“The youth expressed their critical goals in individualized ways. An implication for teaching is that understanding individual students’ life histories and goals through tools such as lunchtime focus groups, unit evaluations, and teacher action research are important aspects of cultivating classroom agency” (Basu 276).

Basu, S. J. (2008). Powerful learners and critical agents: The goals of five urban Caribbean youth in a conceptual physics classroom. Science Education, (92)2, 252-277.

In this study, the author truly got to know the students and what they wanted to achieve in their lives, and I think that is a powerful tool that all educators should employ in their classrooms. While teaching the content and helping their students achieve good scores on exams is important, teachers—including myself in the future—have to remember that they have the ability to shape students at such an important time in their lives. By asking students about their goals and dreams, teachers can inspire students to work towards effecting change in the world around them.

I remember that during middle and high school, my favorite teachers were the ones that asked what I liked going in my free time and tried relating it to the curriculum. For instance my language arts teacher asked me what I liked and then assigned me books for different reading assignments that related to what I was interested in. By doing this, she made me excited to read and feel more passionate about my learning. If more teachers get involved in the lives of their students in this way, learning can be much more productive and meaningful.