Kate+Dooley+Module+5+Self-Determination

Self-determination is essential for my students. Many of them arrive at our school feeling they have no control over their current and future lives. Often, the choice of attending our school has been made for them. Students combat a strong sense of hopelessness when they are the passenger and not the driver of their lives. The lack of self-determination often leads to poor decision-making inside and outside of school. Motivation and task persistence go hand-in-hand with self-determination. Students who have not experienced self-determination are less motivated academically and are easily frustrated with academic tasks. To promote self-determination for my students, I start by focusing on what students can do well. It is crucial that all students know their strengths and weaknesses. Often, students especially adolescents, are acutely aware of their weaknesses and less aware of their strengths. Students need to be made aware of their individual strengths. It is important to facilitate their successes. Teachers who provide students with academic and other school related tasks tailored to meet their strengths are able to create experiences of success and control. Once students start to build self-confidence and become aware of their own strengths, they can learn how to set their own short-term obtainable goals. By setting their own goals, they can directly experience the ability to influence their lives. This is the start to a long process of teaching self-determination.

Self-determination can also be taught in content areas to all students. In Social Studies, themes of self-determination are pervasive. Countries and individuals fight to gain control over their governments. The Declaration of Independence states that the “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” are “unalienable rights.” Students can learn about themes of self-determination throughout history and connect self-determination as an “unalienable right” in their own lives.

//From Joe - I liked the point about how you can infuse SD into many content areas. Certainly history and Social studies are prime areas, but it can be done in other ways. Does anyone have examples? Also, I liked and would echo the point about students being aware of what they can't do well, and having less understanding or appreciation of what they can do well. And what do we often do? Remind the students of what they don't do well by making them do that over and over (in the name of improving skill). As you point out, how can you identify and work to capitalize, on the the strengths?// //Response to Kate's Post: By Allison Pescik// //Kate, you bring up some very interesting points regarding your students' work ethics, self-determination, and motivation. It must be challenging for some to accept the fact that they were removed from their regular school and put into a special school where you work. I can relate, even though I work at a public high school- so many kids do not want to be in "resource" class, or have the label of being special ed. Since these students are in high school, I've noticed that many have been in the special ed system for years. At this rate, I think many of my students initially think that getting out is "hopeless". Upon hearing negative comments about resource, I try to give them choices in the classroom to better frame their learning experiences, and promote self-advocacy. For example, I may structure the activities but say, "you can choose to do this or this...what would you like to do?" I find this gives them more ownership and control over their learning, which is what so many of my kids are desperately seeking. As far as getting out of resource, I explain that they have the ability to reduce time in resource, if they work really hard. If they just complain that they don't like it, but don't work hard, or do anything to try and improve their grades/learning, then they will stay for support. To help them reach their goal, I will set specific short term, agreed upon benchmarks with the student so they know what to work on and we can measure this progress over time- turn in 80% of my homework, attend every class for 2 weeks (no skips), and/or earn grades of C minus or higher in all classes. Each type of criteria for reducing time in resource is individualized and shaped depending on the student's needs/desires. At the end of the day, this gives them something positive to work toward and increases their motivation. On our end, we would be happy to reduce time in resource if students earn it- this promotes independence over their learning, which is our ultimate goal for all students anyway.//