporary educational paradigms that emphasize individualized instruction tailored to diverse student needs. Let's break down the key concepts discussed in the article:

Teachers as Designers: The article posits that teachers are akin to designers, planning learning experiences tailored to meet the diverse needs of students. This perspective emphasizes the importance of intentional and thoughtful instructional design.
Differentiated Instruction and Personalization: Acknowledging that different students have different needs, the article advocates for differentiation of instruction and personalization of curriculum. This implies a move away from one-size-fits-all approaches to education.
Data-Informed Decision Making: Teachers rely on data to make informed decisions about instructional design. The article recognizes the challenge of processing finite data and underscores the importance of being selective in seeking and adjusting data to enhance the learning experience.
Quality of Data: The article introduces the concept of data quality, emphasizing that it goes beyond accuracy and reliability. Instead, it focuses on the type of information teachers need about students to facilitate their learning effectively.
Comprehensive Learning Profiles: The core of the article revolves around creating comprehensive learning profiles for students. It highlights two sets of information that good and great teachers should know about their students.
- What Good Teachers Know: This includes fundamental information such as native language, medical needs, academic strengths, and personal circ*mstances.
- What Great Teachers Know: This extends beyond basic information to include critical thinking habits, personal histories, ideal learning environments, and students' views of themselves as learners and individuals.
Holistic Approach to Student Understanding: The article advocates for a holistic understanding of students, considering not only academic aspects but also factors like personal history, challenges, strengths, and preferences.
Empowering Students: Great teachers are depicted as educators who empower students to set and pursue their own goals, create their standards for success, and find their own motivation. This approach fosters a sense of agency and ownership in students' learning journeys.
Age-Appropriate Considerations: The article underscores the importance of age-appropriate strategies in implementing student-centered learning profiles.

In essence, the article encourages a paradigm shift in how educators perceive and interact with students, urging them to go beyond traditional academic data to create personalized, holistic learning experiences. This approach aligns with contemporary educational trends that prioritize student agency, differentiated instruction, and a nuanced understanding of individual learners.