Blog 3

Giving students choices in their learning is important for several reasons. One reason is that current research points to the effective use of choice. Differentiated and multisensory approaches to learning helps students in various ways. It helps students who have different learning styles. It appeals to students’ multiple intelligences. Another reason is effective choices can increase student engagement. When students engage with other students, their learning is reinforced. They can discuss their different perspectives and benefit from it. A third reason is today’s students must have critical thinking skills that surpass memorization. By giving students choices, it makes their learning meaningful. It also makes the assignment more interesting. Lastly, different modes of delivery and assessment are made possible by technology. Technology makes it easier for teachers to give students choices.

I wish my teachers in the past had given me more choices instead of my classmates and me having the same project. When we presented our projects, everyone was bored because we knew what to expect. It was even worse when teachers would make us choose the project topic randomly out of a hat. It just made the project feel like an obligation. Alfie Kohn’s “Choices for Children: Why and How to Let Students Decide” (http://www.alfiekohn.org/article/choices-children/0) perfectly sums up what it is like for students to have little to no choices in school. I love how the article provides credible resources to support its research.