Student Agency is fundamental to Student-Centered—or, perhaps even more properly—Student-Driven Learning. While there are varying definitions and terms for Student Agency, the basic premise is creating a classroom (and school) environment where students have the opportunity to take ownership and responsibility for what and how they learn. This methodological approach to classroom planning has been proved to increase the mastery of concepts and the development of life long skills such as executive functioning and reflective meta-cognition.
STRUCTURES FOR STUDENT LEADERSHIP & ADVOCACY TOOL
“Using Podcasts to Inform and Promote Student Leadership and Advocacy” by Courtney Henry
A choice-based performance assessment that engages students in advocacy.
PERSONALIZED PATHWAYS TOOLS
“Using Goal-Setting to Motivate and Personalize Learning for PE Students” by Libby Bacher
A process and accompanying worksheets to support student goal-setting in the interest of supporting students in creating their own “pathways” for learning within a given course.
“Opportunities for Student Agency in Math with Personalized Pathways” by Debbie Logiudice
A quick primer (including infographics and guidance) for teachers about how to create personalized pathways within skills-based curriculum, with five different “entry levels” for teachers to consider based on their own contexts and readiness.
STUDENT VOICE & CHOICE TOOLS
“Batter Up Choice Board: Incorporating Student Choice into a Multiplication Unit of Study” by Jessica Solomon
A Choice Board activity designed to be used at the end of a multiplication unit with the goal of providing skill practice and collecting artifacts of student learning to inform subsequent instruction, as an exemplar to inspire other educators interested in creating “choice boards”.
“Employing Math in a Community Clean-Up Project to Engage Student Voice” by Erin Kimball
A Choice Board activity designed to be used at the end of a multiplication unit with the goal of A lesson plan and related materials for a community-minded project driven by student choice.