Choice motivates people of all ages. From their earliest experiences, children learn how that they have some control over their lives. In fact, “According to research cited by Sheena Iyengar in The Art of Choosing, infants as young as 4 months enjoyed the power of choice to turn on music by their own volition.” Providing the choice can promote intrinsic motivation, which is internally driven. Parents of toddlers can give them a choice of which books they’d like an adult to read to them. They can let them select their clothing, etc.
Thus, embedding choice into classrooms as early as prekindergarten can provide positive effects for students and teachers alike. At the preschool level, (with adult guidance, of course) they can choose which center they’d like to work in, which color crayons they’d like to use, which snack they’d like to eat, etc. At the elementary and middle school levels, some teachers incorporate choice boards into their lessons. These are conducive to allowing students to become self sufficient. As long as all of the assignments are complete, they can decide what form they will take, and even when they will submit them. On their journey to adulthood, high school students should be able to become more autonomous and motivated if their teachers allow them to be partners in their learning. One of the critical goals of education is to teach individuals how to learn, especially when they leave the confines of the classroom. Choice, which supports intrinsic motivation, is a major component of that goal.
