Personalized Learning is a 'Mindset Shift' Focused on Needs, Pace of Students

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., May 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Students learn and retain information in many ways and at a variety of paces. Sometimes that pace needs a little get-up-and-go, like in Jill Fischer's fifth-grade science class at Peak Charter Academy, part of National Heritage Academies (NHA) network of schools. Her students use a process called Personalized Learning, which enables them to get up and change from one group to another more often, a change Fischer's students relish.

"I think they enjoy it a lot more because they're moving around," Fischer said. "They're not always working with the same group, so they have that flexibility. They know that these groups, they're not fixed, they're constantly changing."

Personalized Learning, also called Differentiated Instruction, refers to the use of instructional practices to help students learn to their potential in each subject. Students are often divided into tier groups of three to five in number based on their understanding of a topic. Peak is one of many schools, including Warrendale Charter Academy, Ridge Park Charter Academy, Hamtramck Academy, and Southside Academy Charter School in the NHA network to utilize this process.

Peak Principal Steve Pond said this process is exceptionally useful at his diverse school of students who represent 39 countries and use 25 languages. The school recently received a state "A" grade and has exceeded post-pandemic growth expectations and outperforms local districts in all subjects.

"Small group instruction allows for greater time between teacher and students," Pond said. "During small group time, students work on their learning plans to progress through the academic standards at their own pacing. Instruction at Peak is tiered, and tiered lessons are planned with target standards, rigor, and relevance at the forefront."

In Personalized Learning, each group focuses on a different benchmark. Students struggling to grasp a concept may be led in more foundational work like knowledge building and comprehension, while students who excel early can be led through techniques in analyzation and real-world applications. This often leads to our EXCEL-ERATE advanced learning program geared toward top-performing students who are ready to progress beyond their grade level.

Pond gave an example of a project he created to teach this way of learning. Students in the first-tier group would be tasked with learning the first 10 presidents of the United States. Students in the second-tier group would learn the first 10 presidents, but also key issues affecting the country at the times they served. The third-tier group would also learn all 10 presidents, key issues, and would focus on the impact of each president.

"I've done it with elementary, middle, and high schools," Pond said. "It's a mindset shift that's focused on growth. They're not all going to be at the same place."

Peak Charter Academy was recently featured in a special section by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) because their work focuses on "promoting practices that motivate, engage, and provide measurable results in North Carolina's public school units."

The recognition highlights the work being done at Peak by Principal Pond and his staff since the school opened in 2017.

Peak Charter Academy is a tuition-free, public charter school in Apex, North Carolina, serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies network, which includes 99 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.

SOURCE National Heritage Academies