Challenging Norms: Shifting from a Teacher-Led to a Student-Led Schooling Environment
- Greg Mullen
- May 6
- 10 min read
Imagine a classroom where students don’t just passively receive knowledge from their teacher but actively engage in shaping their own learning. In this environment, students are not merely following directions—they make choices, set goals, and feel responsible for their progress. While teachers still provide guidance, they are no longer the sole decision-makers. Instead, they act as facilitators, supporting students as they learn what it means to have authority and responsibility over what, when, how, and why learning happens.
This approach doesn't simply let kids "do whatever they want", nor is it about students having to learn complex ideas on their own without support. Quite the contrary! It is about providing them the opportunity and environment to take responsibility for their growth.
In a teacher-led classroom, explicit teaching, structured routines, and observable success criteria guide student progress. Teachers model desired behaviors, set clear expectations, and maintain a predictable structure, ensuring that all students understand the learning objectives and know how to meet them. The focus on achievement and continuous assessment reinforces high standards, but it is also limited to teacher-directed content and expectations.
However, by shifting toward a more self-directed model, we can encourage the same level of accountability while giving students more agency. When students are in charge of their learning, they become more engaged, motivated, and invested in their success. Instead of simply following the teacher’s lead, they begin to develop critical thinking skills, learn to solve problems independently, and build confidence in their ability to navigate challenges.
Research has shown that when students have a say in their learning, they are more likely to retain information, develop a love for learning, and feel a sense of ownership over their educational journey (Yurdal & Toraman, 2023; Nalongo, 2024; Weimer, 2014). This shift doesn’t just benefit students in the classroom—it prepares them for the real world, where adaptability, collaboration, and self-direction are key to success.
Using the Mullen Bioecological Model, we can rethink how we approach decision-making, classroom relationships, and the skills we want students to develop. This model highlights the importance of shared decision-making, collaborative power dynamics, and a focus on self-regulation—skills that extend beyond the classroom and are crucial for future success.
In this article, we’ll explore how traditional practices—such as explicit teaching, structured environments, and teacher-centered instruction—can evolve into a student-led learning space where students take ownership of their education.
As you explore the actionable strategies below, consider the objective differences between the culture of a teacher-led and student-led classroom.
The Mullen Bioecological Model for Who We Are and How We Learn
Aspect | Teacher-Led | Student-Led |
|---|---|---|
Culture (e.g. Decision-Making, Structural Relationships, Philosophy) | Decision-Making: Centralized/Autocratic; Group-Focused. Structural Relationships: Structured/Systemic; Guided Action. Philosophy: Pedagogical Behaviorism; Knowledge Acquisition | Decision-Making: Decentralized/Autonomous;Individual-Focused. Structural Relationships: Independent/Connective; Shared Direction. Philosophy: Heutagogical Constructivism; Personal Development |
Core Values (e.g. Respect, Responsibility, Integrity) | Respect: Recognition of Position; External Authority. Responsibility: External Control; Community-Focused. Integrity: Unity in Beliefs; Ends Justify the Means. | Respect: Recognition of Worth; Self-Authority Responsibility: Internal Control; Individual-Focused. Integrity: Diversity of Belief; Means Define the Ends. |
Socioemotional Competencies (e.g. Self-Efficacy, Interpersonal Skills, Conflict Resolution) | Self-Efficacy: External validation through praise and meeting externally set goals. Interpersonal Skills: Compliance in interaction with peers and authority. Conflict Resolution: Conflicts are generally mediated externally via authority figures. | Self-Efficacy: Internal validation through goal setting and feedback and reflection cycles. Interpersonal Skills: collaborative settings promote respectful empathy Conflict Resolution: understanding emotions, listening to others, and collaborative solutions |
1. Explicit Teaching
Traditional Teacher-Led Culture:
In traditional classrooms, explicit teaching is a core practice where teachers provide clear, structured guidance, model desired behaviors, and ensure that students understand the learning objectives. The teacher leads the lesson, directs the pace of learning, and determines when and how content is delivered. This approach centers on the teacher as the primary source of knowledge, with students expected to follow instructions and absorb the information provided.
Reframed for Student-Led Culture:
In a student-led classroom, explicit teaching is available on demand, not the default. Students take ownership of their learning by setting their own goals and identifying when they need further guidance to meet those goals. If a student or group of students determines that they need additional support, they can request explicit instruction. This might come from the teacher, an online resource like a video, or an external expert. Teachers provide the resources and expertise, but students take the lead in deciding when and how they need help, learning how they each might need different help, and fostering self-regulation, empathy, and collaborative problem-solving.
Reality Check:
This shift requires students to develop the self-awareness to recognize when they need additional help and how to ask for it, which can be a challenge for those accustomed to receiving information on the teacher's schedule. Some students may hesitate to ask for explicit instruction, either out of fear of looking unprepared or due to a lack of confidence in their ability to identify gaps in their knowledge. However, in this setting, teachers are better positioned to observe these kinds of hesitations in students and offer feedback and support specific to those students. By encouragng a culture of open inquiry by normalizing requests for help, and providing opportunities for students to practice peer-based reflection and self-assessment, students learn how to seek help proactively, fostering greater autonomy and responsibility for their learning.
2. Observable Success Criteria
Traditional Teacher-Led Culture:
In a traditional classroom, observable success criteria are defined by the teacher, often based on standardized assessments or specific academic benchmarks. These criteria are used to measure students' progress and determine whether they have mastered the content. Teachers present these success criteria clearly at the outset of each lesson, and students are expected to meet these standards in order to demonstrate proficiency.
Reframed for Student-Led Culture:
In a student-led classroom, observable success criteria are co-created by both the teacher and the students. Students play an active role in determining the criteria for their own success, which allows them to reflect on their personal growth and learning goals. Teachers can assist in guiding students through this process, helping them understand how their criteria align with larger learning outcomes, encouraging student reflection by highlighting the larger district academic requirements for an accreddited diploma, but with an emphasis on personalized achievement and individualized learning progress. Students also revisit and adjust these criteria as they learn, based on their own evolving goals.
Reality Check:
While this shift encourages student ownership and self-assessment, it can be difficult for students who are used to the clarity and certainty of externally imposed success criteria. Some students may struggle to define what success looks like for them, especially when it is not tied to a traditional grading scale. Some may also be concerned that students will collectively argue for less rigorous criteria.
To mitigate this challenge, it is important for teachers and shool leaders to recognize that students used to external criteria will need to be introduced to these ideas with structured scaffolding to develop capacities for self-reflection and peer feedback sessions to help students to reflect on their larger goals for school and refine their understanding of long-term success. Over time, this encourages students to become more adept at defining and tracking their own goals in an interdependent learning environment such as a classroom.
3. Structured Learning Environment
Traditional Teacher-Led Culture:
A structured learning environment in traditional classrooms involves clear routines, rules, and procedures that are followed consistently. Teachers control the pacing, and activities are generally pre-planned with little deviation. This structure aims to create predictability and maintain order, ensuring that students know what to expect throughout the learning process. It helps students focus on the teacher's instructions and prepares them to meet the established expectations.
Reframed for Student-Led Culture:
In a student-led classroom, the structure of the environment still exists but is more flexible. Routines and procedures are co-created by the students, respecting all voices in how the classroom operates. Students may choose to engage in group discussions, collaborative decision-making, and contribute to shaping classroom activities. They may also choose to work in silos, often at the initial introduction of this shift, as students learn what it means to take ownership of their shared learning environment, adjusting to suit not just their learning preferences and areas of interest but also their peers. Teachers facilitate this process by providing guidance as an experienced learner who may have ideas to offer in helping shape the classroom culture.
Reality Check:
While this flexibility promotes student autonomy, it may cause discomfort for students who are used to the presumed safety a rigid, teacher-directed classroom structure. It may take time for students to adjust to this greater level of freedom and self-regulation. To mitigate this, teachers can start by maintaining key routines (e.g., morning meetings, collaborative group work) while giving students more decision-making power in how those routines unfold over time. Providing clear guidelines for student-driven learning helps ensure that flexibility doesn't lead to confusion or disengagement.
4. Teacher-Centered Instruction
Traditional Teacher-Led Culture:
In a teacher-centered classroom, the teacher takes the lead in delivering content, directing classroom activities, and managing student behavior. Students primarily receive information from the teacher, and instruction is often lecture-based, with students passively absorbing the content. Teachers assess students' understanding through standardized tests, assignments, and observations, often setting the pace and determining the scope of learning.
Reframed for Student-Led Culture:
In a student-led classroom, instruction becomes more interactive and collaborative, with students taking the lead in guiding their own learning. Schools may choose to retain their academic requirements for an accredited diploma, but students may choose their pathway for achieving mastery of a school's district requirements. This means teachers serve more as facilitators, providing support, resources, and direct instruction when necessary, leaving the students with the responsibility for determining, questioning, and applying knowledge. In this way, learning can be project-based, or inquiry-based, and promotes Universal Design Learning principles, where students tackle real-world problems and collaborate with peers in ways that helps make learning accessible to each student. This approach also encourages students to develop critical thinking, creativity, and independent learning.
Reality Check:
Transitioning from a teacher-centered to a student-centered classroom requires a shift in both teaching and learning behaviors. Students who are used to a passive learner role may struggle to engage in active learning and may feel uncomfortable with the responsibility. To mitigate this challenge, teachers may choose to incorporating small projects and guided discovery, allowing students to ease into more active roles. Over time, teachers can encourage individual students, or groups of students, to explore beyond the pace of their teaching plan. This creates a model from which other students can observe and mimic moving at their own pace through collaborative learning practices, relying less on collaborative teaching practices, slowly reducing the class size for the teacher and shifting to a completely student-led learning environment as each student engages willingly.
5. Focus on Student Achievement
Traditional Teacher-Led Culture:
In the traditional classroom, the primary focus is on student achievement, often defined through external benchmarks, grades, and standardized tests. Teachers set the standards for success, and students are evaluated based on their ability to meet these pre-established criteria. The aim is to ensure that all students meet the same academic standards and demonstrate proficiency in the required content.
Reframed for Student-Led Culture:
In a student-led classroom, the focus shifts from external achievement to personal growth. Academic standards still exist! However, success is measured by individual progress, towards proficiency, using learning milestones to promote student capacities for goal-setting and self-reflection. In this setting, students learn how they prefer to set their own goals, track their progress, and evaluate their achievements not just by comparing themselves to standardized benchmarks but through awareness of the ups-and-downs in the learning process and recognizing the impact different learning strategies have on how they may want to achieve their learning goals. The teacher's role is to encourage intrinsic motivation, supporting students in finding personal connections to the material and fostering a growth mindset (a long-term process).
Reality Check:
Shifting from achievement-based to growth-based evaluation can be challenging for teachers, students, and parents accustomed to grades and test scores as measures of success. Students may feel unsure about how to track their progress without external validation, and teachers may worry about maintaining standards. However, this shift provides a unique opportunity to foster intrinsic motivation, long-term growth, and a deeper connection to learning.
To ease this transition, teachers can focus on process over product to develop in students the necessary self-awareness and resilience while gaining confidence in their ability to manage their own learning. Visual Progress Charts allow students to visually track their growth in various areas over time. Peer Feedback is less intimidating than teacher feedback and encourages collaboration and mutual support, fostering interpersonal skills and helps students see their learning from different perspectives. Weekly Check-ins allow teachers to coach students and rate their confidence in understanding certain topics or skills related to learning strategies, noting areas where they may benefit from direct instruction or peer support. This approach encourages lifelong learning and prepares students for the real-world challenges where growth is often non-linear, and success is measured by personal improvement, not just external benchmarks.
The Goal of a Self-Directed Learning Environment
Traditional schooling models often aim to develop students who are independent thinkers, self-motivated learners, and collaborative problem-solvers. However, the very teacher-led practices that shape these environments often hinder students from fully realizing these goals. In classrooms where teachers set all goals, control the pace of learning, and determine the content, students are conditioned to rely on external validation rather than cultivating their own intrinsic motivation. While students may master content, they often lack the self-regulation, critical thinking, and self-efficacy needed to thrive in real-world, unpredictable scenarios. Essentially, traditional teacher-led approaches may inadvertently stifle the very qualities they are trying to foster.
On the other hand, a self-directed learning model provides the space for these qualities to flourish. By giving students control over their learning decisions—setting goals, reflecting on their progress, and engaging in collaborative problem-solving—we align the learning environment with the very competencies we seek to cultivate. However, this shift isn’t just about changing the student’s role in the classroom; it requires a transformation in the role of the teacher. Teachers must become facilitators who guide and support, rather than dictate and direct. This requires teachers to embrace a new mindset—one that values autonomy, collaboration, and empowerment as essential to the learning process.
To make this shift successful, it’s critical to acknowledge that culture, values, and socioemotional competencies must be addressed at all levels of a school and district. Schools need to foster a culture of respect and responsibility, where students are trusted and encouraged to take risks and learn from failure without constant punishments. Districts must adopt policies that support flexibility, giving teachers the tools to facilitate a more student-centered environment. At the same time, the core values of respect, responsibility, and integrity must be redefined to align with self-directed learning, where respect for autonomy and responsibility for self-guided growth are central. Finally, socioemotional competencies—like self-efficacy, interpersonal skills, and conflict resolution—must be woven into the fabric of the learning experience, ensuring that students not only become independent learners but also develop the emotional intelligence necessary to succeed in collaborative, real-world settings.
For these transformational shifts to take root, it’s essential for teachers, administrators, and policymakers to work together. To create an environment where students are empowered to drive their own learning, teachers must be supported in facilitating this process with the explicit goal of developing independent, self-motivated, and collaborative students that traditional models aim for—students who are equipped to succeed not just academically, but in all areas of life.
Greg Mullen
April 6, 2025
References
Nalongo, R.B. (2024). The Impact of Student-Led Learning: Empowering
Students to Take Charge of their Education. Eurasian Experiment Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 5(2), 48-51.
Weimer, M. (2014). Self-Directed Learning: Antecedents and Outcomes. The Teaching Professor, 28(6), 3
Yurdal, M. O., & Toraman, Ç. (2023). Self-Directed Learning, Academic Achievement and Motivation: A Meta-Analytical Study. Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 69(2), 233-. https://doi.org/10.11575/ajer.v69i2.75098
