Literature Review
Society and schools often look for ways to improve the performance of students. Engaging students is frequently sought after by teachers and school officials to help student achievement in multiple domains. Creating autonomy-supportive environments has been linked with positive gains in the classroom. However, autonomy is a multifaceted approach that goes beyond simply providing choice for students.
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The Research Project
In the world outside of school, not every decision is dictated to students. It is, therefore, the duty of a responsible teacher to create an autonomous-supportive classroom to foster independence and critical thinking skills that will help students in and out of school. Autonomy has been associated with positively impacting engagement in the classroom; high engagement is frequently related to positive school performance. Choice is far from the only way for teachers to provide students with autonomy, it is also providing rationale for activities and allowing students a productive channel to share their criticism. The proposed research would look at all of the different ways to be autonomous-supportive in a fourth grade suburban classroom using pre and post tests to determine what amount of autonomy in the elementary classroom best serves students. If previous research in other classrooms holds true, an approach that supports all types of autonomy and does not inundate students with too many choices will help students achieve their best. Provided autonomy-supportive classrooms prove to be beneficial, it would then be recommended that teachers take every opportunity to support the autonomy of their students, even allowing students choice is not an option. This research can be used to compare the amount of autonomy that should be used in other grade levels as well as its lasting effects outside the classroom.
About Me
It’s the spring of 1996. My mother has my newly born brother on a changing table and, as I watch it, the realization that I could never be a medical doctor dawns on me. For most carefree children, this is not a major event; for me, it means that I may have to settle for my back up career of princess. It is a minor crisis. Flash forward to the fall of 1997. I am in a plaid dress and happily skipping off of a big yellow bus from my first day of school. My future is clear: I’m going to be a teacher. If not that, a princess will have to do.