BRIDGEPORT – Student agency is a factor easy to overlook in education, but young people learn best when they are self-motivated. Bridgeport Exempted Village School District took this to heart when they hosted fellow Belmont County educators during a workshop Oct. 9 to inspire student engagement.
Administrators from Union Local and Barnesville Exempted Village School District joined the Bridgeport Schools leadership team and welcomed Mike Nicholson, founder of the education consultant and school support organization Learning InspirED. He was joined by Learning InspirED staffer Kristy Venne, and they discussed ways to foster motivation in students so they are partners in their education.
Nicholson and Venne called on the educators to share their goals. Teachers wanted to make a difference in their students’ lives and to see them go on to be productive in the community.
Bridgeport High School Principal Jack Fisher wanted to see his students take ownership of their education and embrace leadership roles. Bridgeport Elementary Principal Kamaron Sabinski agreed they goal is to help their students grow. Middle School Principal Anne Haverty Lawson encourages her students to think about their future and the direction they will take. Special Education Director Beverly Prati teaches her students to be active members in society.
They continued with some exercises singly and in groups as they reflected on past projects. Nicholson pointed out that they found they were most empowered when they had choice and control in the task. Venne said reinforcement comes when they observe that what they do makes a difference.
They noted the focus on standardized tests can come at the expense of initiative.
“We need to be gardeners, not carpenters,” Nicholson said. “We need to set the conditions so that the kids can grow in ways that they want to grow.”
Bridgeport High School Counselor Vicki Falcone added that students should view the material they learn as something to build on going forward.
Prati said it is not enough for educators to impart ability to students. They must also inspire the students’ will to learn.
While it is important to make sure young people have agency in their learning, Falcone emphasized striking a balance between student choice and introducing them to options they might not otherwise consider. She pointed out many Bridgeport students are being signed up for field trips to different businesses, since the YouScience assessments suggest they might have aptitudes for a field.
“You don’t know what you don’t know,” she said.
Nicholson said while it is important that students trust their teachers and the school system, this can be counterproductive if the trust fosters dependency. The goal is agency and creating independent, self-motivated learners.
“If you’re in a system that doesn’t allow you to make decisions in any meaningful cadence, frequency or extent, you’re not going to feel empowered because you’ll never be able to test it.”
Afterward, Nicholson commended Bridgeport Schools’ initiative.
“When they saw the opportunity to have this, they moved fast to make sure this happened. There was an eagerness here that was really cool to see.”
Venne said they are very receptive.
“They’re really ready for what’s next. They’re truly pushing beyond. They’re leading and they want to prepare their students.”
They said InspirED will revisit in December, February and May to hear about the districts’ progress.
“It’s something they’ll develop over time, because in some ways it’s a culture shift,” Nicholson said. “Over the course of the year, we’ll see more and more concrete ideas.”
Venne looks forward to seeing progress.
“It gives them the tools to be successful,” she said. “This is just one more way the school districts can do that.”
Educators then heard from Ned Johnson, bestselling author of “The Self-Driven Child.” Johnson, who has an extensive background in education, explores ways to help young people attain more control in their lives. He spoke about how a child’s brain develops and the role of stress in growth. He said a chief factor is whether the child feels a sense of control.
His talk explored ways to allow young people to make decisions, to own their decisions and solve problems.
Prior to his talk, Johnson said he was impressed by Bridgeport Schools’ commitment to learning.
“There are some terrific kids and some terrific educators.”
