Thrive in Action Blog Series: Student Voice, GPS 7 - Student Choice
The Thrive In Action blog series highlights practical applications for Great Pedagogy Strategies (GPS) within the EdConnective Thrive Framework, summarized here. The EdConnective Thrive Framework is unique in that it can be applied to teaching actions seamlessly whether learning is in-person or remote. This week we get more familiar with:
Student Voice, GPS 7 - Student Choice: Students are provided with frequent and meaningful choices (in what they learn, how they learn, and how they are assessed) that align with curriculum and standards.
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Providing students with frequent and meaningful choices in their daily classroom experience is an excellent way to boost engagement and motivation. Not only does choice lead to increased investment, it can also lead to better academic performance. When students are given choice in what they learn, how they learn, and how they are assessed, it allows for instruction to be driven by their interests, gives them ownership of their learning process, and provides a chance for them to produce something that is authentic and individualized.
Choices can be both small- and large-scale in the classroom. Small-scale choices could look like giving students multiple passages on the same topic and allowing them to choose which one they read or deciding what mathematical strategy they want to use to solve a problem. While large-scale choice might involve having students vote on a topic to study or decide they want to use for a formal assignment such as recording a podcast versus writing a blog post.
Ultimately, giving students choice allows them to practice key foundational skills like making sense of problems, modeling, analysis and rhetorical thinking. To best support students with building decision making skills, it is important to limit the number of choices you are giving students so as not to overwhelm them. Three to four options is usually sufficient. Since the decision making process is equally as important as the decision itself, be sure to spend time modeling what a successful choice looks like and to give students time to reflect on their choice and how it did or did not support their learning.
Some ways to increase student choice in your classroom:
In the building:
Choice in who. Ex: Students choose who they work with and where they are seated in the classroom.
Virtual:
Choice in task. Ex: Give students choices in multiple strategies for solving the same math problem or different people to study. Allow students to opt into breakout rooms depending on which strategy they want to use or person they want to study.
Both in building and virtual:
Choice in assessment format. Ex: Give students the same writing task but have them choose the format. For example when writing your scientific essay either pretend that you work for National Geographic and be prepared to write it on a magazine layout OR pretend that you are a famous scientist about to give your first Ted Talk and be prepared to record yourself reading your essay.
Choice in assessment feedback. Ex: When I grade your assignment, let me know if you would like feedback on your use of dialogue or your sensory details.
Choice in output. Ex: Set a goal for how many words/sentences/paragraphs/pages you think that you can write about this topic. (Depends on ability level).
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Download a summary of the EdConnective Thrive Framework here. EdConnective provides 1:1, personalized non-evaluative coaching to teachers, instructional coaches, and administrators, as well as small group coaching and large group training.