Student accountability is a must for their own learning. Students need to be responsible so they understand what they can do and how they need to improve. Knowing strengths and weaknesses gives students skills necessary for the future. Students need to commit to learning and growing academically, emotionally, and socially.
Accountability helps students to value their work. In teaching accountability to young students, it carries to all aspects of their lives. Students do not feel responsible for something they did not create. Thus, it’s important to first give them a stake in the classroom projects and assignments. When they invest, they take ownership and are accountable for the end product.
Building Student Accountability
- Create a classroom where students bond with each other and feel comfortable. They need to feel trusted and respected. They need to feel safe to express themselves and take risks with new ideas.
- Provide clear goals for assignments. Rubrics help students to understand what’s expected.
- Students need to own their learning through an active role in decisions concerning their individual learning style. Thus, they become accountable for their decisions.
- Self-assessments give student ownership and make them accountable.
- Family involvement is important. It’s important to create a family connection.
- Keep students involved in c0nferences. Thus, they understand and explain their weakness and strengths. They also see how to improve and move forward in learning.
As students take ownership of their learning, they make mistakes. Through mistakes, students put in more effort to correct the error and accomplish a task. Engagement in the learning process creates accountability. Students become active learners instead of passively absorbing information that is easily forgotten.
Peer collaboration is important in the active learning process. Students that discuss and collaborate with classmates become accountable for their learning.
Love the Learning
Giving students a voice in the decision-making process gives them ownership. Voice gives students power and they become lifelong leaners. It’s important for students to feel they contributed.
As students work through a design process, their mindset becomes positive. They see themselves as creators, builders, thinkers, and artists. They learn the skill of problem solving, working together and sharing ideas.
Remind students they handle their learning. Empowering students, giving them a voice, and making them accountable, they forever own their learning.
