A Framework for Teaching Student how to become Executive Leaners

1. Kids as Executive Learners©
Learners
Frameworks
Principles
Vehicle
Action

2. Frameworks
These frameworks have influenced my thinking about
Executive Function:
^Piaget, Flavell, Vygotsky and Rogoff: Developmental
Psychology
^Mayer. Wittrock, Perkins, Webb: How People Learn
^Collins, Brown, Newman: Cognitive Apprenticeship
^Herrington: Authentic Learning
^Kuhn, Jonassen: Higher Order Thinking
^Individualizing Learning: Tomlinson, CAST, Personalized
Learning, CARETONS
^Current Frameworks: Habits, Guided Participation, Dialogue

3. Frameworks to Principles
Students are capable of learning to direct their own
learning.
Learning is situated in particular contexts and is best
when motivated by authentic goals and outcomes.
Learning is most successful when it addresses both the
strengths and challenges of individual learners.
Students learn about something and use a variety of
cognitive and affective processes to accomplish that
learning.
Building a learning community in the classroom/school
benefits all learners.

4. P.O.R.T.A.L.S.
Lesson Planning: A Vehicle for Learning
PURPOSE
OPERATIONS
REMEMBERING
TEAM WORK
ACTION
LAYING A FOUNDATION
SELF-MANAGEMENT

5. Action
Outcomes to Demonstrate & Disseminate
How do we translate ideas into action such that Kids become
become Executive Learners? A proposal:
1) Make observations about the ways in which
learners show that they understand something
about “Executive Function” (E.F.).
2) Introduce the concept of E.F. through examples and
relevant vocabulary.
3) Point out examples of students using E.F. individually
and in partnership with other students.
4) Give students individual feedback on using E.F.
5) Systematically teach how E.F. works for each element of
the P.O.R.T.A.L.S. lesson plan.