How can you increase student independence in the classroom? This can be a challenging task for teachers, but it is an important goal to strive for. When students are more independent, they are more confident, self-directed, and responsible learners. And to be honest? It will make YOUR life easier as a teacher! Is this a simple task? Not necessarily, but after some front loading, you get to reap the benefits all year. Here are 5 strategies you can use to help increase student independence in the classroom.
1.) Set clear expectations and guidelines.
Clearly outlining expectations and guidelines can help students understand what is expected of them and give them a sense of direction. This can include things like completing assignments on time, following classroom expectations, and showing respect towards others. I love the idea of co-creating these expectations with students. While this may feel like a “beginning of the year” activity, it’s important to do no matter what time of year it is. It’s also important to view this as a living document and have regular check-ins, reminders, and revisions of it.
2.) Encourage self-assessment and reflection.
Encourage students to reflect on their own learning and progress. This may seem extra challenging in special education or early childhood classrooms, but it CAN be done. Students will rise to the occasion after explicit and direct modeling and teaching. This can help them identify their strengths and areas for improvement, and take more ownership of their learning. Reflecting and assessing is a really crucial way to increase student independence.
3.) Provide choice and allow for flexibility.
Giving students choices and flexibility in their learning can help them feel more ownership and control over their education. If you’ve read through my blog even a little, you know how much I love student choice. This simple concept can help with engagement, positive behavior, task initiation, and more. This could include allowing them to choose their own learning goals, or providing options for how they complete assignments. I also like using choice boards as well as early finisher choice boards as embedded ways to foster and increase student independence.
4.) Foster a growth mindset.
A growth mindset is the belief that intelligence and abilities can be developed and improved upon through effort and practice. Using this mindset strategy can offer tools that increase student independence. Helping students adopt a growth mindset can encourage them to take on challenges and see mistakes as opportunities for learning and growth. There are fun read alouds, task cards, and videos you can watch that will help students toss the fixed mindset and embrace growth mindsets. I highly recommend this Growth Mindset Toolkit if you are serious about teaching this important skill to your students. There’s so many varied tasks and opportunities in the download!
5.) Encourage teamwork and collaboration.
Collaboration and teamwork can help students learn from one another and develop social and communication skills. Encourage students to work together to solve problems and complete projects. This is also so important to model for students. When you have a team in your classroom, it’s an opportunity to model this for students.
By implementing these strategies, you can help increase student independence and confidence in the classroom.
Bonus Tip: Support Caregivers in the Process
Often times, caregivers are looking for tips and resources to foster independence at home, too. Without helpful carryover to the home setting, building independence can take a lot longer to take root. I love using these caregiver education letters to help structure the communication surrounding a conversation about independence, and give tangible tips and resources that can support the home environment. Grab the building independence letters here!
Looking for more posts on how to increase student independence in the classroom?
Increasing Student Independence with Classroom Plants