In my last blog I explained what student agency is and the important research base behind it. But what are some best practices to teach and develop student agency? How do I, as a classroom teacher, start integrating student agency strategies into my classroom? Here are a few daily and weekly strategies which, when used regularly, help students to become more self-aware and grow in their skills as learners.

Gateway teachers are exceptional and are constantly exploring new ways to support our students and create safe spaces for learning and growing, even over the summer. In addition to participating in professional development trainings and workshops during the summer months, our teachers read books that helped deepen their teaching practice.

Last summer, Gateway High School biology teacher Mary Plant Thomas spent her summer days surrounded by flora in her role as a Plant Detective at the SF Botanical Gardens, a 55 acre living museum. She and her fellow sleuths were tasked with identifying and cataloging plants in the Garden’s vast collection. At the same time, Humanities teacher David Booth and other educators explored the galleries of the Smithsonian in Washington, DC, studying artwork dealing with issues of identity.

Who knew that a summer working at an ice cream parlor could change a young person’s life? We knew. For high school students, summers provide an opportunity to learn, grow and evolve into more mature and confident versions of their pre-summer selves. At Gateway, we work hard to ensure that every student has a meaningful summer opportunity to keep busy, build their resume and college applications with new skills and experiences, build community, and earn money.

A year ago, Americans were preparing for the inauguration of Donald Trump. Teachers and students at Gateway were having lively discussions in and outside of the classroom about what Trump’s presidency would mean for all of us. Overwhelmingly, there were strong feelings of anger, disappointment, and fear. As teachers and staff talked more, a theme in these discussions emerged around immigration.