Fighting the Pedagogy of Poverty With Free-Choice Learning

• In Event: Creating Equitable Learning Environments to Support Students of Diverse Backgrounds and Needs

Abstract

Many people engage in free-choice learning when they go to a museum or watch a YouTube video on a topic of interest. What might free-choice learning look like in a public elementary school and how might this type of learning benefit students? This study focused on free-choice learning in under-resourced, public elementary schools. Participants described their experiences implementing learning opportunities such as Genius Hour, including assumptions about student abilities and support from leadership. They also discussed the skills students developed in the process of engaging in free-choice learning.

Author

• Sharice Adkins, College of William & Mary