Thornwell Teacher Publishes Article on Personalized Learning
January 29, 2022
Emily Rhodes, a 2nd year Math teacher at Thornwell Charter School recently had an article entitled, “Implementation of Personalized Learning in a New Charter School” published in the peer-reviewed journal, “The Journal for Undergraduate Ethnography.” Personalized, competency-based learning is a learning approach that helps students take ownership of their learning and acquire world class skills, knowledge, and characteristics, which are features of the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate.
Emily became interested in personalized learning when she completed a practicum experience at Thornwell for her teacher education program at Presbyterian College where she was getting certified to become a middle school teacher. For her study, she interviewed teachers and students about their experiences and found that they had greater levels of satisfaction being in a school that implemented personalized learning compared to their experiences in traditional educational environments.
After graduating from PC, Emily started teaching at Thornwell Charter School, and explains that directly being a part of implementing personalized learning has been an amazing experience. She stated, “I see students who love coming to school and flourish in the supportive environment and culture that has been created. Students are taught self-efficacy and responsibility for their scholastic pathway. Not only are students given a curriculum that is rigorous and specifically tailored to them, but they are also taught the purpose of the content they are learning. Watching students who have struggled in school develop a love of learning again and students who are high achievers continuing to be pushed to reach their full potential is remarkable. The environment that personalized learning creates not only for students but for faculty and staff as well is wonderful to be a part of. I am so excited for the future of my students in their Personalized Learning journey.”
To read Emily’s article on personalized learning click HERE.
