STUDENT-LED LEARNING IN LOWER SCHOOL
What does student-led learning look like in practice?
By Alison Carl, Lower School Principal at ACS Egham
Lights dimmed, puppets at the ready! The drama room buzzed with anticipation as the Kindergarten class prepared to showcase their shadow theatre performance. The next twenty minutes were a delightful mix of creativity, theatre, and post-show discussion. The Kindergarten students took charge of every aspect of the production - from choosing the story, co-writing the script with their drama teacher, Ms. Vaughn, to creating the puppets and rehearsing their performance - all in just a few lessons. When asked how they came up with their ideas, they unanimously agreed: “We used a lot of imagination.” Each student was able to answer questions about their puppets and the show with clarity and confidence. The sense of ownership was palpable, with Ms. Vaughn supporting and facilitating their ideas rather than directing them.
Down the hallway, Grade 5 students were diving deep into the world of economics, exploring the interdependence of business and government. Students took on roles, deciding jobs, responsibilities, and salaries. The day’s main controversy? The tax office was spotted in a meeting with the government leader -
a situation that raised concerns among the businesses! Here, abstract lessons in mathematics, presentation skills, teamwork, and negotiation came to life. Students even had to apply for jobs, calculate taxes, and resign from roles they found unsuited to their skills.
It’s been fun working with people I wouldn’t normally work with and interviewing for jobs.
Across the Lower School, student-led learning takes many forms: student-driven inquiries in the Units of Inquiry, a student-organised sustainability group during break time, celebrations planned by the student council, International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme Exhibit (PYPx) projects, and books brought from home. The opportunities for voice, choice, and action are endless. This is what sets the IB Primary Years Programme (IBPYP) apart from traditional forms of education.
Student-led learning fosters an energy and excitement that speaks to fully-engaged learners. When students take the reins, they push the boundaries of creativity and deepen their understanding in ways that often surprise, impress, and inspire. By giving students the freedom to drive their own learning, we discover just how powerful their ideas and questions can be.
