How to Elevate Your Achievement: An Article for Students

Hello, Students!

We’re Elevated Achievement, a group of educators dedicated to helping schools, teachers, parents, and caregivers, and you, the students. We exist because we believe that each and every person deserves to own their learning.

When we own something, it’s ours. It belongs to us. No one else can ever take it away. When we own our learning, we have the skills to be successful humans and life-long learners. When we own our learning, we will elevate our achievement. If you believe this too, then this article is for you! Keep reading.

First, think about what it’s like to be in school.

• Do you ever wonder why your teacher is teaching you certain things?
• Do you ever wonder what your teacher is teaching you?
• Do you ever wonder how your teacher is going to teach you something?
• Do you ever worry about how well you can show your teacher you’re learning so you get a good grade?
• Do you ever wonder if you’ll ever use what you’ve learned again?
• Do you ever wonder what you’re supposed to do in class?

If you’re asking yourself these questions, you’re a smart kid, and, like we said before, this article is for you!

Why Owning Your Learning Matters

A very smart and very successful educator named John Hattie showed us through his research that students who own their learning are more motivated to learn and those students who are more motivated to learn actually learn more. He said, “…it is the students themselves, in the end, not teachers, who decide what students will learn.” (2009)

In other words, you, the student, have the power to learn and you have the power to decide how successful you will be.

We believe that true success in learning requires students to go beyond just doing or understanding school—you must own your learning. A student who owns their learning knows and can tell others:

• What they are learning, why they are learning it, and how they will use it.
• How they learn best.
• When they are learning and how to get help when they are struggling.
• Their role as a learner in any setting.

When you know this information and you can tell others, you will learn more. You will be learning at higher level. You will get smarter. You will be elevating your achievement. Do you want to know how? Keep reading.

How to Own Your Learning

It is true that you alone have the power to learn, but your teachers are your guides. It is their responsibility to decide:

• What skills they will teach you, why they are teaching those skills, and how you can use them in the future.
• How they will teach you the skills.
• How you will show that you learned the skills.
• What your role is in the learning.

It is your responsibility to know these things. So, when you’re in class you need to ask yourself these questions…

If you don’t know, ask. Ask your fellow students. Ask your teacher. Find out this information. Write it down. Tell a friend. Tell your family. The more you do the more you will own your learning.

Elevated Achievement is here to help you.

We have downloadable Resources for Students to support you as you increase ownership of your learning and elevate your achievement. Check them out. Share them with your friends.