The truth is that we usually associate the success of someone else with luck or fortune and then look for ways to justify our incompetence and incapability. How do you teach students to take ownership of their learning? lets know
We tend to make excuses for our underperformance and blame our failures on bad luck, or circumstances beyond our control. However, the fundamental core of what constitutes an effective student in school or any endeavor is taking extreme ownership of their learning processes. Complete responsibility for academic failure is a difficult thing to accept, and taking responsibility when grades go low, requires exceptional humility and bravery.
Nevertheless, doing just that is non-negotiable because it’s a prerequisite to learning, growing as a student, and improving your performance, holistically.
If a student in a class is not performing at the level expected of them to perform then the tutor must teach and mentor that student. But if the student continually fails to meet up with others, then a teacher who exercises strong teaching prowess must look for ways to enforce extreme ownership on the student to learn.
How students can take ownership of their learning?
1. No one is infallible
To make your students take ownership of their learning, you have to let them know that nobody is perfect. They just have to put down their agenda, and ego and understand that failure is part of the process of learning. They should know that if they had known it, they wouldn’t have failed it.
Even teachers aren’t perfect in their way but what has kept them from being excellent is that they have learned to treat failure as success turned inside out. And the more they keep learning, the more they keep getting better.
2. Humility solves it all
When you are a paragon of humility, as a student, you will understand that it will be hard to learn when you think you know everything. One ancient wisdom revealed to us that, “the secret to learning is knowing that you know nothing.” Ego is somehow related to arrogance deeply rooted in ignorance. I knew about a student who used to challenge his teacher in the classroom, the student believes that he knew better than the teacher. And when he fails, he tends to blame the teacher for his failure. Humility is a way of taking ownership of your learning.
3. Consistency breaks resistance
One way of taking extreme ownership is to be consistent with learning. You need to understand that learning is a never-ending process. Death should only be the reason for one to stop learning, we are all students for life. And there are always more than enough things to learn. So as a student, to take responsibility for your learning, I recommend strongly, never stop learning!
4. Teach others what you learn
When you have developed the desire to teach others what you have learned then you’re gradually taking ownership of learning. As far as the learning process is concerned, you’re learning twice as fast as you can when you teach someone else.
I was able to take the first position in high school simply because I took it upon myself to teach my fellow students whatever I learned whether or not they were willing to learn. My major concern was to teach it because I knew the benefits. When you taught What you learned, it tends to clarify some doubts and confusions because you can only make people understand something you have comprehended.
5. Read ahead of the class
Teachers can only give you a tip of an iceberg on every topic. There will never be enough time for teachers to deliver all that’s required for a subject. That’s the more reason why, as a student, you have to go all out and over-commit to stay ahead of your teachers.
One thing about staying ahead of the teachers is that you become super in charge of every discussion in the class, and you contribute meaningfully to the topics being taught. It will also challenge your teachers to prepare well before coming to class. In this regard, therefore, always study ahead to take ownership of your learning process.
6. Form a reading group
A student who is hungry to take his learning to the next level should endeavor to establish a Reading Group. The group will have a strong drive to study consistently. You should identify with the few individuals who have the same mental attitude, they will help to sharpen your intellect, of course, you know, “iron sharpens iron”. There must be principles guiding the group to get the best out of it.
The Benefits of taking ownership of your learning.
1. It opens up opportunities
If you take absolute ownership of your learning, it will create a path to success. When I was in high school I took a chance to learn, teach and improve on my studies. One year after graduation I was able to get a teaching job as a student-teacher without a university degree. I worked there before leaving to continue with my education. Because I took ownership of my studies in high school, I transferred the Mentality to my students and some of them were doing pretty well in their academics.
2. It Develops confidence and willpower
Taking ownership of your learning makes you feel highly esteemed about yourself. It’s a great feeling to know what others don’t. It gives you power and envelopes you with a high level of positive energy.
3. Easy adaptability
When you have the skill to take ownership of your learning, it will help you adapt easily to different areas of life. When I quit my job as a teacher, I enrolled at the university to study Engineering and I’m able to adapt because I took extreme ownership in learning the course the same way I used to take ownership in other creative acts.
Conclusion:
The most important reason why students need to take ownership of their learning is that it will help to improve the students and allow them to stay ahead of other students who treat their Academics with disdain.
