The name “Enacted Learning” comes from a psychological theory called “enactivism,” which focuses on the reciprocal relationship between an individual and their environment. I eventually arrived at an enactivist perspective after realizing that “executive functioning coaching” did not capture the scope of my work. Enactivism has been a growing research focus for education over the last decade and is becoming recognized as a superior theoretical framework for understanding learning and teaching. You can find more information on the “Research and Resources” page of my site.
The idea of that learning takes place via interactions, which affect both the subject and its environment, has resonated deeply with my experience. I have seen time and again how it is not just the student, nor solely their classroom, but how the two interact and affect each other that determines success. This third thing, the interaction, can often be mistaken for something coming from the student or the classroom. But it is distinct from both, and focusing on it gives a clearer picture of learning difficulties and their resolution.
Why is this the case? Interventions focused solely either on pedagogy, or on a “holistic” perspective on the student, both fail to take into account the emergent factors that come out of the interaction between the former and the latter. Too often these emergent factors, which come to be only in specific contexts, are mistaken for inherent and unchangeable features of a student’s learning. By focusing on the interaction, we can get a clearer picture of where a student is really at, and how to move them beyond that to where they need to be.
This perspective is a big part of what has helped me facilitate student success when other interventions have failed. Over two decades of teaching, I have developed a reputation for being able to handle tough cases with a light touch, defusing stressful academic situations and rekindling a love of learning in students who were in the process of giving up on school.