Student-Led Team Learning
What is student-led team learning?
Student-led team learning is a model of instruction where students work in small, diverse teams with clear protocols to engage in standards-based work, as defined in The Power of Student Teams (Toth & Sousa, 2019).
This approach transforms the traditional classroom dynamic by placing student ownership at the forefront of the learning process.
As instruction begins to shift to student-led team learning, the classroom culture rapidly changes:
- Students collaborate to generate new learning and deepen their understanding
- Teams gradually assume responsibilities traditionally held by teachers
- Teachers design rigorous, standards-based team tasks
What makes student-led team learning different?
Student-led team learning goes beyond traditional grouping strategies by focusing on autonomy, academic rigor, and agency.
Fostering Autonomy in the Classroom
In traditional teacher-directed instruction, students often rely heavily on the teacher even when working in groups. In contrast, student-led teams minimize the need for teacher intervention, empowering students to utilize their resources to take ownership of their learning and support one another.
To build students’ capacity for autonomy, it is crucial to implement well-defined structures, such as:
- Clear roles and responsibilities
- Established norms of conduct
- Defined protocols and strategies
- Continuous peer feedback
As students become more autonomous in their teams, the role of the teacher changes from director to coach.
Developing Essential Agency Skills
As students from diverse backgrounds collaborate and deepen their learning through rigorous tasks, they gain not only content knowledge, but also vital skills for success in college, careers, and beyond. Advanced student-led teams empower all students with the capacity for high agency skills such as:
- Leading their peers effectively, managing interpersonal tensions, and making thoughtful decisions together
- Engaging in complex problem solving, innovating new solutions, and taking on a professional mindset
- Exercising self-motivation to explore career interests, accept increased responsibilities, and prepare themselves for the future
By cultivating autonomy, embracing rigor, and fostering agency in the classroom, student-led team learning prepares students with the skills to excel in an ever-evolving world.
How do I implement student-led team learning in my school or district?
Our Applied Research Center has designed the Model of Instruction for Deeper Learning to support schools and districts as they implement student-led team learning.
