“ Within courses , teachers provide different options for projects to support our interests .”
a variety of strategies to increase student motivation and to support autonomy and agentic engagement . For example , by giving students the freedom to pursue their own interests and demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways as a means to promote agency ,” said Christine Yang , Assistant Director of Teaching and Learning , Senior School .
Learning activities and traditional forms of assessments , such as tests or writing pieces , are being supplemented with autonomysupportive practices . Students are invited to showcase their learning through podcasts and other formats they choose . In science classes , students engage in collaborative group work , selecting their own variables and roles , making learning more relevant and personalized . application essays . Looking forward , further training for staff will be offered , and we will continue to embed the approach into advisory / homeroom , student reflections , post-secondary counselling , and Careers curriculum .
WHAT ’ S NEXT ?
In the first year of implementing the strategic plan , our goal was to create a deeper understanding of agency and its potential for our school community , particularly when it comes to the learning process . Staff have had a chance to consider how to boost agency through specific teaching practices that strengthen motivation and competence . When students become more autonomous learners , they get to know their needs and preferences better , and they can leverage these to succeed in any environment .
“ Within courses , teachers provide different options for projects to support our interests .”
“ We want to equip students with the tools and self-awareness to find out how they learn best , and how to share that with their teachers ,” said Ms Yang . “ When they can contribute constructively to their own learning , they aren ’ t just ‘ at school ’— they ’ re actively engaged in shaping their educational journey .”
Our work on agency aims to build the best possible environment for our students to flourish , both personally and academically . Students with agency know themselves well as learners , know what works for them and what doesn ’ t , what motivates them and what doesn ’ t , and feel confident and secure in taking initiative because they know that their contributions matter in this community . Our dedicated staff and leadership teams are playing a crucial role in ensuring a successful implementation of this goal . l , and we look forward to continuing to share our journey with our community .
Senior School students have also seen the impact of the Graydin method . Elements of the method are now integrated into student reflections on report cards and other areas of student life , such as preparing for post-secondary
“ Every day , our teachers model what it means to be a lifelong learner . Our staff continues to expand their understanding of student agency in order to serve students better ,” said Ms Trolese . “ The best is when you walk by a class and you can ’ t tell where the teacher is because the students are huddled in groups , and the teacher is with them , rather than at the front of the room .”
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