Student Agents
Empowering Our Learners: Understanding Student Agency
Student Agency is about moving beyond passive classroom participation and into the driver’s seat of education. It is defined as knowing what to learn, how to learn, and who to learn it from to attain true expertise in an area of interest.
When a student is "agentic," they aren't just following instructions; they are intentionally navigating their own growth. To help our community better understand this mindset, our 12 Student Agents have taken on the role of experts to break down the core Elements of Agency. In each further edition of the newsletter, we will focus on one element.
Below, our Student Agents share the definitions of some of the twelve Elements of Agentic Learners and their personal examples.
| Element | My Personal Example:
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Engaging in dialogue Engaging in dialogue means that you speak up and are not afraid to. You talk to one or more people about what should be happening and give thoughts and ideas on how to do it.
| Eloise One time I experienced engaging in dialogue. It was when my class was looking for one particular chapter book around the Senior Learning Centre. I couldn’t find it, so I asked my friend if she could help me. It was easier because we communicated together and eventually found multiple copies of that book.
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Being persistent Being persistent is where you commit to something and never give up when things get frustrating, upsetting or take a long time. And you just keep on trying until you reach your goal.
| Shaya I was being persistent when I was showing up to all my basketball matches and also the training because I am part of that team and I will show up all the time for my basketball team.
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Taking responsibility for others Taking responsibility for others means providing support, care, and guidance for the well-being and learning of other people.
| Lenny I took responsibility for others when I was a captain in a basketball game, I cheered for my team and passed a lot. I worked as a team and we won the match. |
Pursuing goals Whether it's a social, personal, or community goal you are putting in effort and are committed to achieving it. Even if you are struggling or do something incorrectly you find another solution and learn from your mistakes.
| Zara N A personal goal I had was to be more engaged and focused in what we are learning in class so I commit to my goal by ignoring distractions and listening to who's speaking. |
Managing ambiguity or uncertainty When you have the ability to move forward and keep on trying even when you are uncertain or confused. When you know that you are unsure you ask questions and ask for help. Just tell yourself you are unsure and need help, no one is going to judge you.
| Millie F I have had way more than one experience with this topic, but one could be doing NAPLAN for the first time. I was nervous and didn’t know what to expect, but I pushed through and tried my best. NAPLAN goes for a few weeks and I felt more and more confident every time. What i’m trying to say is no matter the situation, just keep trying.
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Being reflective Being reflective means going back to something and asking yourself, ‘What did i do well and what can I work/reflect on to get better or achieve something greater.’ | Alex I once beat someone at a maths game and I didn’t celebrate too much because I thought, “if i was them how would I be feeling if an opponent was bragging about their win in front of them.” so I didn’t celebrate because that would’ve made them feel sad and put-down.
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Acting with courage Acting with courage means to act with bravery and resilience, even if the task at hand is tricky. Acting with courage means to move forwards and persevere, despite being uncertain of the situation. | Olympia An example of when I had to act with courage was when I joined a new sports team. I didn’t know anyone there, or even how to play the sport. That didn’t stop me from being kind, friendly, and brave. Some situations seem scary at first, but sometimes all it takes is to act with courage. |