Welcome to the Modern Classrooms Project Podcast. Each week we bring you discussions with educators on how they use blended, self-paced, and mastery-based learning to better serve their learners. In this episode, Toni Rose Deanon is joined by Marquitta Thomas, early childhood educator, to discuss the positive impact of self-pacing on her learners’ social, emotional, and cognitive development.

Through self-paced activities, Marquitta’s students gained confidence and autonomy, which allowed her to foster a supportive and collaborative learning environment for all of her learners. Marquitta highlighted the importance of personalized support and consistent routines in helping students adapt to self-pacing.

Here are three key takeaways from this podcast episode:

• Self-paced learning promotes confidence and reduces comparison among students, which fosters a positive social climate for all students.

• Instructional videos for pre-K learners should incorporate visual and verbal support, engage students' attention, and align with developmentally appropriate practices.

• Implementing MCP in early childhood education requires gradual introduction and ongoing support to facilitate student adaptation.

Marquitta expressed, "The more repetition, the more routines that you instill, they'll just catch on. Children are very open-minded, and they adapt." The discussion then centered on the need for educators to embrace new tools and approaches when they become available and to start with small, manageable steps to integrate self-paced learning effectively.

Discussion questions for PLC and PD: 

• How can educators in various grade levels adapt the principles of self-paced learning to promote confidence and reduce comparison among students, fostering a positive social climate in their classrooms?

• In what ways can your instructional videos be effectively designed to incorporate visual and verbal support, engage students' attention, and align with developmentally appropriate practices?

• What strategies and support systems can educators implement to gradually introduce self-paced learning in their classrooms and facilitate student adaptation, considering the need for consistent routines and personalized support?

Our Host

Toni Rose taught MS English for 10 years and will forever identify as a teacher. Toni Rose strives to be the teacher that they never had growing up, so they focus on anti-bias, anti-racist work and wants to create a brave space for everyone around them. As a queer Filipinx, they understand just how important it is to be represented, be valued, and belong. They especially love being a thought partner for and celebrating teachers.

Our Guest: Marquitta Thomas

• Connect with our guest via email.

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