Student Well-Being Video

Student Motivation: Why Autonomy Matters

By Larry Ferlazzo & Emma Patti Harris — December 9, 2019 4:51

Studies show that giving students a role in deciding what their educational experience looks like can help motivate them. This input may include having a say in their classroom environment, being able to choose their homework assignment, or even letting them develop ideas for their own assignments related to what is being studied in class.

Larry Ferlazzo is an English and social studies teacher at Luther Burbank High School in Sacramento, Calif.
Emma Patti Harris is a deputy managing editor for Education Week who oversees visuals and immersive experiences.

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Coverage of whole-child approaches to learning is supported in part by a grant from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, at www.chanzuckerberg.com. Education Week retains sole editorial control over the content of this coverage.

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