All of us like to feel like we have power over a situation. Students are no exception.Now, more than ever, students need to feel they have some control over their lives. Making a choice has been known to reduce stress. It makes us feel good. Most importantly, as a student making the choice then gives them a sense of responsibility for the outcome.
Aside from being motivating, student choice boards have other benefits. Choice boards provide both students and teachers a vehicle to differentiation. Not only does it allow differences in the complexity of the task or depth of the project, but capitalizing on student interests and passions can help keep students on task and engaged in their learning.
Robert Marzano in the book The Highly Engaged Classroom discusses his findings about students feeling their classroom activities more important when they were given choices.
It is important for items on a choice board to have the same learning goals and concepts. Using a well developed assessment/scoring guide helps keep students focused on the important learning objectives.
Carol Ann Tomlinson advocates a type of choice board called a Think-Tac-Toe board. A pdf from the Perry, Kentucky school district is available here and gives multiple examples.
Looking for a resource for a Choice Unit? Click the image below to be redirected to the product on the TPT Reading Specialty site.
