Locus of Control

Source: http://www.acts.co.nz/ABACUS/Coping-Skills/5-Locus-of-Control.pdf

There is greater ownership of the lesson by students as responsibility shifts from teacher to student for learning. Content, process, and choice of learning are experienced as co-constructed. The teacher empowers students to be independent learners who have a commitment to evaluating and adjusting their learning to meet their needs. (TKI)

As we continue to explore the journey around shifting the ownership and locus of control in our classrooms, teachers need to become more familiar with the difference between praise and encouragement. This is not to say that praise should not be a part of the classroom programme, more that encouragement supports children to continue their learning, while understanding that praise is very often considered to be at the end.

Praise:

Recognizes the doer. (“You got an A on the test.”)
Is control from the outside. (“You are good when you follow all the class rules.”)
Is evaluation by others. (“You pleased me when you picked up all the pencils.”)
Focuses on the finished, well-done task. (“You are worthwhile because you did the job well.”)
Emphasizes personal gains. (“You came in first; therefore, you are good.”)

Encouragement:

Recognizes the effort of the doer. (“You worked really hard to get your grade.”)
Is faith that the individual can control self. (“You are a responsible person.”)
Promotes self-evaluation. (“How do you feel about your work so far?”)
Emphasizes effort and progress of a task. (“Look at all the improvement you have made.”)
Emphasizes appreciation of contributions and assets. (“Your efforts helped us have a good science fair.”)

Source: https://www.teachervision.com/teaching-strategies/behavior-management-locus-of-control

What does this mean for APS?

Teachers are encouraged to continue to develop Learner Focused Relationships, supporting student understanding of their own knowledge, next steps and current abilities. As students begin to understand their own abilities and knowledge as a learner, they can be encouraged to continue to take greater responsibility and ownership for their learning.