The Effects of Student Autonomy in the High School Setting

The high school setting is not always a place where students like to be. Studies have proven that students benefit from being given the ability to have choice and their own voice present in the classroom and overall school setting (Brooks & Young, 2011). This paper will explore how giving students a free period in high school further encourages students to want to be in school, as well as to have a sense of ownership over their education. The collection of data took place where I was student teaching: an urban high school environment that initiated a free-period program that same semester. Students gradually became more aware of how valuable their free period was, and found it to be a useful time to seek help from teachers and tutors, as well as to catch up on schoolwork. This demonstrates positive outcomes that come when giving students more freedom in school.