I have seen apathetic students change to students who are excited, enthusiastic
learners; students who were failing every subject become engaged
in learning and making better grades; students who,
in the past, avoided talking with me about their grades, come... waving their report cards
in their hands to show me their improvement; students who thought of themselves as incapable begin to think of themselves as
capable learners; and students who thought that dreams were for others, begin to dare to dream about the world outside their
school and community and how they can contribute.
Successful
schools do not leave this to chance and are intentional
in understanding students» perceptions so they can determine what they can do to grow strong, self - directed,
capable learners.
In 2014, Spence and his team introduced a five - year strategic plan for Virginia Beach City Public
Schools, which included a call to transform it from a primarily BYOD district to a true digital learning environment
capable of empowering students to become 21st - century
learners.