Learner's Bill of Rights*

The learner has the right to:

1. Question and be curious.
2. Have personal ideas.
3. Choose how to learn and share understanding.
4. Plan and participate in learning at a level that's appropriate.
5. Grapple with challenging ideas or concepts.
6. Access the information and resources needed.
7. Participate in and contribute to a learning network.
8. Think critically, solve problems and make decisions.
9. Make mistakes and learn from them.
10. Reflect on learning.

Today more than ever it is evident that we all need to always be learners - L4L (text message for learners for life). No longer should teachers be standing at the front of the room imparting knowledge and facts through lectures. Students, with teachers learning right along side of them, should be inquiring, thinking critically, and reflecting individually and as a group to find solutions to problems identified in the process of questioning and being curious. As a result everyone will contribute to the learning network, make mistakes and refine their abilities to plan for and solve whatever may come their way.

These learner rights listed above should be basic to education, but I think many times along the way we lose sight of them as we get caught up in life. Thank you to the Colorado subcommittee for bringing our attention back to what is truly important, engaging and exciting about learning!

What do you think about how simple these are, but how complicated we tend to make learning when we lose site of these basic rights of learners?


*The Learner's Bill of Rights committee, a sub committee of the 21st Century Learner Standards Vision Committee created the Learners Bill of Rights listed above. Jody Gehrig, member of the Vision sub-committee, chaired the "Learner's Bill of Rights" committee. The "Learner's Bill of Rights" was presented to Colorado Commissioner of Education Jones for approval and the State Library is waiting for feedback from the Commissioner's cabinet. The "Learner's Bill of Rights" has been endorsed by the Colorado School Library Leaders (CoSLL). They are for use with the students, teachers, administrators, parents, and other business and community leaders.