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One of the most meaningful ways student voice is honored in my classroom is right at the start—after introducing the transdisciplinary theme and unwrapping the central idea, students take the lead by crafting their own burning questions. These questions are their way of shaping the path of inquiry based on what truly sparks their curiosity.

What makes this process special in our class is that students use the key concepts as a lens to form their questions. For example, in a unit on civilizations, a student might ask, “How has the Egyptian civilization changed over time?”—a question driven by the concept of change and possibly linked with connection or perspective. This approach not only deepens their thinking but gives clarity and direction to their inquiries.

To build on their prior knowledge and extend their wonderings, we use Visible Thinking Routines such as K-W-L, See-Think-Wonder, or Think-Puzzle-Explore. These routines empower them to map what they know, what they’re curious about, and what they hope to explore further.

Agency also extends to how they learn together. Students have the freedom to choose their seating, form their own collaborative groups, and decide how they want to research and present. The beauty of it is—it’s all done by them and through them, while we simply guide and facilitate their journey. It’s incredible to see how this ownership transforms their engagement and depth of learning.

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Choice is deeply embedded in the learning culture of my classroom. From the very beginning, students are empowered to make decisions about how, where, and with whom they learn best. They choose their own group members, decide on flexible seating arrangements that suit their comfort and focus, and even get a voice in scheduling—selecting whether they want to begin with UOI, English, or Math during certain periods. This freedom helps foster not just engagement but a sense of ownership and responsibility.

When it comes to learning tasks, differentiation plays a key role. For every learning objective, students are offered a range of tasks—each catering to different learning styles and readiness levels. They choose the one that aligns with their strengths or challenges them just enough to stretch their thinking. This way, they are not confined to a one-size-fits-all approach but rather encouraged to take charge of their own learning journey.

Research is another area where choice truly flourishes. Whether it’s exploring books, scanning articles, conducting online research, interviewing an expert, or working collaboratively with peers—students choose the method that best suits their inquiry style and topic. They also decide how they wish to document their learning, whether through journals, digital slides, posters, videos, or podcasts.

This layered freedom not only promotes agency but also builds essential life skills like self-management, critical thinking, and intrinsic motivation. It’s a joy to watch students navigate their inquiries with confidence, knowing their voice and choices truly matter in the learning process.

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Ownership in my classroom is about helping students take full responsibility for their learning—intellectually, emotionally, and practically. From the outset of the Exhibition process, students take charge by identifying a global issue they are passionate about and framing their own central ideas and lines of inquiry. They co-construct their research plan and timelines, keep track of their progress, and regularly reflect on what they’ve learned and what they still need to explore. For example, one group investigating fast fashion took complete ownership of their action by planning a clothes swap party—organizing logistics, designing posters, and advocating for mindful consumerism among peers. Another group exploring surveillance wrote emails to real tech companies, asking them to revise their data privacy policies. These acts weren’t just school projects—they were genuine student-led initiatives that stemmed from a strong sense of purpose and accountability. As facilitators, we guide and support, but it’s the students who drive the learning forward with confidence and clarity.

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In our classroom, student voice is an essential part of our learning culture. I create regular opportunities for students to share their thoughts, questions, and ideas through reflection circles and class discussions. Each week, we hold a class meeting where students talk about what they enjoyed, what challenged them, and what they would like to change. Their feedback directly influences how we plan learning experiences. For example, when students said they wanted more time to work on art-based responses, we adjusted our schedule to allow for more creative expression. I also encourage students to give feedback on our essential agreements and even co-create some classroom routines. This ongoing dialogue empowers students to feel that their voices matter and are respected. It builds a strong sense of community and mutual trust in our classroom.

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Nick, You have worded it aptly- “our learning culture”. It is the culture of the classroom that decides on the agency that the students have. Readjusting your learning based on the needs and suggestions by the students will certainly give them confidence as learners, improve self-efficacy and lead them to become agentic learners. Mutual trust is another aspect of learning that you have pointed out.

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Choice is embedded into our daily routines and learning activities. I believe students engage more deeply when they have ownership over how they learn. During projects and assessments, students can choose how they demonstrate their understanding—whether through a visual presentation, written report, skit, or even a digital creation like a video or slideshow. For reading time, students select their own books based on interest and reading level. When we explore units of inquiry, students often choose which lines of inquiry they want to pursue more deeply in small groups or individually. I also provide choice in seating, collaborative partnerships, and tools they use for organizing their learning. These choices foster independence, confidence, and motivation, allowing each student to access learning in ways that align with their strengths and preferences.

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Helping students take ownership of their learning is one of my core goals as an educator. From the start of the year, we work on goal setting and self-reflection. Each student has a learning journal or portfolio where they set personal and academic goals. We revisit these goals regularly to reflect on progress and challenges. Students track their learning using success criteria and checklists, and they use these reflections to guide future steps. During student-led conferences, they take the lead in sharing their learning journey with parents, explaining their growth, areas for improvement, and what they are proud of. This not only builds accountability but also encourages metacognition and confidence. I emphasise that learning is a partnership, and when students take ownership, they become more engaged, responsible, and self-directed.

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Voice: In my class, students decide, which theme they want to inquire into. After the decision is made, we sit down to plan a time line where they decide what and how they want to engage with the concepts. The timeline is a dynamic document which they make changes to with time. We also have some time devoted to discussion, reflection and feedback.  We actively discuss learning, skills and learner profile in relation to happenings in class, school, home and the outside world.

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Ownership: In our school, each class get a turn to perform for assembly on stage for two days. When it was the turn for PYP 2, (the theme for the month was caring) they decided to speak about the relationships in nature. They spoke about birds and fruit trees, flowers and insects, how the father emperor penguin help the mother to incubate the egg, moose and the beaver, oxpeckers and buffaloes, bacteria in the human intestine, plover bird and the crocodile, zebras and giraffes. They wrote down the script in collaboration, paired up to speak on stage and was inclusive. Here they demonstrated ownership and chose the right action. The fact that the 7–8-year-olds planned, scripted and performed and took action conveying the message of peaceful co-existence was hugely appreciated by the learning community.

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Choice: It is up to the students to choose the learning engagement. For example, when we inquired into “Life cycles”, each one wanted to research a different life cycle. How to research, how to present their learning was their choice. They read through encyclopaedias, went through lift a flap books, watched educational videos, illustrated, made models and spin wheels. This individual research contributed heavily to the contextual understandings of the whole class.

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Choice: It is up to the students to choose the learning engagement. For example, when we inquired into “Life cycles”, each one wanted to research a different life cycle. How to research, how to present their learning was their choice. They read through encyclopaedias, went through lift a flap books, watched educational videos, illustrated, made models and spin wheels. This individual research contributed heavily to the contextual understandings of the whole class.

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In my classroom, voice is a key element that empowers students to actively participate in discussions and share their ideas. I believe every student has valuable insights, and creating an open environment where they feel safe to express themselves is essential. During lessons, I encourage students to share their thoughts, raise questions, and engage in meaningful dialogue with their peers. For example, when we were studying the digestive system, I invited students to not only present their findings but also discuss why they think certain body systems are interconnected. This helps them develop critical thinking and feel valued as contributors to the learning process.

Classroom Debates: In a unit about the effects of media on behavior, I organized a debate where students argue for or against the influence of social media on society. This gives them a platform to express their views and practice critical thinking skills in a structured way.

Student-Led Discussions: During our unit on the body systems, I invited students to lead their own small-group discussions about one specific body system (e.g., the respiratory system). After their discussion, they present their findings to the class, giving them a sense of ownership over their learning while also allowing them to share their voice.

Student Feedback on Lessons: After a lesson on media and its types, I encourage students to write short reflections or share their feedback on the lesson. This could be done via exit tickets, where students express what they learned and what they found challenging. It gives them a voice in how the class evolves and helps me tailor future lessons to their needs.

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Choice is another principle that I incorporate into my teaching. I strive to provide students with options that cater to their learning styles, giving them autonomy in how they approach tasks. For instance, when exploring the concept of media and its influence on behavior, I offer my students a variety of ways to demonstrate their understanding. They can choose to create a video, design a poster, or write a report, all of which allow them to showcase their learning in a way that suits them best. This flexibility not only makes the content more engaging but also fosters a sense of independence in the learning process.

Flexible Learning Activities: In a lesson about the nervous system, I might give students the option to either read an article, watch a short video, or complete a hands-on activity (such as building a model of the brain) to learn about how the nervous system functions. This allows students to choose the method that best suits their learning style.

Independent vs. Group Work: When exploring a concept like media’s influence on decision-making, I give students the choice to either work independently on a research project or collaborate in small groups. Some students might prefer the quiet focus of individual work, while others thrive in group discussions.

Creative Expression: After learning about the circulatory system, I allow students to choose how they would like to express their understanding. They can draw a detailed diagram, write a story that incorporates facts about the circulatory system, or create a presentation for the class. Giving them creative freedom enhances their engagement and ownership of the learning process.

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I emphasize ownership in my classroom. I encourage my students to take responsibility for their own learning journey. Through regular self-assessments, students reflect on their progress and set personal goals. For example, at the beginning of a unit, each student sets a learning goal, and we revisit these goals throughout the unit to track progress. I also engage students in project-based learning, where they take charge of the research, creation, and presentation of their work. A great example of this is when we did a project on media campaigns—students worked in groups to design their own campaigns, which allowed them to take full ownership of their learning from start to finish.

By focusing on voice, choice, and ownership, my classroom has become a dynamic, student-centered environment where learning is more meaningful and empowering.

Goal Setting and Reflection: At the start of each unit, I ask students to set a personal learning goal. For example, during our unit on media literacy, students might set a goal such as “I will be able to identify the different types of media and explain how they influence opinions.” Throughout the unit, they revisit this goal and assess their progress, making adjustments as needed. This process helps them take ownership of their learning journey.

Peer Review and Feedback: To help students take ownership of their writing, I introduce peer review sessions. Students share their work with a classmate and provide constructive feedback. This encourages them to take responsibility for not only their own work but also for helping others improve. It also helps build a sense of community and accountability in the classroom.

Project-Based Learning: During a unit on body systems, students work on a long-term project where they research a specific system (such as the digestive or respiratory system) and present their findings to the class. They have complete ownership over the project—from researching, creating visual aids, and delivering the presentation to reflecting on what they learned and how they could improve next time.

Student-Led Conferences: For mid-year and end-of-year conferences, I invite students to lead the conversation about their learning. They reflect on their academic journey, share their strengths, discuss areas of improvement, and set new goals. This process reinforces the idea that they are in control of their progress.

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In my grade 4 classroom, choice plays an important role in student engagement. For our PBL task,  students may choose their own topics to explore, while I play the facilitator as needed to help guide students. I can see my students take ownership of their learning. In literacy, students can select books or resources that interest them. Choice is also given in group activities, such as deciding student roles in their presentation or selecting how they want to present their project. This helps with creativity and ultimately makes learning more fun for my students.

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This has been one of the most empowering aspects of PYP learning and the Exhibition for me personally. Over the past few years, students in my class have been given more opportunities to express their ideas and opinions. For instance, in daily class meetings linked to positive discipline and during our class discussions, students are encouraged to share their thoughts on issues and topics. As a result of this I have seen a huge rise in respect for others in the classroom and generally more respect for differing perspectives. I have seen students in group projects more confidently contribute their viewpoints on how to approach a task or present their project, I have also witnessed students respecting their team mates perspectives. Adding student voice to the classroom and prioritising it, I have seen my students gain confidence and tolerance for others.

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With student choice and voice, I have witnessed students taking on more ownership, responsibility and independence with their learning. For example, students set personal learning goals, such as improving their reading skills or taking on a stronger role in group work and track their progress with their learning journals. During projects, they take the lead in researching topics of their choice and interest, selecting resources, and deciding on how to present their research. Ownership has not only motivated students in my class but also encourages them to reflect on their progress and learning.

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I provide regular opportunities for students to express their ideas, feelings, and reflections during class discussions and reflection circles. I often ask open-ended questions that allow them to share their thoughts on the topic being explored. Students also participate in co-constructing classroom essential agreements at the beginning of the school year, giving them a say in how they want to learn and work together. When working on inquiries, students are encouraged to come up with their own research questions based on their interests, which helps them feel heard and respected as contributors to the learning environment.

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I support student agency by offering choices throughout the learning process. For example, during inquiry-based activities, students can choose the topic they wish to explore within the central idea. They can also decide how to present their findings, some prefer creating posters, and others make models, digital slides, or even perform short skits. In daily tasks, I provide flexible seating and allow students to choose whether to work alone, with a partner, or in small groups. These options help them feel in control of how they learn best.

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I encourage students to set personal learning goals at the beginning of each week. They revisit these goals regularly to reflect on their progress and make adjustments. They also document their learning journeys through portfolios, selecting pieces of work they are proud of and explaining why. This gives them a strong sense of accountability and pride in their work. During student-led conferences, they take the lead in presenting their growth to parents, discussing their challenges, achievements, and next steps. They also help create rubrics for self-assessment, reinforcing their role in evaluating and improving their learning.