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Unpacking the concept of agency and determining a common understanding of how an organization will support it is crucial for the onboarding of all stakeholders.

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This is one of my later responses to Dylan's thinking. I realize that many of the considerations that I am trying to identify can connect back to Ron Ritchhart's Cultural Forces.

Perhaps it is an idea that schools can examine how they are supporting the development of agency through the 8 cultural forces.

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I had to laugh as I can relate to so much of what you wrote and experienced. This brings me to considerations-so what?

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I had to laugh as I can relate to so much of what you wrote and experienced. This brings me to considerations-so what?

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Thanks for sharing this blog post, Dylan. I found myself nodding in agreement, having had MANY similar experiences. This is where perseverance and resilience have become critical for us teaches;-)

You pointed out how the scheduled time rarely coincided with the "flashes of inspiration." Further, if I may digress, you pointed out that daily schedules can easily create a (multi?)disciplinary agenda, rather than support transdisciplinarity.

So what are the considerations here for IB educators and schools?

We must reflect on time-honored practices and whether or not there is any honor attributable to those practices beyond longevity. This certainly pertains to scheduling but some other areas to consider:
-the program of inquiry and individual units-can we at the very least articulate, even better, demonstrate the value to student learning and the opportunities for student agency?
-building on that, how about our learning engagements? How many of them return every year because teachers liked them or are prepared for them from the previous year? How flexible are our learning engagements and units in so far as allowing for student voice, choice and ownership?

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I think that agency was always a main feature of the PYP. It connects for me, to the PYP, as it strives to be inquiry-based.

So what are some considerations here for IB educators and schools?

*We can ask ourselves, "where do we see evidence of voice, choice and ownership being featured strongly through an equitable partnership between teachers and students?"

-Do we notice that there are some areas where this occurs more strongly, for example when focusing on unit of inquiry?

-Is this featured just as strongly in single-subject lessons and stand-alone units or do we find that those are taught differently?

-What do we notice about the times when we feel that this is featured more strongly? How can we build on that to make it even stronger in those areas as well as to consider how to apply those conditions to areas where it isn't as strong?

-Parent education-how can we support parents in supporting voice, choice and ownership?

How can schools and IBEN members support teachers in continually developing their capacity to promote voice, choice and ownership? As with most PD, I think this takes more than a one-off or fixed-in-time period of training. As it is crucial to the program, we have to consider how we will support teachers and schools as they strive to continually develop this capacity!

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(This is a great article to support what the PYP docs say. Thanks for sharing!)
*the author cites individualization, equality and relationships as must-have's in the partnerships which will endeavor to develop agency.
*the author points out that it is one thing to say it, another to do it (naming vs. action)

So what are some considerations here for IB educators and schools?

*Implicit ownership and hierarchy sneak in even when we are doing our best to prevent it: thinking within my PYP context, I'd start by asking myself "what would the students say if I asked them which class they are in?" This may seem small but if students say "Jen's class" or I need to get my book from "Jen's classroom," I feel as though a hierarchy is already established. For example, in our upper elementary grades, classes are named after the teacher. So my grade 4 class was 4JR (Grade 4, Jen Risolo). What does that say to the students? Where is the agency in that when ownership is already established? In the lower grades, the names are after animals, but the teachers choose the names before school even starts. Again, a leader is already established before school even starts.

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https://blogs.ibo.org/sharingpyp/2017/09/05/let-your-students-be-the-boss/#comment-17499

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notice, and reflect on the students’ existing capabilities, needs and interests in order to personalize learning

actively listen to students’ opinions, wonderings, perspectives and aspirations to extend student thinking and action

foster authenticity for students to explore their interests by giving them open-ended tasks

offer opportunities for students to demonstrate creativity and take risks

reflect on when students need help, and when not, by using assessment evidence to inform learning and teaching

listen and respond to each student's activities to extend their thinking.

PYP Principles into Practice p. 5

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"The inquiry process builds capacity through student agency where voice, choice and ownership feature strongly."  - PYP Principles into Practice p.

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"the core of student agency" - PYP Principles into Practice p.24

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model behaviour and language use, considering implicit and explicit messages to students

offer opportunities for reinforcement and mastery

give timely, specific and well-considered feedback on learning

create a learning environment where students can set their own learning goals and success criteria, and monitor and adjust their learning against them

give students the chance to provide feedback to each other

build in time for reflection to enhance students’ awareness about the success of their efforts and ways to improve in the future

carefully group and regroup students in different ways - ability grouping, social grouping, self-chosen grouping - to foster students’ perceptions of intelligence and ability as fluid

encourage students to monitor their own emotional and physical well-being so they can be more sensitive participants within the learning community.

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Recently, I have had the experience of teachers mention to me that they have never come across the term 'agency' before in their professional or educational lives. We should consider defining this term with faculty and unpacking what it means with all stakeholders at the outset of any discussions using the term :)

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with Albert

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When putting Student Agency into practice:

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When putting Student Agency into practice:

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"Agency is not something you can give or take"

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"Agency is not something you can give or take"

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"If an educator calls me a collaborator, then honors my contributions, it’s as though the world has shattered. It allows me to imagine, create and express in a way that matters."
Andrew Rikard,
ARTICLE: Student agency is not something you give or take
https://www.edsurge.com/news/2015-10-16-student-agency-is-not-something-you-give-or-take