When students are given the agency to plan lessons around discussing topics important to them, they build a strong sense of voice and empowerment.
At Casco Bay High School in Portland, Maine, a school in the EL Education network, “Voice and Agency” is one of the core tenets upon which they base their instructional approach. One example of their commitment: When students feel there is something important that needs to be discussed—a current event, a schoolwide issue, or a social dilemma—there is a process in place to bring the topic to the forefront. Typically, students pitch their idea to the student council and, if approved, they work with their teachers to develop talking points, guidelines, and curriculum around the subject matter. The result is a set of courageous conversations on difficult issues, 60-minute discussions led by trained student facilitators that are held across small group advisory sessions all on the same day—so everyone in the school participates.
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