Embracing Choice—empowering students and managing behaviors
Giving students choices in the classroom promotes autonomy, prevents power struggles, and leads to more engaged learning.
Wait a minute.
So you must already be thinking that you can’t give students choices because you are required to teach those areas that are dictated by your state or school district.
Besides, shouldn’t students be required to do what they’re asked to? Guess what, we (adults) like choices too. We make hundreds of choices daily. We can choose to do the laundry in the morning or in the afternoon. Better yet, maybe we can do it on the weekend.
These things have to get done at some point. Can you imagine being forced to do the laundry at a specific day and time? Either way, the ability to make choices, even smaller ones, can prevent us from reacting emotionally or responding by doing or saying things that we may regret later.
Ok, now that you realize we all have the ability to make choices, how does this work in your classrooms?
First, the student has to have the ability to make choices. Secondly, you’ll have to identify and/or prepare materials before presenting the option to the students.
Third, ensure the materials are appropriate for the student’s current skill repertoire. Finally, you may need to combine choice-making with other strategies such as reinforcement for completion of the assignments as presented. Some examples of choices may include:
- Allowing the student to choose the sequence of assignments that must be completed.
- Allowing the student to choose the materials he/she would like to use (e.g., worksheets, manipulatives, pencils, crayons, pen, markers, etc.)
- Allowing the student to complete the assignment at home, study hall, or after school.
Other strategies for addressing escape/avoidance behaviors will be introduced in future posts.