College of Education
Self-Determination - Elementary
Choice Making for Elementary Students is a US Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs funded project designed to increase students' success in school by teaching self-determination skills and involving students in the educational process. At the beginning of the project we identified self-determination skills important to teach elementary students by completing a review of the literature and conducting focus groups. We then divided these skills into two lesson strands
1. Choosing and Reaching Goals lessons
2. Student-Directed School Conferences lessons.
Though the focus is students with disabilities, the lessons are written for use in general education classrooms for the benefit of all students.
Critical Topics to Teach in Elementary Schools
-
Responsibility
-
Academics
-
Respecting Others
-
Social Skills
-
Good Behavior
-
Self Esteem/Efficacy
-
Choice Making
-
Organization
-
Self-Advocacy
-
Goal Setting & Attainment
-
Education Participation
-
Self-Evaluate & Adjust
-
Safety & Health
-
Self-Awareness