Personalized Learning

In the foreground a male student is looking up, listening intently.

Teacher standing in the middle of students during a bingo game

Group of male upper elementary students gathered around an iPad intently looking at it.

Our Vision for Personalized Learning

Students own their learning, unconstrained by time, practice, or structure, to meet their unique learning goals supporting their future success.

What is Personalized Learning?

Personalization refers to instruction paced to the learner's needs, tailored to learning preferences, and adapted to the specific interest of different learners. In an environment that is fully personalized, the learning objectives and content as well as the method and pace may vary.

Personalized Learning starts with the learner:

The teacher is the guide for the learner on their individual learning journey.
Learners have voice and choice in their learning.
Learners become independent learners who set goals, monitor progress, and reflect on learning and assessments of mastery.

In Pattonville, will experience competency based learning, learner pathways, and/or learner profiles as a means to explore themselves as learners and produce evidence of their learning.

Image showing three circles saying Competency Based Learning Learner Pathways, and Learner Profiles

Personalized, Competency-Based Education in Pattonville

In 2018, the Pattonville Board of Education approved an update of the district's long-term strategic plan, which supports Pattonville’s continued move to personalized, competency-based approaches to learning. With personalized learning, students advance in their learning by demonstrating mastery of important concepts and skills (competencies). Learning is customized to student needs: time it takes to master the subject matter, the teacher’s instructional practices and the structure of the learning environment. Take a look at how this concept is being used in Pattonville with instruction at the elementary, middle and high school levels.

A connected puzzle showing how Learner Centered Practices, Assessment, and Real-Word Learning are interconnected

More Information

The PCBL Framework

Personalized Learning Committee

Pattonville developed a multi-year Personalized Learning plan (preschool through 12th grade) for providing ongoing feedback to students on their growth toward being ready to master high school course content and college or career success after graduation. A committee of parents, students and teachers worked together to develop this plan and to help shape what Personalized Learning looks like in Pattonville.

Success-Ready Students Network (SRSN)

Elements of Personalized Competency-Based Learning

Learner Centered Practices

Student Empowerment

Students are empowered daily to make important decisions about their learning experiences, how they will create and apply knowledge, and how they will demonstrate their learning.

PCBL Framework: Element 1

Differentiated Support

Students receive timely, differentiated support based on their individual learning needs.

PCBL Framework: Element 3

Pathways and Pacing

Students learn actively using different pathways and varied pacing.

PCBL Framework: Element 5

Equitable Strategies

Strategies to ensure equity for all students are embedded in the culture, structure, and pedagogy of schools and education systems.

PCBL Framework: Element 6

Assessment

Meaningful and Relevant

Assessment is a meaningful, positive, and empowering learning experience for students that yields timely, relevant, and actionable evidence.

PCBL Framework: Element 2

Mastery-Based Progress

Students progress based on evidence of mastery, not seat time.

PCBL Framework: Element 4

Common Expectations

Rigorous, common expectations for learning (knowledge, skills, and dispositions) are explicit, transparent, measurable, and transferable.

PCBL Framework: Element 7

Real World Learning

PCBL in Practice

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High school ancestry exploration connects to history

Students in the Historical Ancestry class at the high school used unique research tools to understand not only who came before them, but why their stories unfolded the way they did. The semester-long class began with students learning how to research family history and what resources to use. That foundation set the stage for the ambitious project of creating an Ancestry Helpline that would allow staff to request a student’s help with their own family’s story.

A student records while another student interviews a teacher.

Pattonville Heights digital media class produces school news

Seventh and eighth graders at Pattonville Heights are learning an important lesson: their voices have value and with collaboration and creativity, they can shape the story of their school. This year, Digital Media II is allowing students to take the lead in informing and entertaining their peers through a student-run news and video production class.

A student wearing a microphone is interviewed while a student watches and another records the interview.

Parkwood students create videos to explain school expectations, show everyday learning in action

Parkwood is amplifying student voice through Panther Production Pros, a new initiative that places students at the center of keeping families informed. The group consists of a small group of students who help brainstorm, script and film content for the Panther Peek videos series, a collection designed to give families a peek inside the school and showcase learning that happens every day.

A student grabs an item off a rolling cart containing a vareity of prizes.

Parkwood's Panther Point store supports positive behavior

At Parkwood, earning and spending Panther Points is more than just a fun reward system — it’s a hands-on way for students to build real-world skills. Through the school’s Panther Point store, students learn responsibility, math, social interaction and decision-making while celebrating positive behavior.

Screenshot of video link to YouTube that features two students talking

Pattonville and Leonardo DRS partner to provide opportunities for students

Students have a variety of opportunities to work in different fields through Pattonville's partnership with Leonardo DRS.

Two students and a school resource officer fold clothes.

Remington students organize Care Closet for others

At Remington, giving back has become a part of everyday life. One example of that is the school’s Care Closet — a space where students can pick up clothing, personal care items and other essentials. What began as a small effort to meet a few needs has grown into a project that embodies Remington’s pillar of community service, with students leading the way to help one another.

A group of four students stand in front of and point at a painted mural handing on the walls of their school.

Bridgeway students bring pizzazz to school hallways

Third grade classes at Bridgeway recently read books about community that inspired them to create their own mural in art class. Comparing these stories inspired the students and teachers to think about how a piece of art in a shared space can bring people in a community together. They decided to create a mural to bring that same sense of community and creativity into their own school.

Three students stand in front of lockers while looking at an iPad.

Remington eighth graders research, propose options to make their classrooms more functional

Eighth graders at the Remington are getting a rare opportunity this year — the chance to restyle their own learning spaces. This semester, students are leading a full redesign of the two eighth grade classrooms, from layout and lighting to furniture and decor.