What if giving students more voice didn't mean giving up the curriculum—but actually helped them go deeper into it?

In this episode of The Student-Centered Shift, I explore the shift from teacher-designed to co-designed learning through the story of Linda, a teacher who handed some of her most dreaded curriculum standards over to her students. Instead of deciding everything herself, she invited students to help determine what they wanted to explore—and watched engagemement, academic outcomes and required curriculum come to life through their interests, choices, and ideas.

We explore:

• How to give students meaningful voice and choice while still meeting required curriculum standards

• Simple ways to invite students into decisions around topics, assessment, and how they share their learning

• Why co-design doesn't mean giving up structure or handing over complete control

• How sharing some of the design can build greater student agency, ownership, and motivation

If you're ready to move beyond simply giving students choices and start giving them a genuine role in designing their learning, this episode will show you a simple place to start.

Join the Co-Design Master Class on the last Tuesday in October - -> www.transformschool.com/12shiftsmasterclass

Want to give students more ownership of their learning, but worry that letting go of control could mean sacrificing rigor, curriculum coverage, or academic expectations?

In this episode of The Student-Centered Shift, I sit down with inquiry expert Trevor MacKenzie to unpack one of the biggest misconceptions about student-led inquiry: that giving students more agency means giving up structure. Instead, Trevor shows how inquiry can be built gradually, with teachers intentionally releasing responsibility as students become more capable of owning their learning.

We explore:

• How to move from structured to guided and free inquiry without throwing students into the deep end
• Simple routines that get students questioning, moving, collaborating, and making their thinking visible
• Why knowing your curriculum deeply can actually create more freedom for student inquiry
• How small shifts in control can build greater independence, curiosity, and ownership over time

If you're ready to build more student agency without sacrificing meaningful, rigorous learning, this conversation will give you practical ways to start.

Get Trevor's Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1945167149

Join the Leading Student Agency Workshop September 30th: https://schoolleadermasterclass.aplusactivelearning.com/

Trevor's Bio: Trevor MacKenzie is an experienced educator from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. His research, consultancy, and authorship have reached all parts of the world as he works with schools, districts, organizations, and ministries/departments of education in a variety of contexts. Policy advising, curriculum development, professional development, and systems change are Trevor's areas of expertise. His four publications are globally recognized as "must reads" in the inquiry-based school of thinking. He is a highly regarded speaker known for his heartfelt storytelling, kind demeanour, and person-first philosophy.

Trevor's graduate research focused on identifying and removing the barriers to implementing inquiry-based learning in the K-12 setting. He has four publications: Dive into Inquiry; Inquiry Mindset Elementary Edition; Inquiry Mindset Assessment Edition; and Inquiry Mindset Questions Editions Edition, all published by Elevate Books Edu. He has vast experience supporting schools across several years in implementation strategies in public schools, international schools, and International Baccalaureate programmes (PYP/MYP/DP).

Want students to lead more of the discussion, but find the same voices dominating while others stay silent—or the conversation quickly goes off track?

In this episode of The Student-Centered Shift, I share a simple strategy I recently saw in action at ISKL in Malaysia: Six Thinking Hats. By giving students different lenses for questioning, challenging ideas, exploring possibilities, and using evidence, we can create the structure they need to take greater ownership of the conversation—and build genuine student agency.

We explore:

• How Six Thinking Hats can turn student-led discussions into deeper, more balanced conversations
• How to use the strategy for project-based learning, ideation, peer feedback, problem-solving, and reflection
• Why giving students different thinking roles can move them beyond simply sharing opinions
• How simple protocols can help you step back as the facilitator while students take greater ownership of their learning

If you're looking for a simple way to build student agency and create more active, student-centered learning, grab six colors and give this strategy a try.

WANT TO DIVE DEEPER?

Sign Up For the $39 USD Student Agency Leadership MasterClasses (September 30th and October 14th 7-8:30 pm): https://schoolleadermasterclass.aplusactivelearning.com/