267: The Argument for Giving Students More Voice and Choice

My co-host in this episode is a fellow podcaster and someone I am proud to call a friend – if only a virtual one at the moment, Steve Miletto, EdD. Steve has been an educator in Georgia(US) for 36 years. He has served public school families as a history teacher, assistant principal, high school principal, and RESA Executive Director in the Heart of Georgia RESA (8 years) and now with North Georgia RESA. In 2009, he was the Georgia Principal of the Year and a finalist for NASSP/MetLife National Principal of the Year in 2010.

Steve is the host of the highly regarded podcast, Teaching, Learning, Leading K-12.

Summary

In this discussion, Jeff and Steve use the book Rocket Boys by Homer H. Hickam Jr. as the basis for their discussion on student agency: student voice and choice about what and how they want to learn. Listeners may know the book by its film name, October Sky.

Jeff and Steve use elements from the book to explore the qualities and benefits of student agency, including encouraging student interest, support from adults and mentors, independent learning and critical thinking, overcoming obstacles, learning beyond the school environment, and fostering tangible effort towards goals. Recommendations for future schooling involve faculty connecting with students, understanding their needs, creating opportunities for exploration, prioritizing student interests, and promoting autonomy and project-based learning within the curriculum.

Links/References

Steve at LinkedIn