Are you tired of disengaged students? Do you want to reignite their passion for learning? Are you worried that they are not developing the leadership skills they need to reach their full potential? You are not alone and are probably wondering how to empower students in the classroom. But you are fighting a multi-front war against time, limited resources, and endless distractions. 

But don’t give up! Reinforcements are on the way. At the Congressional Medal of Honor Society (CMOHS), we offer the PATH TO HONOR, an innovative student platform that engages students, builds character, and forges the heroes of tomorrow. Still, there are strategies you must adopt if you want to empower your class. Here are 4 strategies to empower your students:

• Promote Learner Autonomy
• Encourage Collaborative Learning
• Provide a Space for Sharing Ideas
• Emphasized Student-Centered Learning

How to Empower Students in the Classroom

Empowering your students to reach their full potential requires putting yourself in the sandbox. What would make you more engaged and strive for success if you were in their shoes? Here is how to empower students in the classroom and how PATH TO HONOR can help in all areas. 

Promote Learner Autonomy 

Developing learner autonomy is essential to empower your students to succeed in and outside the classroom. Give your students choices and options for assignments, projects, and learning activities to foster a sense of ownership. 

Giving your students decision-making power will create a more engaged classroom where they will be inspired to succeed. 

You should also encourage self-directed learning and independent study by assigning self-guided projects and assignments. By teaching themselves, your students will build crucial character and learn to be self-sufficient and independent leaders. 

Another component is the difference between passive and active learning. Give your students the opportunity to create, whether it’s through discussion or a project. You want to make your students the creators in the classroom instead of just being the consumers. 

Encourage Collaborative Learning

Collaborative learning is also a crucial component of understanding how to empower students. Give your students the opportunity to work together on tasks and facilitate these group activities. Providing group projects is one great way to achieve this.

However, one of the best ways to empower your students through collaborative learning is by providing peer-to-peer learning opportunities. Give your students the chance to teach and learn from each other. These lessons help students build strong interpersonal skills, learn communication skills, learn how to resolve conflict, and more. 

Don’t forget to model this behavior, too! Whether with another teacher or with students themselves, it will reinforce that this is a part of your classroom culture. 

Provide a Space for Sharing Ideas

It is also important to create a safe space for expression, as that is at the heart of power. Encourage students to share their ideas and perspectives without fear of judgment, provide opportunities for presentations, and give constructive feedback on presentations. 

Brainstorming is another great way to share ideas that could help determine how to empower students. Create a classroom environment that makes students comfortable sharing their ideas without fear and bouncing ideas off of each other because it can be intimidating.  

By helping students map and generate ideas, you will encourage creativity and innovation to create out-of-the-box ideas and solutions. Give them projects that allow them to debate as they see different dimensions of problems to help them come to a solution or mutual understanding. 

This skill will help them succeed well beyond the classroom. 

Emphasize Student-Centered Learning

To empower your students, you have to give them power. So, it is critical to emphasize student-centered learning. For your students to feel inspired to strive for excellence, they need to feel like they are valuable contributors to the class beyond discussions and assignments. 

Involve them in the decision-making processes to contribute rules, policies, and procedures, and give them a chance to learn how to navigate these things justly. You should also encourage your students to be leaders in and outside the classroom with group projects and assignments. 

Utilize different learning styles to accommodate all types of learners, provide opportunities for self-assessment, and incorporate real-world examples and opportunities to connect meaningfully with the material. 

Still, understanding how to empower students is one thing, but finding the resources is another. Luckily, PATH TO HONOR has 18 weeks’ worth of FREE interactive video lessons that can help!

How to Empower Students with PATH TO HONOR

If you are wondering what tools are available to add to your arsenal in your campaign to empower your students, PATH TO HONOR can help you in all areas by building essential character and turning your students into leaders inside and outside of the classroom. 

PATH TO HONOR is a FREE, self-guided student portal that is easily accessible from any device with Wi-Fi, making it a great classroom or take-home assignment. These assignments revolve around instilling the core values that define our nation’s true heroes – Medal of Honor Recipients.

Each value (courage, sacrifice, patriotism, citizenship, integrity, and commitment) has 3 video lessons, rendering this Student Portal a set of 18 ready-made history lessons created by teachers for teachers. Through first-hand accounts from recipients themselves, students will witness awe-inspiring acts of valor and reflect on what they would do in those situations.

Learner autonomy? You bet! PATH TO HONOR is self-guided, so students develop learner autonomy as they choose which video lessons they want to work through, and they will have the opportunity to be creators as they discuss their thoughts and ideas in class. They will also develop a strong moral compass and justice.

Collaborative learning? Definitely! PATH TO HONOR is adaptable, and you can use it as an individual or collaborative learning tool. By pairing students or creating groups, you can ask them to collaborate, share their ideas, and come to a solution, among other exercises. You will also have the opportunity to collaborate as you add ideas. 

 Student-centered learning? That’s what PATH TO HONOR is all about! With PATH TO HONOR, your students will have the power to choose the lessons they want to accomplish, the power to think deeply and create an original response, and the power to share their ideas. 

Most importantly, however, they will have the power to be the leaders our country and nation need! 

Before your students experience these video lessons, they may be full of self-doubt or unsure of their abilities. By the time they complete them, they will have the confidence and integrity to carry our country forward and take care of their communities. 

Related Article: Why Is History Important for Students? The Foundation for Future Leaders

Now You Know How to Empower Students in the Classroom. Register for PATH TO HONOR Today.

If you are wondering how to empower students in the classroom and on the hunt for a great resource, PATH TO HONOR can help. This student portal is FREE, easy to use, engaging, and adaptable. Give your students the power to realize their full potential and succeed in life, not just in the classroom. Register for PATH TO HONOR to inspire your students to strive for greatness.