The Center for Autonomous Learning

By Jeanie Goertz and George Betts

At Last! A learning center that focuses on elementary and middle school learner’s OWN interests! The CENTER FOR AUTONOMOUS LEARNING is designed to help young learners develop their own learning centers, based on the premise that we all learn best when we pursue what we love. The first section of the book contains directions for teachers and parents to use with learners. The second section contains the basic structure and actual worksheets to be used with the center. Teachers are given permission to reproduce student copies.

Images Of Greatness
Understanding Giftedness Through Eminent People, 2nd Edition

By Katha Decker Williams, M.A.

Images of Greatness encourages student learners, grades 4-12, to investigate giftedness through the study of eminent people. All activities are based on one or more of the five dimensions of the Autonomous Learner Model. Students select and research an eminent person who has made, or is making, a positive impact on society. They become an expert on their chosen person as they do a variety of activities including: pre-post test; Who Am I?; class brainstorming activities; A Glimpse of Greatness; researching and writing a bio-riddle and a biographical sketch or a biography magazine; making a lifeline; creating and constructing a learner center; researching the person’s favorite food; creating a costume; taking part in a news conference; and actually taking the role of that person in the culminating activity, The Night of the Notables. Assessments are included. The unit has become a standard for anyone using the Autonomous Learner Model, and brings rave reviews from faculty, parents and community.

Discovering Who's Who In Our Community

By Katha Williams, M.A.

DISCOVERING WHO’S WHO IN OUR COMMUNITY is an investigative unit designed to help students learn the dynamics of group process, practice written and oral communication, and gain interviewing and discussion skills while learning about interesting role models from the community. Students select, contact, write questions, conduct actual interviews, and write feature stories about community leaders.

Community Search

Katha Williams, M.A.

Do you want to encourage your students to deal effectively with their environment? If so, COMMUNITY SEARCH provides the format necessary to facilitate your students in exploring their community. After a stimulating pre-test and discussion, students have assignments which teach them how to find information outside of the library and the classroom. The culminating activity takes students out of the school for a community “scavenger hunt” to answer questions on their own. Students will become more independent and self-directed as a result of using this book.