Should children be given agency? GOOGLE RESPONSE: Yes, numerous studies show that giving children agency — the capacity to make choices and influence their environment — has numerous positive outcomes, including increased academic achievement, self-regulation, and a strong sense of identity and belonging. However, the extent of agency can vary depending on the context and relationship, with children often feeling more empowered with peers than with adults. Teachers' attitudes and the classroom environment play a significant role in shaping a child's sense of agency. Benefits of Children's Agency Improved Academic Outcomes: -- Research indicates a positive link between student autonomy and academic success, with a meta-analysis showing the strongest effect in primary education. Enhanced Engagement and Learning: When children have opportunities to take initiative, they become more engaged, master new skills, and are more motivated to learn. Stronger Identity and Belonging: Developing a sense of agency helps children understand their ability to make choices, which fosters a strong identity and a sense of belonging. Greater Resilience: Agency contributes to the development of resilience, a key trait for navigating challenges in life. Better Adjustment and Health: Studies have shown positive connections between children's agency and improved health and overall adjustment. Challenges and Considerations Context Matters: -- A child's perception of agency can differ significantly across relationships, such as with peers, parents, and teachers. Children may perceive more power in peer interactions. Impact of Adult Attitudes: A teacher's attitude and the overall classroom ethos can either foster or hinder a child's sense of agency. Potential for Overwhelm: Giving children too many choices can be overwhelming and lead to emotional dysregulation and a feeling of powerlessness. Balancing Agency and Support: There is a need to balance opportunities for children to exercise agency with the support and guidance they need to develop their capacities. How to Support Agency Co-construction of Curriculum: -- Empowering students to co-construct curricula with their teachers can lead to academic improvement. Playful Learning: Utilizing playful learning approaches can support agency by allowing children to use their natural abilities to engage with their environment. Focus on Self-Regulation: Supporting a child's capacity for self-regulation is crucial for their engagement with opportunities to develop agency. Positive Reinforcement: Rather than relying solely on punishment, offering positive reinforcement can be an effective way to encourage agency. SOURCES: Children’s agency in parent–child, teacher–pupil and peer ... 1 Feb 2019 — Past research has shown that children'sagency has positive links to health, school achievement and/or adjustment. Method... National Institutes of Health (NIH) | (.gov) Full article: Making space for children’s agency with playful learning 23 Nov 2021 — Our theoretical review suggests playful learning works because it supports children's agency in their learning by using... Taylor & Francis Online Children's agency in England's primary schools: A case for ... 2 May 2025 — Research on children's agency in education reveals significant connections with academic outcomes. A meta-analysis by Ka... British Educational Research Association Children's agency and the curriculum - My College Research studies have revealed that agency is important. If learners believe they are capable of exercising agency, this facilitat... My College A sense of agency | NDNA When children develop a sense of agency, they understand that they have the ability to make their own choices and decisions, are a... National Day Nurseries Association - NDNA Full article: Making space for children’s agency with playful learning 23 Nov 2021 — Our theoretical review suggests playful learning works because it supports children's agency in their learning by using... Taylor & Francis Online Giving Kids Some Autonomy Has Surprising Results 2 Jan 2025 — In 35 randomized control trials in 18 countries, he and other researchers found that when students are allowed some oppo... The New York Times Why developing a sense of Agency in children and young people is ... 10 Oct 2024 — Helping children understand agency can help them build a strong identity, feel a sense of belonging, and develop resili... jameswilding.blog Full article: Young children’s agency - Taylor & Francis Online 27 Apr 2025 — Manyukhina and Wyse (2019, 223) propose that agency is the 'capacity to act independently' while James and James (2008, Taylor & Francis Online: Peer-reviewed Journals “Because I Said So”: The Importance of Giving Our Kids Fewer ... 3 Apr 2023 — Giving choices too often can make our children feel overwhelmed and lead to extreme emotional dysregulation (resulting i... A Therapist's Advice What are some advantages and disadvantages of offering children ... 5 Jul 2020 — Well, advantages are that they are more likely to do the healthy things while the incentive is available. It will also n... Quora Human-Centered Learning and Student Agency: “Think Big, Start Small and Act Fast” 21 Jul 2021 — At that same time, it's important to remember that students need guidance, especially in the beginning, on how to exerc... KnowledgeWorks Interactive and Child-Centred Research Methods for Investigating Efficacious Agency of Children ABSTRACT: Children need support to strengthen their efficacious agency, which, in turn, increases their well-being and learning ... Journal.fi To find those articles, Google the title or the quotation from each one. SOURCE (RESPONSES VARY AND WILL NOT BE IDENTICAL): https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-e&q=Should+children+be+given+agency%3F [@nonymouse] [Guardster] [Proxify] [Anonymisierungsdienst] |