When a student demonstrates confidence and determination toward learning, we as teachers experience great pride, and sometimes relief. But how did the student get motivated? What role do we play in activating student empowerment?
When a student can see visible progress, they’ll continue to stay motivated to learn and grow. When we engage students in dialogue around data and discuss their personal goals, students feel empowered in their learning. The impact of this means their confidence grows and a stronger bond is created between teacher and student.
It's no secret that schools are becoming wiser in collecting and analyzing data to make educated decisions that help each student succeed in meeting the standards. However, we cannot sacrifice student voice at the expense of meeting our objectives. Students must be included in this process, because when they are, they feel part of the team. With this, learning and growing becomes individualized. No one is left out because each student is taking responsibility for their own learning, which is an exciting thought!