Teaching and Learning Critical Pathways

Recently CEO Parramatta had a visit from Barbara McMorrow, a Professional Learning Director from Catholic Principals Council of Ontario, Canada (CPCO)
Barbara has been working in schools and networks on Teaching & Learning Critical Pathways collaborative analysis of student learning – a process where teachers bring data on students of interest – stuck, not progressing – and use a collaborative process to understand and analyse the student’s situation and determine critical pathways for teaching and learning for these individual students. This Ontario initiative aligns with system priorities in Parramatta using data, learning story, collaborative practice, school based professional learning and networking.

Why the Teaching Learning Critical Pathway and Why Now?
The Teaching-Learning Critical Pathway (T-LCP) is a model used to organize actions for teaching and student learning. The T-LCP is the work of the professional learning community (PLC). The T-LCP was inspired by a strategy presented by Carmel Crévola,
Peter Hill and Michael Fullan. In their book entitled Breakthrough, they present a model called the Critical Learning Instructional Pathway (CLIP). Their idea is that classroom practice can be organized in a practical, precise and highly personalized manner with the outcome being increased student achievement. Their central question is “How do we know that our actions are resulting in improved student learning?” (Abstract from article)

Teacher-Learning Critical Pathways
A Website from the Ontario Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat.

The Teaching- Learning Critical Pathway (TLCP): A Resource Guide

Canadian Coalition of Self Directed Learning. The Canadian Coalition for Self-Directed Learning is an organization of secondary schools throughout Canada that are dedicated to the personalization of learning which takes into account individual student characteristics, talents, interests and academic backgrounds. CCSDL schools believe that learning flourishes in an environment where the learner is able to control and direct their learning.

The Mary Ward School community is committed to realizing the potential of all members of their learning community in an environment that encourages collaborative decision making and collegial relationships among administrators, teachers, support staff, students and parents.

What is Self Directed Learning
In Self Directed Learning the control of learning shifts from the teacher to the learner. The learner is seen as a owner and manager of their own learning, where learners set their own goals and their own approach to the learning task within a learning framework. Self directed learning aims to have learners manage implementation of their own learning as well as actively evaluate their own learning. While learners exhibit a great deal of independence this learning model is also seen as highly collaborative as learners interact more with their peers and teachers.

Resources on Self-Directed Learning
ERIC digest on Self Directed Learning
This website summarises the concept of Self-Directed Learning and provides a list of references
ERIC Identifier: ED459458, Publication Date: 2001-12-00
Author: Abdullah, Mardziah Hayati, Source: ERIC Clearinghouse on Reading English and Communication Bloomington IN.

Articles from the Self Directed learning website
This site supports teaching self-directed learning (SDL) and becoming a self-directed person.