"Every accomplishment comes with the decision to try."
                                                                                  - Deci

      Self-determination theory focuses on human motivation and claims people are more successful, happier, and work harder when they are allowed to make meaningful choices regarding their work. While this theory has recently gained popularity in secondary education, many elementary school teachers believe it cannot be effective with younger students because they do not have the ability to make mature, informed decisions. I disagree. This year I set out to investigate whether or not, with the right support, elementary aged students' engagement and success would also improve due to a freedom to make meaningful decisions regarding their work. 

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How Did I Get Here?

     As a teacher at a low-income elementary school I have been struggling to engage my students with the content they are required to learn. Many of my students’ parents do not have a college education and so my students struggle to see how their education will be of use to them. There is no obvious connection between what my students learn in school and their “real lives” and so they disengage.

     At the end of the 2016-2017 school year I let my students conduct a research report on any topic of their choosing. One student researched the history of video games while another student created a functional circuit with only lemons as a power source! While my students were all working on something different, there was one uniform reaction to the assignment. All of my students were enjoying learning and were engaged with their projects!
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​      I was excited by this reaction I had stumbled upon and wanted to find a way to replicate that engagement throughout the year with the next batch of kiddos. The problem was that I am still a public-school teacher and I still need to teach to the standards; I cannot let my students study whatever they want all the time. So I set about finding a way to give my students meaningful choice-opportunities every day in the classroom. The results of my journey have been incredible and transformational for my teaching practices.  If you are an elementary school teacher struggling to engage your students I hope my findings will be as helpful for you and your students as they have been for me and my students.