Personalize: Meeting the Needs of All Learners

by Eric Sheninger, Nicki Slaugh

Are you an educator stuck in the traditional teaching or leadership mold, yearning for a spark to reignite your passion? Do you want to use your time better and work smarter, not harder? Personalize is your guide to transforming classrooms into dynamic hubs of exploration and discovery. This book invites you to break free from the "one-size-fits-all" approach and embrace the potential of personalized learning, where all students get what they need, when and where they need it to learn.

Imagine a classroom in which all students’ unique strengths, interests, and opportunities for growth are recognized and nurtured. Where the rigid structures of traditional education give way to flexible, student-centered learning environments. Personalize provides the tools and strategies to create such a space, fostering creativity, critical thinking, and a genuine love for learning.
Dive into how personalized learning can revolutionize education through real-world examples, research, practical advice, and inspiring stories. You'll learn how to leverage high-agency strategies (voice, choice, path, pace, place), technology (including artificial intelligence), data, and innovative teaching methods to meet each student's individual needs, ensuring that no learner is left behind. The book also emphasizes the importance of building strong relationships and a positive school culture to support these changes.

Personalize is not just a book; it's a movement towards a more inclusive, engaging, and effective culture. Whether you're a teacher, administrator, coach, or librarian, this book will inspire you to make bold moves that challenge the status quo and bring out the best in your students. Join the revolution. Embrace the journey of personalization and witness the transformative impact on your students and your educational career. Your path to rekindling the joy of being an educator starts here.

196 pages, Paperback

Published June 6, 2024

Reviews

[Spike Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eric Sheninger and Nicki Slaugh recently published Personalize: Meeting the Needs of All Learners. This is a book that you are going to want to read if you are seeking to make a difference in the 21st century learning environment. Throughout the book, there are numerous opportunities for readers to learn about personalized vignettes that support the claims in the book. The book is separated into 7 chapters that focus on the importance of culture, personalization, student agency, learning, diverse needs, relationships, and embracing the journey.

“Personalized learning is just that: breaking away from the one-size-fits-all approach to help all students succeed” Sheninger and Slaugh

In the chapter “Unveiling of Personalization” you will be provided with several models and examples that will help you understand the importance of your why. For instance, there is a Relevant Thinking Framework model that helps develop and analyze questions, tasks and assessments. This is an interesting model that combines Bloom's Taxonomy with the Knowledge Taxonomy.

Many educators seek to amplify student voice through student agency but struggle to understand what that takes in the classroom setting. Sheninger and Slaugh provide numerous examples, and they extend the learning through embedded QR Codes that show videos of teachers and students in action! Whether the teacher develops a playlist, personalized assessments or self-paced problem based activities, students will have the opportunity to choose their path and use their voice!

In education, we talk a lot about teaching and very limited time on learning. Most classrooms are equipped with similar assessments that are designed to determine task completion and regurgitation of information. Yet, is this really learning? Sheninger and Slaugh encourage teachers to dig deeper to understand student learning with a Feedback Model, Student Tracker and a My Mastery Tracker. All of these models are focused on student learning.

How much do you know about your students? How do you build relationships? In Personalize, teachers can see the power of interest surveys, one on one meetings, learning profiles, community building and reflective practices. Don’t think you have the time for building relationships? Sheninger and Slaugh argue that you don’t have time to NOT build relationships… and they are right!

One thing that is special about this book is that the Authors realize that change can be difficult and grueling especially when you are working in isolation. Throughout the book, there are several opportunities for the reader to begin connecting with a personal learning community of like-minded educators willing to support you through this process. If the reader follows the QR Codes, hashtags, and other online resources, they will be able to put this book into action.

“By Embracing personalized learning, you are not just shaping lessons; you are shaping learner success” Sheninger and Slaugh

[Phillip Nash · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I embark on an exploration of personalised learning, Sheninger and Slaugh’s book is very helpful in setting out a range of strategies and ways of thinking. Capturing both the ideas behind personalised learning and offering a range of strategies, it allows for individualisation when it comes to implementation. The authors practice what they preach! I strongly recommend it for those looking to implement real change in K - 12 schooling.

[Dave Moyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very strong follow up to Disruptive Thinking in Our Classrooms, Personalize is a valuable resource for any classroom teacher or school district that is serious about personalize learning for students. The book includes practical information on how to make voice, choice, path, pace, and place a reality in classrooms, based on Sheninger's experience in thousands of classrooms around the world.

[Mikell Beus · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great tool for schools looking to implement personalized learning. It gives great guidance while allowing flexibility for your school's needs.