08/27/2026
I recently heard an understandable concern from school leaders:
“We already have so many initiatives underway. We don't have time for another one.”
I agree.
Building independent learners shouldn't require another program or another item on the improvement plan.
It can happen through the work schools are already doing.
📚 A student working toward a reading goal identifies which strategy helped them understand a difficult passage.
➗ A student solving a math problem explains what they tried, where they got stuck, and what they'll do next.
Same academic priorities.
But now students are learning to understand and direct their own learning.
That's the shift.
The goal isn't to add learner agency to the list. The goal is to ensure that everything already on the list helps students become more independent learners.