How to Own Your Role in Your Learning: 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 each and every day and in each and every lesson.

True success in learning requires students to go beyond just doing or understanding school—you must own your learning. When you own something it’s yours. When you own your learning no one can take it away. You are not merely a passenger in your educational journey, but you are the driver.

This means that you have an active role in your learning and this article will help you understand and own your role. The first step is understanding why owning your learning matters. So, read on.

Why Owning Your Learning Matters

A very smart and very successful educator named John Hattie showed us that students who own their learning are more motivated to learn, and those students who are more motivated to learn actually learn more.

“It is students themselves, in the end, not teachers, who decide what students will learn. Thus we must attend to what students are thinking, what their goals are, and why they would want to engage in learning what is offered in schools.” (Hattie, 2009)

In other words, you, the student, have the power to determine your learning goals and you have a responsibility to work with your teacher to achieve them. Because when you exercise this power to learn more, you will increase your academic achievements across the board—not just in a specific subject. That’s why it matters.

What Is Your Role in Your Learning?

You have the authority to decide what you learn and how well you learn it. You have the motivation to learn when you understand why you are learning something and how you will continue to use it. And, you have the capacity to understand how you learn best. So, it’s your responsibility to communicate with your teachers and work together as you take ownership of your learning.

This is your role in your learning. It’s your job to exercise your authority, motivation, capacity, and responsibility. This means you know and can tell others:

• What you are learning, why you are learning it, and how you will use it.
• How you learn best.
• When you are learning and how to get help when you are struggling.
• Your role as a learner who owns their learning.

But, owning your learning is not all or nothing. There are several ways that students approach their learning. Some students are doing school, while others are understanding school. The highest level is owning your learning as described in the following graphic.

In order to elevate your achievement to owning your role, it is important to know how you approach your learning and make a plan to elevate your achievement.

So, ask yourself, “What is my current approach to learning? Am I doing, understanding, or owning my learning?”

Now think about what is the value for you in elevating your role in your learning.

How will you do it?

How to Own Your Learning

As we have said before, you have a role in owning your learning and so does your teachers. It is part of your teachers’ role to decide for each and every lesson:

• 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 role to know these things for each and every lesson. So, for each lesson, 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.