Progression of Ambitious, Capable Learners

The page below offers an overview of progression in learning behaviours and sketches the poles of such a progression for Ambitious, Capable Learners. 

Growing Ambitious, Capable Learners

The learning behaviours that combine to create Ambitious, Capable Learners need to develop and mature over time – it is the ‘building’ bit of Building Learning Power. These behaviours should become more frequently employed, in a wider range of contexts, and increasingly skillfully, as learners move through their school careers. 

But what does such ‘growth’ look like ? The learning trajectories on the At A Glance card hint at the journey from ‘won’t/can’t’ to ‘will/can’ – where are your learners on these trajectories ?

The ambitions and capabilities of the maturing adult should be more sophisticated than those of the infant, but this is not always / inevitably the case. Are student learning behaviours developing sufficiently to support the growth of Ambitious, Capable Learners ? 

The questions below relate to the Perseverance trajectory but could, of course, have been written with only minor amendments, about any of the learning behaviours that comprise Ambitious, Capable Learning.

Something to think about . . .

Take a look at the Perseverance learning trajectory above.

You will have some students who have ‘little sense of ends or goals or working towards something purposefully’, and some others who have ‘ambitious, long-term goals which they pursue with enthusiasm’. Ignore these ‘outliers’ for a moment:

• Where would you guesstimate the majority of your learners to be on this journey?
• Do many of them equate perseverance with being successful?
• How many of them actually act on this ?
• Do you believe that your students become more perseverant as they move through your school?
• Why do you think this might be?
• Do you have any evidence for this?