I’m the Kind of Kid Who . . .: Invitations That Support Learner Identity and Agency

by Debbie Miller, Emily Callahan

"I'm the kind of kid who builds things," reflects seven-year-old Jude. "I'm a builder, a doer, a maker of things." How does Jude possess such a clear sense of self at this tender age? And what viable actions might teachers take to awaken, nurture, and develop learner identity and a sense of agency that lives within Jude and every child? Debbie Miller and Emily Callahan believe that it all begins with choice. In "I'm the kind of kid who...," they provide a framework for introducing choice making in small, medium, and large ways through "invitations" that ask children to Debbie and Emily use a predictable structure to describe each invitation from beginning to end, offering practical suggestions for how to fit invitations within the day and across the year. "There are no magical programs to call upon to develop learner identity and agency" write Debbie and Emily, "because the truth is, children and their teachers don't need them! What kids really need are invitations from their teachers to discover themselves for themselves, invitations that encourage them to find out even more about who they are, how they learn and what they need to thrive."

Genres: Education

168 pages, Paperback

Published April 25, 2022

Reviews

[Nova · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a delightful book! "I'm the Kind of Kid Who" invites teachers to envision a classroom where students have the freedom of choice. This book feels like Callahan has invited us into her classroom to be a fly on the wall - watching students make choices and explaining the "why" behind their choices. I enjoy that the book takes us all the way through the learning process - from the invitation (or lesson), to the student work, and at the end Callahan shows us her conferring notes. When I sat down to read this book, I intended on skimming....but before I knew it, I had read every word. I'm The Kind of Kid Who is the perfect Summer Reading book for teachers. It's an easy read and will leave you eager to try something new in your classroom.

[Emily D’Orazio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every elementsry teacher should read this!! Amazing ideas for student agency.

[Mandy Robek · Rating 5 out of 5]

True Debbie Miller form; nurturing, guiding, and soothing. Great ideas for empowering students with choice and agency. Emily's examples are inspiring.