Back to School: Students Planning Classes

After studying student-led planning for several years, professor Marsha Grace wrote an article for the ASCD magazine. The article included these important lessons:

• Garner support and start small. Teachers who use their students as curricular informants must have the support of administrators and parents.
• Give up the guides and get ready to model. Teachers must be willing to teach without the aid– and the restriction– of curriculum guides, and be ready to meet mandates through creativity and responsiveness.
• Develop assessment tools. Assessments must be accomplished through students’ performances, demonstrations, experiences, explanations, writing, portfolios, and self-evaluations.
• Be a learner. This kind of curriculum requires everyone in the classroom to be a learner. Be willing to learn about subjects that interest the students.
• Gather data weekly. No more than once a week, thoroughly document what is working and what could be improved. Let [students] explain what worked or didn’t work for them.