i am an empowered student essay

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5 Ways to Empower Students

Giving them a voice in their own education.

What's the most powerful resource in your classroom? Is it the formidable stack of textbooks, the encyclopedia, the computer? As much of a reader and education technology enthusiast as I am, I believe this most powerful resource is something else entirely. It's something collective -- the diverse imaginations, observations, opinions, hopes and dreams of students. By empowering students, you can engage them further in learning, provide a more democratic learning experience and, of course, find the most powerful resource in your classroom: us.

1) Give Your Students a Voice Through Forums for Student Feedback

You may remember from your own school days how much students sometimes complain about teachers ("she gives so much busywork," "he gave me a D just because I turned it in a day late!"). Now that's only amplified through social networking. What if you could use that to your advantage ? I'm both a teacher and a student. I receive a lot of feedback from teachers for class work and homework, and I also really appreciate getting constructive feedback from the students I teach via video conferencing. Setting up a forum for students to provide constructive and timely feedback -- criticism or praise -- through mediums like a group Google Doc, Twitter hashtag, Edmodo site, blog, etc., helps you improve your teaching. It also helps students, emphasizing that learning is about partnership and working together.

2) Give Students Decision-Making Power in an Area of Curriculum

This might seem like an unrealistic idea in an age of common core standards and high-stakes tests -- what if students veer drastically off the required course? However, this is actually entirely possible to incorporate with existing curriculum. For instance, if you teach language arts and the goal of the unit is teaching students how to write an effective response to literature or a literary analysis essay, who says everyone has to write about the same book written by some ancient dead writer (no offense, dead writers)? Besides, if you're already scared of writing your very first response to literature, having to decipher ancient syntax isn't going to help. So instead, why not have students pick a book of their own choosing -- a novel like The Hunger Games , even (gasp!) a graphic novel like Marjane Satrapi's Persepolis , or even (double gasp!) a smart comic book like Bill Watterson's Calvin and Hobbes ? All these works provide plenty of themes to analyze and are compelling reads. You could turn this response to literature unit into a book club unit where students make cases for picking their suggested book to be read and analyzed by the rest of the class. This student-directed curriculum idea is applicable to many other subjects. Giving students the power to choose creates a sense of ownership over the learning.

3) Put Yourself in the Sandbox

Jump in to work with students. When I teach language arts, I love using collaborative writing to explain concepts like figurative language or to demonstrate how to start writing different types of pieces (like an essay or a suspenseful personal narrative). I ask for student involvement and feedback; they throw out the ideas while I link them together. The best part is that this helps provide a crucial link between the explanation of the topic and the "Go do this at home and turn it in" moment. By getting students to collaborate with you, they're starting to work on their own but also getting the concept reinforced.

4) Encourage Meaningful Technology Use in the Classroom

Many teachers tell students to turn off their devices when they walk into the classroom. However, it can be incredibly empowering to do just the opposite. By having your students bring their own devices, you open up a world of new learning opportunities (like the flipped classroom model, web quests, podcasts, virtual field trips via Skype, livestreaming with classes across the world, etc.), and you reaffirm that learning can happen anytime, anywhere. When students use their devices during class time to access learning resources that they can also get at home or on the go, we see that learning doesn't just happen within the four walls of a classroom. Plus, it literally puts learning power in our hands. I know some teachers who have expressed concerns about rolling out any kind of technology they themselves didn't know how to use that well. However, if that's the case, don't be scared to let your students teach you a thing or two about technology. If you're worried about students slacking off on digital devices, it's worth checking out the #pencilchat discussion.

5) Involve Students in "Real" Issues

A big complaint a lot of students have about what we learn in class is that it doesn't seem applicable to the real world. Have students practice skills they've learned or topics they've come to understand in service learning, debates, leadership/volunteerism/community service, or by having opinions on "real" issues like education reform or the 2012 election ( shriek! politics! you might think, but as long as you stay objective, the students are civil to each other and parents are okay, politics can be one of the most energizing topics there is for students). Have your students make a difference with what they've learned, and they'll be more motivated to learn further -- because they're seeing that it's having an impact. They're learning to help others instead of just working toward some lofty, seemingly distant goal of graduating and going to college.

Ultimately, empowering students is about a realization: teachers and students have a lot to learn from each other. After all, as the pioneering American librarian John Cotton Dana once said, "Who dares to teach must never cease to learn." Empowering students helps us all do just that.

Student Empowerment: Opening the Door for Students to Lead the Way

• June 16, 2022

Webster’s dictionary has a good definition of empowered – having the knowledge, confidence, means or ability to do things or make decisions for oneself – but they haven’t gotten around to putting the word “student” in front of that.

But some charter schools have and Building Hope has identified a bumper crop of schools who are leading the way in student empowerment.

“Student empowerment is about letting the kids set the tone for where they are and what they need to be successful,” said Chad Carr, Chairman of the Board at giveback, a nonprofit focused on student empowerment for teenagers most at risk of not graduating from high school. His nonprofit provides mentoring and grants to succeed in college, starting as early as sixth grade.

Successful schools understand that when students are involved in their own education, they are vested and the chances for success in academics and in life increase exponentially. Bringing students into the conversation about curriculum, sports and entertainment activities, fundraising, and many other aspects of running a school gives them a personal stake in their community’s success and a distinct feeling that they have a voice.

Public charter schools are community schools, who have more autonomy to respond to the ever-changing needs of students. “That is what charter schools are really good at,” Carr said. “Giving children the tools to effectively engage and communicate, as well as the tools to critically assess problems is key to an empowered student. Being supported to safely express themselves and their ideas is the foundation for success.”

There is no magic formula for increasing student empowerment, just the intent of the charter school leaders to ask, and respond to, the questions that most engage their students:

· What are the things that are interesting to you?

· What are the things that are pertinent to your life?

· What needs do you have, that need to be met?

Sometimes the answers they receive are tough to hear. Sometimes, the issue isn’t about a student’s Math or English homework. It’s will they be getting fed that day? Or do they have a bed to sleep in that night? Or will Mom or Dad be around at all?

There is context to learning. It’s hard to ask a student to pay attention to today’s lesson if they are hungry. It’s impossible to focus on what a gerund is if they’re worried about shootings in their neighborhood, or in their own school. Social-Emotional support isn’t a luxury or an overstep into the parental realm. It is a critical component of creating a safe and suitable context for learning.

“We have this expectation that all students will meet the educator at the appropriate place, not just physically, but in terms of how they prepare for class, their ability to manage their behavior and do the work presented to them, and that’s just not the case,” Carr said.

The best schools make a commitment to put students first at all times. They allow students to take an active role in their education, in the school, and ideally in the surrounding community. When empowered, student voices are not only heard, they are acted upon.

As a member of the Selection Committee for the First Annual Building Hope IMPACT Student Empowerment grants, Carr says that is exactly what the finalists for the grants, and so many other charter schools across the country are providing. Here are three examples of charter schools who succeed at empowering their students.

Richard Wright Public Charter School was an early and eager adopter of student empowerment and traces its eye-popping effectiveness to a thorough embrace of one essential quality – trust.

Richard Wright PCS demonstrates faith in young people to exercise proper stewardship of their educational journeys, so long as they navigate within the academy’s three Ls: Limits, Lessons, and Love.

Trust begins at the entrance to the school, located in an office building in southwest Washington D.C., around the corner from L’Enfant Plaza. Alone among schools in D.C., no metal detectors confront students as they enter. Administrators don’t insist on clear backpacks. Staff doesn’t search students.

“We don’t go through that,” says Dr. Marco Clark, Wright’s Founder and CEO. “We show our students from the beginning that we trust you, we believe in you, we love you, we care about you, and this is your school. This is your organization; let’s take care of it.”

Through its ambassador program, Wright PCS includes students in policy discussions, fundraiser planning, budget decisions, roundtable conferences with visitors, and how to make learning more effective.

The goal, Clark says, is to educate a legion of pathfinders and builders, creators of legacies that future generations of students can follow and build upon.

“The energy that we put in is always about having our students making a solid impact,” Clark says. “In everything, we’ve got to leave an imprint. When we walk away, we leave a footprint that somebody else can follow. … It’s about being bridge builders for individuals.”

Class of 2022 keynote speaker (and George Mason University-bound) Skye-Ali Johnson likened herself to a seed planted in Wright’s garden. Over five years, through attentive watering and cultivation, she says, she grew from shy sprig to a boisterous bundle of energy intent on the Next Big Thing.

Administration and faculty “are always willing to tell you that your voice is going to make an impact in this world,” Johnson says. Through them she learned, “You should never mute yourself because what you have to say is valuable.”

Richard Wright PCS’s variety of student empowerment has practical aspects as well. The students learned to raise their voice, and the collegiate world responded. The 75 members of the Class of 2022 earned $4.7 million in scholarships, Clark says.

At Palm Beach School for Autism , student empowerment is about giving a voice to students who may find it difficult to engage successfully in social or work environments and helping them transition to a productive life when they leave the school.

“Empowering our students means teaching them how to have a voice,” said Executive Director Ann Eisenberg, who also founded the school. “We are the editors of their stories, and it is our vision to give them tools to change their story.

“The perception is that people with autism have no value and can’t contribute successfully to their communities and to a job. We are changing that story.”

Eisenberg found out the hard way just how little support and how few educational opportunities were available for autistic children when her 18-month-old son was diagnosed in the early 1990s.

Her family faced a set of challenges that millions of other families were dealing with, so Eisenberg went to work on the problem. At first, she worked as an advocate, explaining the need to school and government officials. Eventually, she took advantage of new charter school resources, and founded the Palm Beach School for Autism.

Twenty-five years later, the 42,500-square-foot school serves nearly 400 students on the autism spectrum in five separate programs: preschool, elementary school, middle school, high school and high school graduates through age 22.

In other words, support at every stage of development.

“We teach our young adults how to change perceptions through empowerment,” Eisenberg said. “We teach the skills of advocacy and self-esteem, not just in the classroom, but out in the real world.”

The crown jewel in the school’s program is “Project Next,” a program that helps graduates with job skills to carry into the real world.

“We teach how to shop, how to dress, how to balance a checkbook,” Eisenberg said. “If we change people’s perspective, we cause the effect!”

The valedictorian at this year’s graduation told her fellow students that “autism doesn’t define you” as a way to inspire her fellow students to be inspired, to be empowered to use their voices to affect change.

Palm Beach School for Autism students not only serve valuable roles in local business ventures, but they’ve created their own cottage industry with a gift-box business. 100% of proceeds go to fund programs at the school. These students are not only paving the way for their own successful entrepreneurship goals, but also for all the students who come to call Palm Beach School for Autism home.

At Prospect Hill Academy , empowering students is at the very heart of what the school since it was founded in 1996 by parents looking to improve their children’s educational experience and college prospects.

“We have worked so very hard, and we put our students at the center of everything we do,” CEO and head of school Dr. Angela Allen said. “Every child has a personal relationship with the adults here, so when there is an issue, we know the child well enough to problem-solve together and work towards a positive solution. I’m just ecstatic that someone noticed what we do.”

With campuses in Cambridge and Somerville, Mass., Prospect Hill Academy’s student body is overwhelmingly “Black and Brown,” Allen said. “Nearly all our students come from historically underserved households, and we strive to ensure that they are not only academically prepared but have the social and emotional skills to succeed in college and life.”

Many of the school’s students come from homes where English is not spoken or is a secondary language. In a recent kindergarten class of 82 students, 25 different languages were represented. To bring such varied cultures together to form one cohesive and successful school culture is no small task.

“We have a robust English language learners’ program,” Allen said. “And while students may not speak English when joining us, most are fluent at the upper elementary grades.”

Under Allen’s leadership, the school has also focused on building a robust STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) curriculum to ensure its students are fully prepared to pursue STEM majors in college. 95% of students go on to four-year colleges. 95%.

One recent graduate just completed her Ph.D. in engineering. Another became the first Haitian to be named Miss Massachusetts. At Prospect Hill, students learn how to be empowered to impact the direction of their futures.

Prospect Hill Academy’s whole-student approach includes what Allen called “restorative education.” When students exhibit challenging behaviors, they are rarely suspended or expelled from school. Instead, they are guided to repair broken trust and relationships and/or any damage done, whether it is physical, emotional, or to the group as a whole.

“We don’t suspend students because we believe in the power of restorative education,” Allen said. “It empowers students to recognize the harm they have done to themselves, to others and to the community.”

Each one of these featured schools empowers students in their own way. Their impact on the families they serve and local communities is significant, but the impact on each student who feels valued, heard, and supported is immeasurable.

William Fay

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Student empowerment — from vision to practice

• ISTE Standards

ISTE along with the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21) agree that today’s students need learning that goes beyond the traditional subjects and modes of learning. In 2016, ISTE released updated standards for students that envision a significant shift in learning and teaching amplified by meaningful use of technology in education. At the heart of the ISTE Standards for Students is the  Empowered Learner, the first of the standards , which calls for student empowerment to undergird all of the standards.

But what does it really mean for a student to be empowered? And why does it matter? One of the most crucial things we should be preparing today’s children for is change. Predicting the future accurately is difficult, if not impossible, but signs point to an ongoing disruption that will reward those who are nimble, self-motivated, adaptable and able to persevere. Building these abilities in students is at the heart of fostering student empowerment and foundational to the 2016 ISTE Standards for Students. Furthermore, today’s teachers face an increasingly diverse group of students in terms of abilities, needs and supports. In order to meet the needs of all student learners, teachers can find useful pedagogical shifts built into the personalization and self-motivation at the heart of student empowerment.

• Student motivation  is crucial for students to feel empowered in their learning. Educators can increase student motivation through various strategies, including giving students meaningful voice and choice when setting learning goals and demonstrating competency. They can also scaffold students as they reflect on how learning and learning preferences apply to their own goals — either immediate learning goals or longer term ones. For example, a student may recognize how writing an essay aligns with her goal to improve her writing and research abilities for this school year. On the other hand, she may also align outlining her essay with computational thinking skills that segue with her plan to work in software development.
• Social-emotional engagement  has become one of the big buzzwords in education. As it relates to student empowerment and the ISTE Standards for Students, social-emotional engagement provides students with invaluable skills for navigating complex interactions and rapidly evolving technologies. Teachers can build social-emotional engagement as a part of student empowerment by fostering a school or classroom culture of collaboration, where students work together in teams—both face-to-face and asynchronously using digital tools — and experiment with different modes of leadership. Students should also be given space to reflect on their innate tendencies and preferences when interacting with others, and to set goals for any changes or improvements they want to make.
• Self-direction  will be increasingly important as people navigate changes in technology, work and society, and is an empowering attribute educators should actively develop in their students. One key aspect of self-direction lies in an individual’s belief that their intelligence or abilities are not fixed but, in fact, can be improved through persistence and hard work (e.g., “growth mindset”). Educators should also bring transparency to the process of being self-directed, empowering students to plan, manage, check their work for quality and accuracy, and reflect on learning and ways for improvement. Bringing meta-awareness to these steps and the student’s own processes give students a toolkit for directing their own learning and other endeavors.
• C onstructive use of that feedback  empowers students to drive their learning. Not only does technology give teachers new ways of responding to student work and gathering performance data, but embedded feedback in various tools gives students immediate insight into their work. This embedded feedback includes everything from colored underlines indicating misspellings in word processing software to self-scoring online quizzes or barriers and losses in games. Crucially, educators should bring students’ attention to these built-in feedback mechanisms and support them in reflecting on that feedback and planning for how they will use it.
• Digital fluency  empowers students to thoughtfully, safely and effectively use the tools available. It includes being able to use a range of digital tools and then transfer that knowledge when exploring, using or troubleshooting new tools. It also includes savvy digital citizenship and self-awareness of how technology affects our lives in a range of ways — from ergonomics and addiction to digital footprints and tracking of individuals by tech companies and software, to sharing creative work and connecting with people around the world.

It’s a common misconception that tech will soon replace teachers. In contrast, ISTE believes strongly that the social complexity that comes with increasing technology and the opportunities to truly transform how we teach and learn make teachers and their work even more crucial in the digital age. Which is why we have recently partnered with Metiri Group to offer a  self-paced, research-based online course on the Empowered Learner . This and other ISTE resources are available to support teachers in their vital role preparing students to thrive in an uncertain future.

Sarah Stoeckl  is the senior manager of standards development at ISTE. Follow her on Twitter  @sarah_stoeckl .

This post originally appeared on the Partnership for 21st Century Learning website on March 9, 2017.

• artificial intelligence

Student Empowerment and Meaningful Student Involvement

• Post author By SoundOut
• Post date May 18, 2015
• No Comments on Student Empowerment and Meaningful Student Involvement

Student empowerment  is any attitudinal, structural, and cultural activity, process or outcome where students of any age gain the ability, authority and agency to make decisions and implement changes in their own schools, learning and education, and in the education of other people, including fellow students of any age and adults throughout education. There are countless ways this can happen as well as many potential outcomes, all of which feature learning, teaching and leadership.  Student empowerment happens in schools; child empowerment and youth empowerment happen outside of schools. 

How It Happens

Throughout our society, adults act as the apex  (top) power holders, using adultism to enforce their power. This is true within schools, too, where adults are ultimately responsible for all activities, outcomes and processes. Student empowerment happens when adults share any amount of that power with students.

There are times when students can attempt to grasp the power of adults without adults sharing it willingly, too. However, these are fleeting because of adults ultimate grasp on power.

Student empowerment generally happens through  student authorization  and  student action.  Student authorization, which is part of the Cycle of Engagement, happens when students acquire the knowledge and positions they need in order to affect schools.

What Stops Empowerment

As reflected elsewhere on this site, there are many barriers to school transformation reflecting student empowerment. They include the culture of schools; structures within education; adults throughout the system; and students themselves. There are also many ways to overcome these barriers.

However, one of the barriers to student empowerment is the concept itself: By dispensing their power without discretion or well-informed intentions, well-meaning educators can actually do a moderate-to-severe disservice to students themselves. Placing students on a pedestal, the behind these actions is often that any power is better than no power, and that students are devoid of power within schools right now. However, that’s simply not the case, and learning about student empowerment before taking action can do a lot to improve students’ experiences with this approach.

What many educators are actually striving for is  not  student empowerment at all, but Meaningful Student Involvement.

Where Meaningful Student Involvement Fits

When student empowerment activities are most effective, they reflect Meaningful Student Involvement . Students’ ideas, knowledge, opinions and experiences in schools and regarding education are actively sought and substantiated by educators, administrators, and other adults within the educational system. Adults’ acknowledgment of students’ ability to improve schools is validated and authorized through deliberate teaching  focused on learning about learning, learning about the education system, learning about student voice and Meaningful Student Involvement, and learning about school improvement.

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Greater Good Science Center • Magazine • In Action • In Education

Education Articles & More

How to help students feel powerful at school, educators can exert power over students—or they can create an environment where students feel energized and capable themselves..

Recently, a high school teacher and friend of mine started thinking more carefully about the power dynamics in her classroom. With the current political situation in mind, she was worried that she was exerting too much control over what students were learning and when. Instead, her vision was to empower them to take charge of their own educational experience, better preparing them for school and beyond.

“How can you get students to identify what they need and want to discuss rather than summarizing it for them ?” a colleague had asked her.

Power is defined as the capacity to direct or influence the behavior of others. In the classroom, educators exert power through the class materials they select, the learning activities they design, and the ways in which they include students in classroom discussions.

In The Power Paradox , GGSC founding director Dacher Keltner reminds us that when we abuse our power , those around us can experience stress, anxiety, shame, and even poor health, which are all signs of powerlessness. So how can educators consciously use their power for the good?

This teacher and I explored some things she could do to shift the power dynamics in her classroom. The following suggestions may help your students to feel powerful at school.

1. Use a strengths-based approach to learning

One surefire way to make students feel powerless is to focus on everything they are weak and failing at. When problems loom large, they can undermine your students’ sense of self and capacity to engage in class. No doubt students who feel hopeless generally aren’t going to be excited about learning.

If you want your students to see themselves as potential leaders, take a strengths-based approach : Start by supporting them in identifying their strengths, aptitudes, and interests. A focus on students’ assets celebrates resilience, resources, and solutions.

Here are several activities that you might consider using in the classroom to capitalize on students’ strengths:

• The VIA Survey of Character Strengths . Take time in class to have your students (ages 10 and above) complete this survey. It will help them to identify character strengths they have, such as hope, humility, honesty, kindness, and perseverance.
• Use Your Strengths practice . Ask them to focus on one personal strength each day for a week, and choose a different way to experience that strength. For example, if curiosity is a strength, they might choose one new activity or idea to explore each day.
• Best Possible Self practice . Invite your students to dream about their future (relative to school, career, relationships) and write about it each day for two weeks.

2. Identify your biases

An authentic, strengths-based approach to teaching and learning isn’t really possible unless teacher-leaders are committed to addressing their biases . Any biases we harbor against groups of students can manifest in our behavior, giving some students more power and opportunities than others.

Of course, the tricky business with biases is that they are often unconscious. However, we can use practical tools to help us unearth them. Invite a few trusted colleagues to visit and observe in your classroom. Ask your colleagues to watch your interactions with students and record their findings.

Consider tracking the following over time:

• Who do you call on (based on gender, ethnicity, etc.)?
• What is the tone of your responses (i.e., the ratio of positively to negatively worded comments)?
• What is the content of your feedback (i.e., specific and concrete responses vs. general and/or dismissive responses)?

An honest look at this data could spark rich conversations with your colleagues and your own “aha” moments of learning and personal growth.

3. Be a warm demander

Apart from the ongoing work of acknowledging our negative biases, genuine care for our students means holding high positive expectations for all of them—and believing in their potential for growth. Numerous studies suggest that when adults have high expectations for students, students increase their motivation and achieve more. Our expectations may be the most powerful force in the classroom.

If you walk into your classroom believing that every student has the capacity for growth, then your students begin to believe it, too. Students read and respond to perceived expectations and biases. Stereotype threat is alive and well—students are at risk of conforming to stereotypes about their respective social groups if they sense you hold them.

Perhaps just as dangerous is a kind yet neutral approach to students that leans toward dismissiveness. Quiet concern is not enough.

“Teachers have to care so much about ethnically diverse students and their achievement that they accept nothing less than high-level success from them and work diligently to accomplish it. This is a very different conception of caring than the often-cited notion of ‘gentle nurturing and altruistic concern,’ which can lead to benign neglect,” says researcher Geneva Gay . This is a quote I often share with new teachers, and it may be the most important message in this article.

4. Create student-centered learning experiences

If we want students to feel empowered to take charge of their own learning, then student-centered learning experiences are essential. How do we create classroom environments that honor students’ voices and encourage active collaboration in the classroom?

Although highly structured, teacher-controlled lessons can be effective in helping all students meet a learning target, these types of lessons don’t always allow for rich and meaningful student participation.

Several other instructional approaches can be used to foster this kind of participation, including project-based learning , cooperative learning , and service learning . All three of these methods can be thoughtfully structured to create an environment where students are engaging as a community, taking on meaningful roles, and striving for real-world, performance-based outcomes.

Finally, rather than defaulting to lectures and individual seat work, teachers can consciously weave in opportunities for students to share their day-to-day thinking with one another in a variety of classroom participant structures such as a think-pair-share or a fishbowl discussion . Students can also regularly use think alouds in pairs or small groups as they attempt to solve problems or understand texts.

5. Foster ongoing and active student reflection on learning

Another way students can direct their own educational experience—and end up learning more—is by establishing personally relevant learning goals and actively engaging in ongoing self-assessment .

There are several concrete ways that students can take the reins in monitoring and reflecting on their learning.

• Portfolios. When students assemble portfolios of their work, problem solve around their challenges, and assess their growth relative to personal learning goals, they are more empowered in the learning process.
• Multiple intelligences. If we help students to identify their capacities relative to multiple intelligences , we can collaborate with them to design personalized assessments that capture their performance and learning.
• Conferences. Students can facilitate formal conferences with their teacher and family members (or portions of conferences) where they share their learning goals and progress toward meeting those goals.

6. Focus on modeling and practicing the “Big Five”

More on empowering students.

Hear how social-emotional learning transforms classrooms .

Learn four ways teachers can show students they care .

Explore how to help low-income students succeed .

Students often feel more personally empowered if they are reflecting on their individual learning. Yet power grows and thrives (or not) in the social world of school.

In The Power Paradox , Keltner helps us to understand how power plays out in our daily lives. Across dormitories, camps, schools, businesses, and more, individuals who demonstrate the “Big Five social tendencies”—enthusiasm, kindness, focus, calmness, and openness—are considered more powerful by those in their social circle. “Enduring power comes from a focus on others ,” he concludes.

If we translate this research to the classroom, teachers should not simply model these five ways of acting in the world, but provide opportunities for their students to experience and cherish the “Big Five” themselves:

• Enthusiasm. Take a look at this clip of a teacher greeting his students before class. It will make your day. He shares an energetic, fun, and personalized handshake with every child in his classroom. Do you have rituals or practices that energize your students and connect them to you and each other?
• Kindness. Research demonstrates that it is easier to be kind to people we know well than to those outside of our immediate social circle. Use this “ shared identity ” exercise in class to help your students move beyond their differences to seek out their commonalities. 
• Focus. Discuss and identify shared values at the start of the year. Then list the classroom expectations that will bring those values into focus throughout the year. Create a classroom constitution .
• Calmness. Help yourself and your students slow down and reduce stress by engaging in brief periods of mindful breathing in the classroom.
• Openness. Incorporate active listening activities to encourage students (and yourself) to attune to each other’s thoughts and feelings.

There may not be a better time to pause and examine how we use our power in classrooms and schools. Ultimately, a more democratic, empowered classroom is one where all members feel that they belong, they are valued, and they are capable of achieving their learning goals. 

As my teacher-friend shared last week during our brainstorm: “The only answer to all of this craziness is to really know each other.” I think she is right on target.

About the Author

Amy L. Eva, Ph.D. , is the associate education director at the Greater Good Science Center. As an educational psychologist and teacher educator with over 25 years in classrooms, she currently writes, presents, and leads online courses focused on student and educator well-being, mindfulness, and courage. Her new book, Surviving Teacher Burnout: A Weekly Guide To Build Resilience, Deal with Emotional Exhaustion, and Stay Inspired in the Classroom, features 52 simple, low-lift strategies for enhancing educators’ social and emotional well-being.

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Empower Students Through Creativity and Choice

Design lessons that empower students by giving them voice and choice in the learning process as well as an opportunity to create.

When our students graduate from high school, we want them to be ready for college, careers, and life. It is a big job to prepare them both academically and personally for their future lives, and it takes our K–12 school communities 13 years to get them there. While there are many factors involved, three key areas rise to the top in our quest to empower our students for future success.

1. Academic Knowledge: Academic achievement is important, and it is a central mission of K–12 schools. Curriculum maps determine the courses that we teach, and academic outcomes shape the lessons that we create. Standardized tests often measure progress toward graduation as well as whether or not our students are accepted to the college of their choice. Despite the importance of academic learning, most teachers will tell you that academics alone is not enough. While academic knowledge can provide a strong foundation, it is not the entire house.

2. Transferable Skills: If you ask employers what skills and attributes they are looking for in their employees, they will consistently mention things like the ability to communicate, collaborate, create, and think critically. This core skill set is commonly referred to as the 4 Cs and was first made popular by The Partnership for 21st Century Learning (P21). In addition to the 4 Cs, most employers also include a growth mindset and a desire to learn in their list of essential skills. Employers are acutely aware that the specific nuts and bolts of any job will continue to change over time, so they look to hire people with a strong foundation of transferable skills that will allow them to thrive regardless of how their specific job evolves. Because of their importance to future success, these core transferable skills should be woven into lessons in every subject area.

3. Social and Emotional Skills: Often described as “intangibles,” these social and emotional skills are essential to student success because they empower students to work through their struggles, manage their emotions, stick to a task, and understand how their behavior impacts others. Without the social and emotional skills of grit, self-regulation, empathy, citizenship, and self-motivation, students may never get to the point where they can successfully apply their academic and transferable skills. It is critical that we embed social and emotional skill building into all learning.

The components described in this list support and empower student success like the three legs of a stool. Without all three legs, the stool will not stand, but with a strong foundation in each of these three areas, our students will have a stable base that can support and empower them throughout their college, career, and personal lives.

Empowering Learners

The key word in all of this is empower. We want to empower our students. John Spencer, a professor and former middle school teacher, talks about the importance of empowering students throughout the learning process. He describes how schools need to shift the student experiences from compliance to engagement to empowerment .

By definition, compliance means that students do what they are told. It also implies that students don’t really need to invest much in the learning process. They just listen to directions and follow a script. In other words, as long as they keep quiet and play along nicely, they can often get by as passive participants in the classroom.

When students are engaged, they begin to take ownership in their learning and become active participants in the learning process. While engagement is a huge improvement over compliance, it’s still not good enough. Students can be actively engaged without really thinking for themselves or making decisions on a deeper level. To be truly college, career, and life ready, students need to be empowered.

Empowerment means that students own their learning. They have a meaningful voice in the process and must make critical choices along the way. Instead of following a recipe, they help create a path toward the learning destination. Empowered students are fully invested, intrinsically motivated, and control their own outcomes. When students are empowered, they learn at a much higher level and gain the skills needed for future success.

While there are many ways that we can begin moving our classrooms and schools toward student empowerment, providing student choice and facilitating opportunities to create are two of the most powerful pathways to success.

The Power of Creation

Facilitating student creation is one of the most powerful strategies that you can employ in your classroom. In fact, allowing students to become active creators rather than passive consumers can transform the learning in your classroom and quickly become your secret teacher superpower.

Allowing students to become active creators rather than passive consumers can transform the learning in your classroom and quickly become your secret teacher superpower.

To begin with, there is perhaps no greater catalyst for igniting a student’s passion for learning than the opportunity to create. There is inherent power in the creation process. When students create, they think at the highest cognitive levels (as reflected in Bloom’s revised taxonomy ). They solve complex problems throughout the process, and content knowledge becomes an authentic part of the learning process rather than an answer on a test. What students “do” with what they know becomes more important than simply what they “know.” Not surprisingly, these skills are also of high interest to employers. A 2019 Forbes article cited creativity as the soft skill most “vitally important for career success.”

When students are allowed to collaborate during the creation process, they further benefit and develop additional skills. By creating with others, students authentically apply all four Cs: communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking. Students need opportunities to practice and develop these skills, and group creation projects are an ideal way to provide this valuable space.

While there are many ways students can create, one of the most powerful ways to enhance student creation is to infuse technology. If we allow students to create and communicate with technology, we give them the added advantage of developing digital literacies that will prepare them for an increasingly technological world. By leveraging an abundance of free online tools, students have access to a huge palette of creative opportunities and inspirations. Many of these digital resources are free to any student with a computer and internet access. Even an inexpensive Chromebook can unlock nearly unlimited creative opportunities and offer students an authentic audience beyond the classroom.

To explore examples and tools for student creation, check out the AVID Open Access articles on creating summative assessments in both a self-paced and live virtual classroom.

The Power of Choice

The second key to empowering your students is to offer them voice and choice in their learning. As with creation, this necessitates that you release some of the control to your students. This can be a little scary at first, but the payoff is well worth it. Providing opportunities for voice and choice allows students to see themselves as important to the learning process, and it transforms learning from something that is “done to students” to something that is “done with students.” This is a monumental shift that gives students ownership in the learning experience and empowers them to take control of the process.

A Hanover Research study, “Impact of Student Choice and Personalized Learning,” reinforces the importance of student choice. The report explains how increased student choice positively impacts students both personally and academically.

…such autonomy is generally associated with greater personal well‐being and satisfaction in educational environments, as well as in terms of academic performance. Studies have found that students given a degree of choice about their learning showed improvement on standardized tests (p. 3).

The study goes on to note that choice in different aspects of the learning process can impact motivation, participation, and achievement. Hanover Research specifically points out the benefit of student choice in learning path and curriculum:

Practices that facilitate and emphasize student choice—both in terms of the student’s educational path and the curriculum that the student follows—are widely considered to have positive impacts on student motivation and participation, and, as a result, academic performance (p. 13).

Creative projects are the perfect opportunity to empower students with voice and choice, so as you plan for students to create, consider how you can authentically integrate opportunities for student choice throughout the process. This list offers a few options for empowering student choice. These choices often focus around the big six questions: who, what, when, why, where, and how. Here is a printable version of this chart for download.

Don’t limit yourself to these options for choice. Use them to get you started but also consider your own unique situation. You may have other opportunities that make sense in your classroom (such as through playlists or choice boards ) to bring students into the decision-making process.

Ways to Set Up Student Creation Projects

There are many ways to structure projects in your classroom that allow for student creation and choice. Here are a few common pathways to get you started. Each subsequent set of ideas becomes more cognitively complex and incorporates a greater degree of student choice and control over the learning experience.

Places to Start:

• Show What You Know: This is a common entry point into student choice and creation. In this option, students find creative ways to “teach back” what they have learned. Ideally, they will apply it at a higher level, but even a simple reteaching of a concept can help cement the learning while also giving room for the higher-level cognitive tasks of creation and choice. Often, teachers will allow students to decide either what they teach or how they will communicate it (or both). For instance, a student might create a video explaining the causes of World War II, or a math student might create a screencast of themselves teaching another student about a math concept.
• Apply Your Learning: This is just like it sounds, with students creating something that applies what they have learned. The more authentic this application is, the more meaningful the work will become. For instance, students studying journalism might create a newspaper or TV newscast. Students in a welding class might use their welding skills to create something that they can use at home. A key question to get you and your students started with this approach is: “What would someone outside of school authentically do with what I’ve learned?

Branching Out:

• Inquiry Projects: If your creation project is framed as an inquiry activity, choice will drive much of the experience. In an inquiry project, students will typically start with a question and then work to find an answer. This might be in the form of a problem/solution activity, and the solution may come in the form of some sort of creation. Throughout this process, it’s questions, inquiry, and problem-solving that drive the learning, and it all leads up to some type of creative solution in the end. The “creation” might be an idea, or it may be a physical product. Inquiry leverages the power of allowing students to ask questions. Once they have generated questions, they seek out answers through research, experimentation, creation, and/or other forms of discovery. For example, you might start an inquiry project by exposing students to a scientific phenomenon and then have them conduct research to determine why and how it happened. In a history class, students could seek answers to why certain events occurred as they did and whether or not the outcome might have been changed. English students could research a favorite author to determine how their lives impacted their writing.
• Project-Based Learning: In this popular strategy, students generally identify a problem or task and then work to solve or achieve it. The best project-based activities include authentic problems and audiences. This can make the learning experience real, and it provides motivation beyond an academic grade. PBLWorks is a great resource to get you started with project-based learning. The design process is another popular version of project-based learning. In this model, students design and create something, generally to solve a problem. Design thinking is very popular in the STEM areas.

Going Beyond:

• Passion Projects: Passion projects allow the most voice and choice for students. Essentially, students are given the option to choose a project that aligns with their personal passions. They ask the questions, frame the project, and work toward its completion, often with some general timeline. One popular version of a passion project is Genius Hour . In this spin-off of Google’s 20% time, students are allowed a certain amount of time during the day or week to work on a project of their choice. Passion projects and Genius Hours are great ways for students to practice their learning autonomy.
• Maker Spaces: Maker spaces are often areas set up in a common space in the school that allow for creative exploration. Many times, these are located in or near a school media center, where the media specialist can monitor and guide students in this space. Generally, there are few guidelines for how students should use a maker space. You might think of them as academic play areas for inquiry, creation, and exploration. Students often have access to creative materials, and they can decide how to use them or what to create. This can be a safe place for students to explore and discover their passions.

Provide Guardrails and Scaffolds

While planning your lessons, it’s also important to remember that while choice is empowering, too much choice can be paralyzing. Some students will thrive off the ability to choose, and other students will be terrified. Consider where your students are at and be intentional about which choices you allow and when you allow them. Think about what amount of choice will empower students while also setting them up for success. One way to balance choice and structure is to think about how you can “offer choice with guardrails.”

Initial supports can help set students up for success. At the start of any project, provide clear expectations and parameters. Be sure that students know what they are supposed to do and how much choice they have. It is very effective to provide rubrics, checklists, and grading criteria at the start of the project. Then, to make sure that students are staying on track, build in time for reflection and feedback along the way. Part of this reflection should be looking back at the rubric or project criteria. Feedback can come from the teacher, from peers, and through self-reflection .

To scaffold decision-making with your students, you might start by offering limited choices. For instance, you might provide a choice board and allow students to pick from these options. Another option is to start by having all students create the same product. They might still have different topics, but this allows you to guide them through the process together. As students become more comfortable with the process, you can add in more choice. A common approach is to have everyone create the same products for several projects. One might be a presentation, one a short video, and one an audio recording. Once students have become comfortable with these three specific types of creation tools, you can then allow them to choose from those three options for their next project. Students will have previous experience that sets them up for success while also having choice as to which option they prefer. For older students, you can offer choices sooner and more frequently than for early elementary students.

When implementing these scaffolded activities, be careful that they don’t become too prescribed, as you still want students to be thinking critically and creating something original. If everyone ends up with the exact same end product, you don’t have a creative project; instead, you have a recipe.

Another effective way to prepare students for making choices is to help them better understand themselves and how they learn. You can have them take learning inventories and practice deciding between various learning options. Self-awareness inventories can prepare your students to make informed choices for themselves about how they learn best, their academic level, their skill areas, and their personal interest areas. You can find some of these inventories freely available online, and others require a fee. Here are a few examples to get you started, but a quick internet search can help you find more:

• What’s Your Learning Style? (EducationPlanner)
• The VARK Questionnaire (VARK)
• Free Personality Test (NERIS)
• Strong Interest Inventory® [fee-based] (The Myers-Briggs Company)

If you administer these types of interest surveys, it is important that students realize this is a snapshot in time and one information point. You don’t want students viewing this as a permanent label or characterization. You’ll also need them to realize that they don’t want to continually avoid areas of weakness; rather, they should be able to recognize them and decide when each choice is appropriate. Choice should be looked at as an important opportunity to both succeed and grow in areas of strength as well as weakness.

Ideas for Your Toolkit

In upcoming articles, we’ll explore different strategies and approaches for fostering student choice and creativity in the classroom. Check back for specific tools and strategies that you can add to your own instructional toolkit. By giving your students the opportunity for creation and choice through technology, you will empower them as they move on to college, careers, and more.

Hanover Research. (2014). Impact of Student Choice and Personalized Learning. www.hanoverresearch.com

Extend Your Learning

• 7 Ways to Build Creative Confidence in Students (John Spencer)
• How to Make Student Choice Work (Edutopia)
• What Happens to Behavior When You Incorporate Student Choice? (John Spencer)
• Ten Ways to Leverage Student Choice in Your Classroom (John Spencer)
• Seven Stages in Moving From Consuming to Creating (John Spencer)
• Why Student Creation Is the Hardest/Best Form of Assessment (Tech & Learning)
• The Number One Soft Skill Employers Seek—And Five Ways Top Leaders Say to Cultivate Yours (Forbes)
• Top 11 Skills Employers Look for in Candidates (Indeed)
• Future Jobs and the Skills Needed to Get Them – The 6 C’s of Education (NUITEQ)

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Kami Blog > Moving from Student Engagement to Student Empowerment

Moving from Student Engagement to Student Empowerment

Take your classroom to the next level by ensuring it’s set up to encourage all students to feel empowered, every day.

When reflecting on the idea of school or the classroom, they’re often thought of as places where students “have” to learn. So it’s no surprise that we strive to encourage positive engagement; changing the perspective of the classroom to be a place where students “want” to learn.

All going well, we create environments that help students truly love learning. So, now with a classroom full of highly engaged learners, why stop there; we gain and retain engagement, but how often do we allow students to “own” their learning?

Getting students from “wanting to learn” to “wanting to own their learning”, is the shift from student engagement to student empowerment.

So, how exactly do we empower students?

Freedom beyond choice

To encourage student voice and choice, and therefore student agency, we often look to giving learners multiple options – like assigning work and offering multiple ways to complete it. This is a simple strategy that can really boost motivation and engagement, but ultimately, students are still confined to a structure – they have lots of choices but very little freedom.

Instead, to make the shift from engaged to empowered, set students up with everything they need to complete the work in a way they can own. Make sure to fill the gaps that a lack of prior knowledge might leave behind with plenty of examples, resources, and insights – giving students the bigger picture allows them to carve their own path when getting from A-B.

For example, when setting out a language art assignment, you could supply a list of writing prompts for your students. However, the key here is not to make them compulsory. Instead of instructing them to pick from the list (no matter how vast), say they can simply use it as inspiration to guide their own creations!

Student-led learning

Shifting from the “having to” to “wanting to” learn mentality means trusting the competency and critical thinking of your students to allow them to direct their own learning. This can be a bit chicken and egg, as sometimes students don’t know what exactly they want to learn about a subject before they’ve really been introduced to it. Plus, you still have a lesson plan to stick to – but that doesn’t mean you have to throw student involvement out the window.

Finding ways to incorporate students’ interests, while still hitting your core learning objectives, is a huge win for student empowerment. For example, your young students might love social media. It may seem like a step backward, but by engaging in a topic they’re passionate about, explorations of culture, gender, wellness, and social norms can quickly rise to the surface. As long as you make your lesson objectives and goals clear, there’s little reason why students shouldn’t be capable of taking the lead on their own learning.

Healthy debate and discussions

We often set out super clear lesson plans or maps with the best intentions – maximizing student achievement. So when a lot of discussion goes on between many groups of students, we worry we won’t be able to cover all the material necessary to see the results we so desperately want. The truth is, healthy discussion and debate not only empowers students to explore and share different opinions, but it also enhances learning and memory! Opening the class up for discussion also reminds students that their perspectives matter – all while giving other students a chance to catch up or ask the questions necessary to stay engaged and therefore on the way to empowerment! Use discussion to your advantage and incorporate it in your lesson plan in order to shake off the time crunch and stay on track while enhancing empowerment.

Teach with tech

“Leave your devices off during class” – we know this instruction all too well. It’s often to simply minimize distraction and keep students on task, however, tech in the classroom can be super empowering! Tech opens a whole new door for learning; students can use their initiative to explore relevant podcasts, virtual field trips, video live streams and so much more. This style of learning also helps solidify the idea that learning can happen anywhere at any time – even when it doesn’t feel like learning at all. Tech in the classroom quite literally puts the power in the hands of your students; this can sometimes feel overwhelming, as it can be a huge dynamic shift when our students know more about the tech than us! But don’t let that put you off – let them feel empowered to teach you something in return, and you’ll gain some handy professional development in the process!

Another important thing to note is that tech bridges the gaps for students with disabilities that traditional methods of teaching can often create. So tech in the classroom is excellent for encouraging student empowerment, but first and foremost, is critical for accessible student learning.

From elementary, through middle school to high school; in public schools or online learning; the learning process is forever changing and adapting to the new wave of students forming our classrooms. But as we know, the need for students to feel engaged and empowered remains constant and critical to professional learning. So be sure to keep pushing for student empowerment in your daily routine – from how you teach to how you learn.

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Using technology to empower students and turn them into critical thinkers

Mar 23, 2017

[[read-time]] min read

Editor’s note: Google for Education Premier Partners are working with schools to host the ExploreEDU event series , where schools can share their first-hand experiences with other educators. Today’s guest author is Kyle Black, a high school English teacher from First Philadelphia Preparatory Charter School , which hosted an ExploreEDU event on March 21-22 with Promevo . To see if there’s an event near you, visit the ExploreEDU site .

In a world dominated by technology, a good education depends on digital know-how—in addition to problem solving, clear communication and organizational skills. Students need both digital and soft skills to guide them through college, into the workplace and beyond.

In my five years on the job, here’s what I’ve learned about teaching a generation of students to use technology in responsible and impactful ways:

1. Empower students to take control of their learning

2. quiz students often to assess understanding.

3. Turn feedback into a critical thinking exercise

It’s common for students to accept a teacher’s revisions to their work without considering why specific changes are made. By making the feedback process interactive, students are encouraged to think critically before accepting edits at face value. For example, when I’m reviewing essays or creative writing, I often suggest incorrect or ridiculous changes using comments and suggested edits in Google Docs —and my students know this type of feedback is coming. Typically, half of my edits will require students to think deeply before hitting the “accept” button. It forces them to play a more active role in their learning, and to constantly challenge ideas.

I believe that teaching students digital and critical thinking skills matters more than teaching them how to ace a test. To prepare students for lifelong success, we must encourage them to brainstorm new ideas and embrace the new tools at their fingertips.

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Essay on Education as Empowerment

Students are often asked to write an essay on Education as Empowerment in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Education as Empowerment

Understanding education as empowerment.

Education is a powerful tool that can change lives. It helps us gain knowledge, develop skills, and understand the world better. It’s like a key that opens doors to opportunities.

The Power of Learning

When we learn, we grow. We become more capable and confident. Education helps us make informed decisions, solve problems, and contribute to society.

Education and Opportunities

Education equips us with skills needed for jobs. It can lift people out of poverty and give them a better life. It’s a path to success.

In conclusion, education is empowerment. It gives us the power to shape our future and make the world a better place.

250 Words Essay on Education as Empowerment

Introduction.

Education is widely regarded as a crucial tool for empowerment. It liberates minds, fosters critical thinking, and equips individuals with knowledge and skills to navigate the world effectively.

Education as an Equalizer

Education serves as a great equalizer, providing everyone with the opportunity to rise above their circumstances. It fosters social mobility by equipping individuals with the knowledge and skills necessary to secure better jobs and improve their socio-economic status.

Education and Critical Thinking

Education also promotes critical thinking, a fundamental empowerment tool. It encourages individuals to question, analyze, and challenge the status quo, fostering a society of informed and active citizens.

Education and Self-Empowerment

On a personal level, education empowers individuals by boosting their self-confidence and self-esteem. The sense of accomplishment that comes with educational achievement often translates into a stronger belief in one’s capabilities.

Education and Global Empowerment

On a global scale, education is a powerful tool for societal transformation. It has the potential to address global challenges such as poverty, inequality, and climate change by creating a generation of informed and proactive global citizens.

In conclusion, education is a key catalyst for empowerment, fostering social mobility, critical thinking, self-confidence, and global awareness. It is a fundamental human right that should be accessible to all, regardless of their socio-economic background.

500 Words Essay on Education as Empowerment

Education is a powerful tool that enables individuals to comprehend the world around them. It is a process that fosters the acquisition of skills, values, and knowledge, providing a foundation for personal and professional development. This essay explores the concept of education as empowerment, outlining its implications for individuals and society.

Education as a Tool for Empowerment

Education empowers individuals by equipping them with the knowledge and skills necessary to make informed decisions about their lives. It provides a platform for critical thinking, allowing individuals to question existing norms and ideologies, thereby promoting social change. Furthermore, education fosters self-confidence and self-efficacy, enabling individuals to take control of their lives and contribute to their communities.

Education and Social Empowerment

Education also plays a significant role in social empowerment. It is a tool for social mobility, allowing individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds to improve their socio-economic status. Education promotes social cohesion and reduces social inequalities by providing equal opportunities for all, irrespective of their social or economic background. Moreover, education fosters cultural awareness and understanding, promoting tolerance and mutual respect among diverse groups.

Education and Economic Empowerment

Economically, education empowers individuals by enhancing their employability and income potential. It equips individuals with the skills and knowledge necessary to participate in the labor market, thereby promoting economic growth and development. Furthermore, education fosters innovation and entrepreneurship, driving economic transformation and creating new opportunities for employment and wealth creation.

Challenges to Educational Empowerment

Despite the potential of education as a tool for empowerment, several challenges hinder its effectiveness. These include disparities in access to quality education, socio-economic barriers, gender inequalities, and cultural norms that devalue education. Addressing these challenges requires concerted efforts from governments, educators, and communities to promote inclusive and equitable education for all.

In conclusion, education is a powerful tool for empowerment, fostering personal, social, and economic development. It equips individuals with the skills and knowledge necessary to navigate the complexities of the world, promoting critical thinking, social mobility, and economic growth. However, to fully realize the potential of education as empowerment, it is crucial to address the existing challenges and promote inclusive and equitable education for all.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on Contribution of Technology in Education
• Essay on Ancient Education and Modern Education
• Essay on Aim of Education

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

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Turn & Talk / John Spencer on the Shift to Student Empowerment

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10 Ways To Empower Students

• July 8, 2023

Do you want to know how you can empower students? Students should be provided with resources, abilities, and mentality to take charge of their education. This aligns with the overall goal of education, which is to empower students.

Students are invited to become active participants in their education when educators give them freedom. They better develop a sense of autonomy, self-confidence, and motivation.

This EDU Blog covers 10 practical ways to empower students, providing them the skills to perform well and be successful in various fields throughout life.

What Does It Mean to Empower Students?​

Empowering students means giving them the knowledge, skills, tools, and support they need to take charge of their personal development. It entails creating an environment in which students feel respected, capable, and self-assured in their talents.

Traditional teaching approaches , which are focused on delivering knowledge, fall short when it comes to empowering students. It involves promoting independent thought, creative problem-solving, and critical thinking abilities. 

Students are encourage to take responsibility for their learning including set objectives, make decisions, and make choices based on those goals. Developing students’ self-esteem, self-awareness, and resilience empowers them to conquer challenges and pursue their goals

Empowerment leads to student development. Because when empowered, students get a sense of ownership over their education and develop into active participants rather than passive information users.

10 Ways to Empower Students

Here is a list of 10 ways that will help educators to empower their students;

1. Promote a Growth Mindset​

One way to nurture a growth mindset in students is to emphasize that their abilities can improve through effort and perseverance. This will encourage students to adopt a growth attitude.

Teach students the importance of empowerment, and even though they may not be perfect at something, they may get better with hard work and devotion.

2. Encourage Student Voice and Choice​

Make it possible for students to have a say in the way they learn by giving them opportunities to do so. They will be able to take more responsibility for their education when they can make decisions the curricula they are required to complete.

Educators should try to get each learner to express their ideas, thoughts, and opinions through class activities.

3. Cultivate a Habit of Self-Reflection

To assist students in developing abilities necessary for self-reflection, regularly encourage them to evaluate their progress, strengths, and areas where they could improve. To check a sense of self-awareness and accountability, you should show them how to establish goals and make action plans to work towards achieving those goals.

4. Encourage Collaboration

Create a collaborative classroom environment to motivate students to work together on projects, problem-solving activities, and discussions.

They develop better interpersonal skills and a stronger sense of community through their participation in collaborative projects.

5. Provide Constructive Feedback

Give students feedback that is specific to them, timely, and constructive. This feedback should focus on the student’s efforts, progress, and areas where they can improve. Help them progress towards improvement, and encourage them to think about their work.

6. Encourage Creativity

Offer the opportunity for students to explore their interests and express their creativity through the activities you plan for them.

Inspire them to think outside the box, use creativity to find solutions to problems, and pursue projects or activities that are aligned with the things they are passionate about.

7. Enhance the Critical Thinking Abilities

Teach your students how to analyze and evaluate material by asking them thought-provoking questions, encouraging them to base their reasoning on evidence, and showing them how to analyze and interpret data.

Assist them in developing the abilities to think critically and make decisions based on information they have gathered.

8. Encourage Students to Advocate for Themselves

Teach students how to advocate for themselves by expressing their needs, asking for support when it is necessary, and searching for resources. Give learners the authority to take initiatives in their education and encourage them to seek when they run into problems.

9. Embrace Technology

Integrating technology enhances student engagement and facilitates independent research. Encourage students to use the various technological tools available for research, teamwork, creativity, and independent learning.

10. Recognize and Honor Differences

Recognize and honor the wide variety of experiences, cultures, and perspectives that students bring to the classroom. Develop a classroom setting that encourages empathy, understanding, and global citizenship.

In a Nutshell

Empowering students is a transformative educational technique that goes beyond typical teaching approaches. Educators can create a positive learning environment where students thrive and reach their full potential.

To gain access to a vast array of educational resources, EDU Passport invites you to join our community. Sign up now for free.

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Home / Blog

7 Tips for Achieving Self-Empowerment

May 12, 2021 

If you’re thinking about going back to school, applying for a promotion, or making another life change, the first step is to nurture and embrace the confidence you’ll need to put yourself forward. Confidence not only helps you understand where your starting line is; it helps you lay out the path you’ll need to reach the finish. This is where self-empowerment comes in.

Self-empowered people take control of their lives by setting goals and taking actionable steps to achieve them. They not only understand how to get things done but also are confident, focused, and comfortable making decisions that guide them toward their future. If your self-confidence is shaky or you’re insecure about your ability to achieve your ambitions, you can take several steps to live a more empowered life.

What Is Self-Empowerment?

Self-empowerment means making a conscious decision to take charge of your destiny. It involves making positive choices, taking action to advance, and being confident in your ability to make and execute decisions. Self-empowered people understand their strengths and weaknesses and are motivated to learn and achieve.

For example, if someone is laid off, they can be passive in their job search and wait for a recruiter to find them on LinkedIn — or they can take proactive steps toward finding a new and better job: contacting former colleagues, researching opportunities, updating their marketable skills, and revamping their resume. Self-empowerment allows individuals to recognize that they have the power to make choices that can help them achieve their goals.

Tips to Achieve Self-Empowerment

If you’re striving to attain personal empowerment, focus on your drive, identify what you can control, and keep an objective, goal-oriented mindset. The following seven tips can help you achieve self-empowerment.

Develop a Positive Attitude

People who believe they control their own destiny — rather than giving in to external concepts such as fate, luck, or circumstance — are more likely to take charge of their future. Cultivate a positive attitude and outlook by evaluating your strengths and weaknesses, pursuing your passions, and trusting in your ability.

Set Reasonable Goals

Measurable, achievable goals are an important component of self-empowerment, and understanding how to set them can help you feel good about your achievements. If you want to run a marathon, start with smaller, increasing distances rather than trying to run 26.2 miles on day one.

Surround Yourself with Positive People

Laughter is contagious — and so are pessimism and negativity. Surrounding yourself with like-minded, motivated people can help you feel empowered to achieve your goals. If your self-esteem takes a blow, schedule time with positive friends, peers, and family members. Experiencing their positivity can improve your mental well-being, minimize your negativity, and empower you to follow your dreams.

Practice Self-Care

Self-care includes any activity that you do for yourself to feel happy and healthy. It can include everything from eating right and exercising to treating yourself to a spa treatment. Scheduling time to relax and rejuvenate will make you more productive. Additionally, being kind to yourself can help you be confident in your ability to address and overcome hardship.

Use Positive Self-Talk

To live a self-empowered life, focus on what you can do as opposed to what you can’t. For example, if you want to apply for a promotion that requires fluency in Spanish, instead of saying “I don’t speak Spanish,” try “I don’t speak Spanish  yet. I can learn. ” Practicing self-affirmations and displaying confidence in your ability to achieve your goals can help you take steps to achieve them.

Be Assertive

People who strive toward personal empowerment must be comfortable expressing their thoughts, ideas, and needs. If you’re invited to a party but have an important presentation the following day, let the host know you’ll be leaving early to prepare. Or if you and a co-worker are collaborating on a project, but you’re doing most of the work, don’t feel guilty about addressing the situation head-on and asking them to do their share.

Create an Action List

Empowered people take action, exhibit a growth mindset, and are comfortable learning and developing their abilities. They also understand that success does not come overnight but is a culmination of decisions and actions. If your goal is to finish your college degree within four years, list the actions you’ll need to take to achieve that goal, such as researching financial aid options, enrolling in an online program, and establishing a study schedule.

Live a Self-Empowered Life

People who consciously decide to take control of their lives are often happier, more fulfilled, and more satisfied in their careers. Taking steps to live a life that you design offers numerous benefits. If your goals include starting, completing, or advancing your education, take the first brave step toward earning your bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate by exploring  Maryville University’s online degree programs .

Recommended Reading

The Power of Self-Reflection

What to Do if You Don’t Get That Promotion

How to Stand Out as a Career Nomad

What Is Work-Life Balance vs. Work-Life Harmony?

Believe & Empower Blog, “Self-Empowerment Tips for An Empowered Life ”

The Daily Guru, “4 Clever Self-Empowerment Strategies”

The Lash Lounge, “10 Ways to Empower Yourself ”

Mind Tools, “What Is Personal Empowerment? ”

Operation Meditation, “5 Empowerment Strategies That Will Help You in Your Personal Growth”

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Student Empowerment Program and Its Success Essay

Introduction.

The main goal of the empowerment program is to inspire and educate students to be better prepared for the challenges of globalization. Although it is expected that many of the students participating in the program will not be able to discuss topics at high-level English, it is not an obstacle. Despite this limitation, the program is going to be successful due to several points.

Points of Success

Firstly, English practice is an essential part of the program. Engaging students in topic discussions will provide them with another opportunity for language immersion. Live communication with English-speaking group leaders will help them to acquire a better grasp of the language, which will facilitate their self-confidence. Secondly, it is important to create an amiable and psychologically comfortable atmosphere to ensure communication and exchange of opinions. Students will share their interests and goals in an environment of trust. Thirdly, since students are expected to develop a better understanding of critical thinking, which sometimes implies coping with a challenging situation, language limitation in its own right might provide a source for creative and critical thinking. Various techniques of non-verbal work could be used to develop critical thinking and leadership skills in particular.

Therefore, the low-level of the English language does not present a difficulty for those who want to communicate and broaden their horizons. The friendly and cooperative atmosphere will create a favorable environment for sharing personal experiences. Any existing limitations should inspire students to manage the situation, break the impasse, thus taking the first step to empowerment.

• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2023, November 2). Student Empowerment Program and Its Success. https://ivypanda.com/essays/student-empowerment-program-and-its-success/

"Student Empowerment Program and Its Success." IvyPanda , 2 Nov. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/student-empowerment-program-and-its-success/.

IvyPanda . (2023) 'Student Empowerment Program and Its Success'. 2 November.

IvyPanda . 2023. "Student Empowerment Program and Its Success." November 2, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/student-empowerment-program-and-its-success/.

1. IvyPanda . "Student Empowerment Program and Its Success." November 2, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/student-empowerment-program-and-its-success/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Student Empowerment Program and Its Success." November 2, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/student-empowerment-program-and-its-success/.

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Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

Model Text: “Innocence Again”

Innocence again [1].

Imagine the sensation of the one split second that you are floating through the air as you were thrown up in the air as a child, that feeling of freedom and carefree spirit as happiness abounds. Looking at the world through innocent eyes, all thoughts and feelings of amazement. Being free, happy, innocent, amazed, wowed. Imagine the first time seeing the colors when your eyes and brain start to recognize them but never being able to name the shade or hue. Looking at the sky as it changes from the blackness with twinkling stars to the lightest shade of blue that is almost white, then the deep red of the sunset and bright orange of the sun. All shades of the spectrum of the rainbow, colors as beautiful as the mind can see or imagine.

I have always loved the sea since I was young; the smell of saltiness in the air invigorates me and reminds me of the times spent with my family enjoying Sundays at the beach. In Singapore, the sea was always murky and green but I continued to enjoy all activities in it. When I went to Malaysia to work, I discovered that the sea was clear and blue and without hesitation, I signed up for a basic diving course and I was hooked. In my first year of diving, I explored all the dive destinations along the east coast of Malaysia and also took an advanced diving course which allowed me to dive up to a depth of thirty meters. Traveling to a dive site took no more than four hours by car and weekends were spent just enjoying the sea again.

Gearing up is no fun. Depending on the temperature of the water, I might put on a shortie, wetsuit or drysuit. Then on come the booties, fins and mask which can be considered the easiest part unless the suit is tight—then it is a hop and pull struggle, which reminds me of how life can be at times. Carrying the steel tank, regulator, buoyancy control device (BCD) and weights is a torture. The heaviest weights that I ever had to use were 110 pounds, equivalent to my body weight; but as I jump in and start sinking into the sea, the contrast to weightlessness hits me. The moment that I start floating in the water, a sense of immense freedom and joy overtakes me.

Growing up, we have to learn the basics: time spent in classes to learn, constantly practicing to improve our skills while safety is ingrained by our parents. In dive classes, I was taught to never panic or do stupid stuff: the same with the lessons that I have learned in life. Panic and over-inflated egos can lead to death, and I have heard it happens all the time. I had the opportunity to go to Antarctica for a diving expedition, but what led to me getting that slot was the death of a very experienced diver who used a drysuit in a tropic climate against all advice. He just overheated and died. Lessons learned in the sea can be very profound, but they contrast the life I live: risk-taker versus risk-avoider. However, when I have perfected it and it is time to be unleashed, it is time to enjoy. I jump in as I would jump into any opportunity, but this time it is into the deep blue sea of wonders.

A sea of wonders waits to be explored. Every journey is different: it can be fast or slow, like how life takes me. The sea decides how it wants to carry me; drifting fast with the currents so that at times, I hang on to the reef and corals like my life depends on it, even though I am taught never to touch anything underwater. The fear I feel when I am speeding along with the current is that I will be swept away into the big ocean, never to be found. Sometimes, I feel like I am not moving at all, kicking away madly until I hyperventilate because the sea is against me with its strong current holding me against my will.

The sea decides what it wants me to see: turtles popping out of the seabed, manta rays gracefully floating alongside, being in the middle of the eye of a barracuda hurricane, a coral shelf as big as a car, a desert of bleached corals, the emptiness of the seabed with not a fish in sight, the memorials of death caused by the December 26 tsunami—a barren sea floor with not a soul or life in sight.

The sea decides what treasures I can discover: a black-tipped shark sleeping in an underwater cavern, a pike hiding from predators in the reef, an octopus under a dead tree trunk that escapes into my buddy’s BCD, colorful mandarin fish mating at sunset, a deadly box jellyfish held in my gloved hands, pygmy seahorses in a fern—so tiny that to discover them is a journey itself.

Looking back, diving has taught me more about life, the ups and downs, the good and bad, and to accept and deal with life’s challenges. Everything I learn and discover underwater applies to the many different aspects of my life. It has also taught me that life is very short: I have to live in the moment or I will miss the opportunities that come my way. I allow myself to forget all my sorrow, despair and disappointments when I dive into the deep blue sea and savor the feelings of peacefulness and calmness. There is nothing around me but fish and corals, big and small. Floating along in silence with only the sound of my breath— inhal e and exhal e . An array of colors explodes in front of my eyes, colors that I never imagine I will discover again, an underwater rainbow as beautiful as the rainbow in the sky after a storm. As far as my eyes can see, I look into the depth of the ocean with nothing to anchor me. The deeper I get, the darker it turns. From the light blue sky to the deep navy blue, even blackness into the void. As the horizon darkens, the feeding frenzy of the underwater world starts and the watery landscape comes alive. Total darkness surrounds me but the sounds that I can hear are the little clicks in addition to my breathing. My senses overload as I cannot see what is around me, but the sea tells me it is alive and it anchors me to the depth of my soul.

As Ralph Waldo Emerson once said: “The lover of nature is he whose inward and outward senses are truly adjusted to each other; who has retained the spirit of infancy even into the era of manhood… In the presence of nature, a wild delight runs through the man in spite of real sorrows….” The sea and diving have given me a new outlook on life, a different planet where I can float into and enjoy as an adult, a new, different perspective on how it is to be that child again. Time and time again as I enter into the sea, I feel innocent all over again.

Teacher Takeaways “One of the more difficult aspects of writing a good descriptive essay is to use the description to move beyond itself — to ‘think through writing.’ This author does it well. Interspersed between the details of diving are deliberate metaphors and analogies that enable the reader to gain access and derive deeper meanings. While the essay could benefit from a more structured system of organization and clearer unifying points, and while the language is at times a bit sentimental, this piece is also a treasure trove of sensory imagery (notably colors) and descriptive devices such as personification and recursion.”– Professor Fiscaletti

• Essay by Chris Chan, Portland State University, 2014. Reproduced with permission from the student author. ↵

EmpoWord 111 Copyright © by Doug Bourne and Shane Abrams is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Jessica Grose

Get tech out of the classroom before it’s too late.

By Jessica Grose

Opinion Writer

Jaime Lewis noticed that her eighth-grade son’s grades were slipping several months ago. She suspected it was because he was watching YouTube during class on his school-issued laptop, and her suspicions were validated. “I heard this from two of his teachers and confirmed with my son: Yes, he watches YouTube during class, and no, he doesn’t think he can stop. In fact, he opted out of retaking a math test he’d failed, just so he could watch YouTube,” she said.

She decided to do something about it. Lewis told me that she got together with other parents who were concerned about the unfettered use of school-sanctioned technology in San Luis Coastal Unified School District, their district in San Luis Obispo, Calif. Because they knew that it wasn’t realistic to ask for the removal of the laptops entirely, they went for what they saw as an achievable win: blocking YouTube from students’ devices. A few weeks ago, they had a meeting with the district superintendent and several other administrators, including the tech director.

To bolster their case, Lewis and her allies put together a video compilation of clips that elementary and middle school children had gotten past the district’s content filters.

Their video opens on images of nooses being fitted around the necks of the terrified women in the TV adaptation of “The Handmaid’s Tale.” It ends with the notoriously violent “Singin’ in the Rain” sequence from “A Clockwork Orange.” (Several versions of this scene are available on YouTube. The one she pointed me to included “rape scene” in the title.) Their video was part of a PowerPoint presentation filled with statements from other parents and school staff members, including one from a middle school assistant principal, who said, “I don’t know how often teachers are using YouTube in their curriculum.”

That acknowledgment gets to the heart of the problem with screens in schools. I heard from many parents who said that even when they asked district leaders how much time kids were spending on their screens, they couldn’t get straight answers; no one seemed to know, and no one seemed to be keeping track.

Eric Prater, the superintendent of the San Luis Coastal Unified School District, told me that he didn’t realize how much was getting through the schools’ content filters until Lewis and her fellow parents raised concerns. “Our tech department, as I found out from the meeting, spends quite a lot of time blocking certain websites,” he said. “It’s a quite time-consuming situation that I personally was not aware of.” He added that he’s grateful this was brought to his attention.

I don’t think educators are the bad guys here. Neither does Lewis. In general, educators want the best for students. The bad guys, as I see it, are tech companies.

One way or another, we’ve allowed Big Tech’s tentacles into absolutely every aspect of our children’s education, with very little oversight and no real proof that their devices or programs improve educational outcomes. Last year Collin Binkley at The Associated Press analyzed public records and found that “many of the largest school systems spent tens of millions of dollars in pandemic money on software and services from tech companies, including licenses for apps, games and tutoring websites.” However, he continued, schools “have little or no evidence the programs helped students.”

It’s not just waste, very likely, of taxpayer money that’s at issue. After reading many of the over 900 responses from parents and educators to my questionnaire about tech in schools and from the many conversations I had over the past few weeks with readers, I’m convinced that the downsides of tech in schools far outweigh the benefits.

Though tech’s incursion into America’s public schools — particularly our overreliance on devices — hyperaccelerated in 2020, it started well before the Covid-19 pandemic. Google, which provides the operating system for lower-cost Chromebooks and is owned by the same parent company as YouTube, is a big player in the school laptop space, though I also heard from many parents and teachers whose schools supply students with other types and brands of devices.

As my newsroom colleague Natasha Singer reported in 2017 (by which point “half the nation’s primary- and secondary-school students” were, according to Google, using its education apps), “Google makes $30 per device by selling management services for the millions of Chromebooks that ship to schools. But by habituating students to its offerings at a young age, Google obtains something much more valuable”: potential lifetime customers.

The issue goes beyond access to age-inappropriate clips or general distraction during school hours. Several parents related stories of even kindergartners reading almost exclusively on iPads because their school districts had phased out hard-copy books and writing materials after shifting to digital-only curriculums. There’s evidence that this is harmful: A 2019 analysis of the literature concluded that “readers may be more efficient and aware of their performance when reading from paper compared to screens.”

“It seems to be a constant battle between fighting for the students’ active attention (because their brains are now hard-wired for the instant gratification of TikTok and YouTube videos) and making sure they aren’t going to sites outside of the dozens they should be,” Nicole Post, who teaches at a public elementary school in Missouri, wrote to me. “It took months for students to listen to me tell a story or engage in a read-aloud. I’m distressed at the level of technology we’ve socialized them to believe is normal. I would give anything for a math or social studies textbook.”

I’ve heard about kids disregarding teachers who tried to limit tech use, fine motor skills atrophying because students rarely used pencils and children whose learning was ultimately stymied by the tech that initially helped them — for example, students learning English as a second language becoming too reliant on translation apps rather than becoming fluent.

Some teachers said they have programs that block certain sites and games, but those programs can be cumbersome. Some said they have software, like GoGuardian, that allows them to see the screens of all the students in their classes at once. But classroom time is zero sum: Teachers are either teaching or acting like prison wardens; they can’t do both at the same time.

Resources are finite. Software costs money . Replacing defunct or outdated laptops costs money . When it comes to I.T., many schools are understaffed . More of the money being spent on tech and the maintenance and training around the use of that tech could be spent on other things, like actual books. And badly monitored and used tech has the most potential for harm.

I’ve considered the counterarguments: Kids who’d be distracted by tech would find something else to distract them; K-12 students need to gain familiarity with tech to instill some vague work force readiness.

But on the first point, I think other forms of distraction — like talking to friends, doodling and daydreaming — are better than playing video games or watching YouTube because they at least involve children engaging with other children or their own minds. And there’s research that suggests laptops are uniquely distracting . One 2013 study found that even being next to a student who is multitasking on a computer can hurt a student’s test scores.

On the second point, you can have designated classes to teach children how to keyboard, code or use software that don’t require them to have laptops in their hands throughout the school day. And considering that various tech companies are developing artificial intelligence that, we’re meant to understand, will upend work as we know it , whatever tech skills we’re currently teaching will probably be obsolete by the time students enter the work force anyway. By then, it’ll be too late to claw back the brain space of our nation’s children that we’ve already ceded. And for what? So today’s grade schoolers can be really, really good at making PowerPoint presentations like the ones they might one day make as white-collar adults?

That’s the part that I can’t shake: We’ve let tech companies and their products set the terms of the argument about what education should be, and too many people, myself included, didn’t initially realize it. Companies never had to prove that devices or software, broadly speaking, helped students learn before those devices had wormed their way into America’s public schools. And now the onus is on parents to marshal arguments about the detriments of tech in schools.

Holly Coleman, a parent of two who lives in Kansas and is a substitute teacher in her district, describes what students are losing:

They can type quickly but struggle to write legibly. They can find info about any topic on the internet but can’t discuss that topic using recall, creativity or critical thinking. They can make a beautiful PowerPoint or Keynote in 20 minutes but can’t write a three-page paper or hand-make a poster board. Their textbooks are all online, which is great for the seams on their backpack, but tangible pages under your fingers literally connect you to the material you’re reading and learning. These kids do not know how to move through their day without a device in their hand and under their fingertips. They never even get the chance to disconnect from their tech and reconnect with one another through eye contact and conversation.

Jonathan Haidt’s new book, “The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness,” prescribes phone-free schools as a way to remedy some of the challenges facing America’s children. I agree that there’s no place for smartphones on a K-12 campus. But if you take away the phones and the kids still have near-constant internet connectivity on devices they have with them in every class, the problem won’t go away.

When Covid hit and screens became the only way for millions of kids to “attend” school, not having a personal device became an equity issue. But we’re getting to a point where the opposite may be true. According to the responses to my questionnaire, during the remote-school era, private schools seemed to rely far less on screens than public schools, and many educators said that they deliberately chose lower-tech school environments for their own children — much the same way that some tech workers intentionally send their kids to screen-free schools.

We need to reframe the entire conversation around tech in schools because it’s far from clear that we’re getting the results we want as a society and because parents are in a defensive crouch, afraid to appear anti-progress or unwilling to prepare the next generation for the future. “I feel like a baby boomer attacking like this,” said Lewis.

But the drawbacks of constant screen time in schools go beyond data privacy, job security and whether a specific app increases math performance by a standard deviation. As Lewis put it, using tech in the classroom makes students “so passive, and it requires so little agency and initiative.” She added, “I’m very concerned about the species’ ability to survive and the ability to think critically and the importance of critical thinking outside of getting a job.”

If we don’t hit pause now and try to roll back some of the excesses, we’ll be doing our children — and society — a profound disservice.

The good news is that sometimes when the stakes become clear, educators respond: In May, Dr. Prater said, “we’re going to remove access to YouTube from our district devices for students.” He added that teachers will still be able to get access to YouTube if they want to show instructional videos. The district is also rethinking its phone policy to cut down on personal device use in the classroom. “For me,” he said, “it’s all about how do you find the common-sense approach, going forward, and match that up with good old-fashioned hands-on learning?” He knows technology can cause “a great deal of harm if we’re not careful.”

Jessica Grose is an Opinion writer for The Times, covering family, religion, education, culture and the way we live now.