Dude, What

Choice
Do I Have?
If we want to engage middle school students’ minds,
we must build choice into their day.
But no one says it’s easy.
Michael J. Vokoun and Terry Patrick Bigelow
© ABLEIMAGES/GETTY IMAGES

ombining our years of experience, we have been want to be here” radiated from her like Pigpen’s cloud of dust.

C teaching middle school students for 30 years. In

those years, we have lurched, with both false
starts and fortunate leaps, toward giving students
greater choice over what and how they learn. It
has always been an adventure, and we have seen students
move miles ahead in their learning. But offering choice to our
students did not come naturally or quickly. Our mistakes
She dumped herself into a desk in the back of the room,
slumped in her seat, and crossed her arms. That entire year, I
gauged my ability to reach students by Joyce’s reactions. Often
that reaction was only a grunt, sigh, or a flip of her hooded
sweatshirt over her head; rarely did she straighten up and listen.
After one class, I asked Joyce to give me her opinion of
W. W. Jacobs’s 1902 short story “The Monkey’s Paw”:
often allowed us to find our way to a practice that we believe MICHAEL: What did you think of the story?
is essential to students’ education.
JOYCE: It was lame.
Michael’s Early Fumblings MICHAEL: What made it lame?
As a new teacher, I knew enough to frequently check my JOYCE: What didn’t make it lame? Some dead white guy wrote a
middle school students for signs of engagement or rigor story about making stupid wishes and some shriveled up
mortis—but not how to use their thirst for autonomy to monkey’s hand.
enliven their learning. I still thought that I could do anything, MICHAEL: This is the curriculum. What do you propose I do
including use reason to bend the willfulness of a student. about it?
Joyce walked into my English 1 class with an attitude. “I don’t JOYCE: Dude, why would you ask me? It’s your class, not mine.

70 E D U C AT I O N A L L E A D E R S H I P / N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 8
 should I revisit my assignments,
assessments, and lessons and
find ways to engage students?
For the sake of my students,
what choice did I have?
In the following years, I loos-
ened up considerably about
using the prescribed stories in
class. Instead, I considered what
students were supposed to know
and understand according to the
standards and offered reading
choices that would match these
targets. The more choices I gave
learners—even if only a choice
between two suggestions—the
more engagement I saw.

Terry’s Early Stumblings

I wasn’t prepared then to lay out authentic choices that
might have made the class—and the learning experience—
Joyce’s as well as mine. I might have simply asked what stories
she would have preferred to discuss. Joyce rarely wanted to be
in my class because I had set myself up as the one with all the
answers. I had unwittingly made students powerless.
Students often sense that what they do in the classroom has
nothing to do with their real lives. They yearn for the time
when they can make their own choices. Alfie Kohn (1993)
has noted,
Let us ask what we know from research and experience in the
workplace about the cause of burnout. The best predictor, it turns
out, is not too much work, too little time, or too little compensa-
tion. Rather it is powerlessness—a lack of control over what one
is doing.1
By the end of that year, I was faced with a choice of my own.
Should I keep following the curriculum at hand and see the
same boredom Joyce exuded afflict students the next year—or
As a new 6th grade teacher, I
found I had to do more than
simply lay out attractive
options. It took a combination
of choice, persistence, and just
the right text to get a particu-
larly reluctant reader interested.
I created a classroom library
that ranged from picture books
to Stephen King and invited
students to choose their own
books and “read like real
readers.” They could choose a book that appealed to them
and read it on the floor, on a bean bag chair, or wherever they
fancied. If they didn’t like the book, they could select another.
Full of the arrogance of the new teacher, I was sure that
students would instantaneously love to read and write and
that this “real” reading would translate to better writing. I
would become famous throughout the land as “the man who
made kids love reading and writing.”
But many students had learned to hate reading over a long
period of time. It was going to take more than my collection
of 250 books to change this attitude.
Drew was a typical 11-year-old 6th grader. He loved sports
and his friends, was interested in girls, and hated reading.
I tried everything in my limited bag of new-teacher tricks.
I read passages from short, interesting texts out loud to the
class. I had students do book shares in which they talked up
a book they liked to the rest of the class. I had them write
book reviews on cards and pass them around to peers.

A S S O C I AT I O N FOR S U P E RV I S I O N AND CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT 71

None of this fazed Drew. reader with a friend to read
Every day or two, I showed something short on a high-
Drew a new book. I tried interest topic, such as an online
popular fiction and short biogra- article on skateboarding. Or I
phies of famous athletes. Drew might do a group activity called
wasn’t interested. As the year Book in an Hour, in which I
wore on, I began to give up. I sat assign a short book to a group
with Drew less and showed him and make each group member
fewer books. But when Why I’m responsible for reading a partic-
Afraid of Bees (part of the ular section of the text and
popular Goosebumps series by reporting on major events and
R. L. Stine) was released, I gave details in that section. This
it one last shot because these prevents a shaky reader from
books so often hook students feeling overwhelmed but holds
who dislike reading. The day that reader accountable and
after its release, I brought the gives him or her a sense of
book to class. accomplishment at getting
TERRY: So . . . This new book just through a long text.
came out. Lots of kids want it,
but I thought you might want to How to Make
read it first. Choice Happen
DREW: You’ve shown me those School leaders might think it
before. I didn’t like them. would be great to give students
TERRY: Ummm, yeah. I read the more control over what
first three chapters, and some happens in the classroom—but
crazy stuff happens in there. This then conclude that the
© SUSIE FITZHUGH
one might be different. curriculum (or the standards,
DREW: I don’t know, man. I told administration, and so on) isn’t
you, I don’t like reading. flexible enough to allow
students many options. We
Then, out of frustration, I proposed a Drew went on to consume a book a argue that, with creativity, teachers can
bargain. day, reading all the Goosebumps series come up with alternate learning experi-
TERRY: OK. If you’ll read the first three books and a couple from Stine’s Fear ences that give students more control
chapters of the book and talk with me Street series. yet also help each learner meet curric-
about them tomorrow, and you still don’t This deal-making strategy was risky. ular goals.
want to read anything for class, I won’t But it worked, I think, for two reasons: Offering student choice is complex,
bother you for the rest of the year about (1) because I held Drew accountable for however, when students need to master
reading.
reading at least three chapters of the certain content and skills. Although
DREW: You promise? No tricks? book and discussing those chapters with many students are ecstatic at having
TERRY: [wondering whether I was doing the me, and (2) because I also gave him the some say over how they complete a
right thing] Really. choice to refuse to read the book I was particular assignment, others take this
DREW: Deal! pushing. This ultimate choice was a key as an opportunity to do the bare
part of getting Drew to feel positive minimum. The latter students ask ques-
The next day Drew entered the class- about reading. It gave him an out but tions like, “How long does it have to be?
room and tossed the book on my desk. also got him to dig into a text he What does a final paper look like?” We
“You didn’t like it?” I asked, thinking I wouldn’t have tried on his own. answer such questions by asking, “What
had made another young-teacher As a more experienced teacher, I now do the directions say?” When the
mistake. realize I could have tried other choice- student says, “They don’t say exactly,”
“I think the ending was awesome! Do based strategies with Drew that might we reply, “Then you have a choice.”
you have any more of those Goose- have worked more quickly. In my Many students don’t like this answer.
bumps on the shelf right now?” classes now, I often pair a resistant They would rather be told what to do.

72 E D U C AT I O N A L L E A D E R S H I P / N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 8
In a classroom characterized by student
choice, students and teachers must both
be comfortable with the unknown.
Teachers must accept the possibility that
many learners will thrive with the
options that choice allows, but others
may give their least.
We have found that carefully phrasing
written directions for assignments is one
way to give students control over
learning while increasing the chance that
they will master required objectives.
Write out expectations in a way that
allows students who want to go above
and beyond enough latitude to do so,
while making sure those expectations
demand that—however students choose
to perform the assignment—each one
will master the basic objectives.
Another way to deal with a student
who aims to do the bare minimum is to
allow that student to study something
different from the rest of the class. There
is plenty of curriculum to go around,
and we have all seen certain students
light up when they finally get to a
content area or skill that they can just
plain enjoy. When we can afford to
practice such extreme differentiation, it’s
worth it.
In the end, we must hope that
students who consistently give the
minimum will eventually see the possi-
bilities that choice offers and will, even
once, move out of their comfort zone.
Terry’s Holocaust Tile Wall
Several years ago, I wanted my students
to do a brief project that would combine
what they had learned about the Holo-
caust with our study of symbolism. I
took the risk of asking students what
kind of group project we should do.
That risk paid off, but it took some
negotiating.
“Mr. Biggs! We could create a Holo-
caust museum here at school,” Anthony
immediately cried. “Everyone could
create a different piece of art, and we
could have parents come see all the stuff
we learned.”
“He said brief, man,” retorted Kim.
“We need something smaller, but still
good.”
“Why don’t we make a tile wall like at
the Florida Holocaust Museum?” Liz
proposed. “Each year your classes could
add more tiles to it.”
“Yeah!” approved a handful of voices.
“Wait,” I interrupted. “First, this can’t
cost a fortune, and second, I doubt we’ll
be allowed to put anything on the walls
permanently. But I like the idea. We
could each do a design on paper the size
Offering student
choice is complex
when students need
to master certain
content and skills.
of a ceramic tile. That should create a
powerful visual. Let’s talk about details
tomorrow.”
Together we planned the project and
a simple assessment that judged student
work on use of color, neatness, effective-
ness of the message conveyed through
symbolism, and adherence to deadlines.
I also required students to write a brief
explanation of how the symbols on their
“tile” represented what they had learned
during the Holocaust unit. Although
they originally resisted the writing
component, that component tied the
assignment together.
I often give students some control
over designing a project but reserve the
right to step in if I see some key ingre-
dient lacking. However, I don’t open up
every project like this. For some assign-
ments, I keep almost complete control;
for others, I give students as much
choice as possible.
The tile wall was a success. Every
A S S O C I AT I O N FOR
year since, I describe this project to
students after our Holocaust unit and
give them the option of doing a tile wall
or something completely different.
Although the project differs slightly each
time, every year students choose to do a
tile wall. The students who first devel-
oped this assignment knew what they
were doing.
Michael’s Cultural
Awareness Night
In my classroom, choice has helped
students create amazing products
because it allows students freedom of
expression and the chance to explore
unusual topics that mean something to
them. The enormity of possibilities has
also at times frozen a student’s thinking.
One project my students engage in
involves so many options that I have to
support students carefully.
My curriculum gives me the opportu-
nity to foster multiculturalism in my
classroom. I have tried different
approaches, including classroom novels
and literature circles, but have settled
on an approach that leads to a final
student presentation we call Cultural
Awareness Night.
Students choose and read two books,
each illustrating a culture that is
different from the student’s own. For
example, Robert chose Montmorency:
Thief, Liar, Gentleman by Eleanor Updale
(about a Victorian convict turned
gentleman) and The Kite Rider by Geral-
dine McCaughrean (about 12-year-old
Haoyou’s adventures in 13th-century
China). Both cultures were far removed
from Robert’s upper-middle-class life in
Florida.
After reading his or her book, each
student discusses with the class similari-
ties and differences among the two
cultures in their texts and the student’s
home culture. Students create a trifold
presentation board to accompany their
talk. I require them to present solid
information and to show poise, voice
projection, and enunciation.
S U P E RV I S I O N AND CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT 73
 After these initial presentations, I
show students a PowerPoint presenta-
tion titled “Did You Know?” created by
Karl Fisch, director of technology at
Arapahoe High School in Centennial,
Colorado (available at http://thefisch
bowl.blogspot.com/2007/06/did-you-
know-20.html). This presentation gives
statistics on changes in world demo-
graphics, economic trends, globaliza-
tion, and young people’s media use and
online networking—and asks
what skills will be needed for
success in the 21st century. I
urge students to question
what they should focus on as
learners to succeed in the
future and ask them the
following question: “No
matter what technological
advances take place, what
virtues inherent in the
cultures you studied are
likely to endure?”
Students have free rein in
how they present this infor-
mation, but they must choose
one virtue for each culture,
give a three-minute presentation on
these virtues, and present their learning
to their parents as part of Cultural
Awareness Night.
For many kids, this process was far
from smooth. Students had trouble
choosing books. So I brought in many
books and directed students to skim
those that appealed to them, looking for
one that described any culture different
from theirs, even a culture within the
United States. Many needed further
direction; we had class conversations
about what culture means and what
factors—such as economic level and
religion—make cultures different from
one another. A few students found the
concept of virtues too abstract. They
had a hard time wrestling with such
abstractions as morality, ethics, and
principles, and it was hard for some to
pinpoint virtues within their home
culture. I put together a list of 40
74 E D U C AT I O N A L L E A D E R S H I P / N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 8
common virtues and their definitions
and reviewed it with the class. The
process forced them to think outside
their own lives and consider not only
what might be important to them but
also what might be important to the
world in the future.
All this work wrestling with books,
culture, virtues, and how to distill hefty
information into a three-minute presen-
tation pays off on Cultural Awareness
Night. I show parents “Did You Know?”
and students do the rest. Many students
focus their virtues on a specific job they
hope to attain and speak eloquently
about how virtues connected to cultures
they studied are likely to affect their
goals. Some students just bring out their
trifold board again and add a discussion
of virtues, but others surprise me with
their creativity.
For example, Jenn created a Power-
Point presentation with images repre-
senting the values of the cultures she
had studied and her goal of becoming a
teacher. She discussed what she’d
learned from reading Chinese Cinderella
by Adeline Yen Mah (about an often-
forgotten stepdaughter) and Farewell to
Manzanar by Jeanne Wakatsuki
Houston and James D. Houston (a true
story of Japanese internment during
World War II). She also described her
family culture, which blends Christian
and Jewish values. Jenn focused on the
virtues of honor, helpfulness, and
caring, connecting these virtues to what
she called her “pledge of service to
others” as a future teacher.
Cultural Awareness Nights are often
magical. As a follow-up, I require
students to reflect on the steps they took
to gain the knowledge they shared that
night and to talk with their parents and
seek their feedback. I frequently get
letters from parents the
following week expressing
appreciation for the opportu-
nity to learn something new
about their child. Personally,
I find out more about my
students’ aspirations and
characters through this project
than through any other
assignment.
Worth the Work
Providing students a say in
© STEFANIE FELIX
what happens to them as
learners is hard work, espe-
cially if teachers face curricu-
lums that require a prescribed
course of study or rigid scripts. How
central an individual teacher wants to
make student choice in his or her class-
room comes down to the comfort level
of that teacher. But one axiom is true:
The more alternatives we give students
for participating in their own learning,
the more engaged they become. EL
1Kohn, A. (1998). Choices for children:
Why and how to let students decide. Phi
Beta Kappan, 75(1), 8–19.
Michael J. Vokoun teaches English at
Independent Day School–Corbett
Campus in Tampa, Florida; mvokoun
@idsyes.com. Terry Patrick Bigelow
teaches English at Sam Rampello Down-
town Partnership School in Tampa,
Florida; Terry.Bigelow@sdhc.k12.fl.us.
They are coauthors of What Choice Do I
Have? Reading, Writing, and Speaking
Activities to Empower Students (Heine-
mann, 2005).