Making sense of student agency in the early grades

The development of agency is often described as critically important for all students. Countless school mission statements speak of the need to help young people become independent thinkers, for example. Colleges and universities expect high school graduates to be self-driven learners. And business leaders are forever calling upon K-12 education to prepare the next generation of problem-solvers and entrepreneurs. However, the precise meaning of agency remains elusive. The author suggests a conceptual framework to guide elementary-level teachers in this area.