Personalizing Learning for All Staff and Students – A Conversation with Eric Sheninger and Niki Slaugh
In this episode, Jeffrey Bradbury interviews Eric Sheninger and Nicki Slaugh, authors of the book 'Personalize: Meeting the Needs of All Learners.' They discuss the importance of personalized learning and how to implement it in schools. They emphasize the need to identify each student as an individual and provide experiences that are engaging and challenging at their own level. They also highlight the significance of celebrating student wins and creating a culture of personalization. The conversation explores the concept of starting with your 'why' and empowering both students and staff. Eric and Nicki share their experiences and strategies for implementing personalized learning in their schools. The conversation focuses on the theme of personalization in education and the importance of creating a culture that meets the needs of all learners. Nikki Slaugh, a principal, shares her experiences in transforming her school to a personalized learning environment. She discusses the implementation of a mastery tracker and mastery minutes, which allow students to set goals and receive additional support as needed. The conversation also emphasizes the role of leadership in creating a culture of personalization, including providing time for collaboration and professional learning. The importance of feedback, accountability, and building relationships is highlighted. The journey of personalization is described as a continuous process of improvement and adaptation.