5.1. Planning for learning
The curriculum or planning for learning in the two WBE programs differed, but what was striking was the match between Tim’s learning needs and Nick’s use of deliberate planning to structure and scaffold learning. Both Tim and Nick described Tim requiring extensive teaching, supervision, and encouragement in his early days in the WBE program after he had grown disaffected in his previous school. However, by the time we observed him, in his fourth term in the program, Tim was fully engaged academically and socially, working independently, and teaching other students. Nick and Tim independently described a process of guided learning in which Tim was increasingly self-directed. Nick, an experienced teacher, set continually changing learninggoals in all areas of upholsterywork including technical skills, dealing with clients, working with colleagues, maintaining records, and reporting progress. Nick could follow through on this planning for learning, with feedback, encouragement, and adjusted instruction and expectations, because he was in close proximity to Tim and the other students. Tim was genuinely interested in and competent at upholstering and this highly structured, vocational and career development program met his n