The Power of Choice: Why Agency Matters in Girls’ Learning

When we redesigned our Upper School curriculum, one of the guiding tenets was ensuring that every student has meaningful choice in her learning. We wanted to develop a program that empowers girls to not only master knowledge but to take ownership of their educational journey, to explore what excites them, to challenge themselves in new ways, and to make decisions that reflect who they are and who they hope to become.  

Too often, we think of learning primarily in terms of what is taught: the content, the curriculum, the level of rigor. However, research reminds us that how students learn, the choices they make, the autonomy they feel, and the ownership they take are just as essential. When students are trusted with real choice, they do more than engage deeply; they begin to see themselves as capable and curious learners whose voices and ideas matter.  

For girls in particular, these opportunities for choice can be transformative, sparking confidence, resilience, and the courage to take intellectual risks.  

Psychologists Edward Deci and Richard Ryan, through their Self-Determination Theory, identified three essential human needs that fuel motivation: autonomy, competence, and connection. When these needs are met, learners are not just compliant, they are deeply engaged. Autonomy, or the ability to make meaningful choices, is the cornerstone of this engagement.  

A 2023 meta-analysis published in Learning and Instruction examined more than 300 studies involving over 140,000 students and found that when teachers and parents support student autonomy, students demonstrate higher motivation, stronger academic performance, and greater overall well-being. In other words, when learners feel ownership over their education, they are more likely to persist, take risks, and experience the satisfaction that comes from genuine mastery. 

Girls often enter adolescence at the very moment when confidence begins to dip. They may internalize the idea that success depends on perfection or fear that taking risks could lead to failure or embarrassment. Giving girls real choice helps counter these cultural and developmental pressures. When girls can choose how they learn, what they pursue, and where they take risks, they begin to see themselves as capable agents of their own growth. Research has consistently shown that girls’ intrinsic motivation and self-regulation grow stronger in environments that provide meaningful choice and a supportive learning environment. Studies across diverse settings (Zach et al., 2016; Stefanou et al., 2004; Patall et al., 2008) suggest that when students, especially girls, are given authentic options within caring, well-scaffolded contexts, they engage more deeply, persist longer, and develop greater confidence in their own abilities.  

And for girls, who are often socially conditioned to seek approval or avoid mistakes, this practice matters profoundly. When they are trusted to make decisions about their learning, they internalize an equally powerful message: your voice, your ideas, and your curiosity matter here.  

At Forest Ridge, we designed our Upper School program around the belief that girls thrive when they have both structure and choice. Our signature programs are designed to put choice at the heart of learning. Through the Advanced Integrated Seminar (AIS), seniors pursue interdisciplinary research that allows them to investigate complex, real-world questions that spark their curiosity. The Endorsement Pathways invite students to personalize their academic journey around an area of passion, STEM to Global Citizenship to the Arts, selecting advanced coursework, independent projects, and experiential opportunities that reflect their goals. And during Immersive Week, students step beyond the traditional classroom to choose hands-on experiences that challenge them to explore new environments, ideas, and perspectives. Together, these programs embody what educational research affirms: when students, especially girls, have meaningful choice within a supportive structure, they develop deeper motivation, stronger self-regulation, and the confidence to lead their own learning.  

We believe so deeply in the importance of student choice that we redesigned not only what we teach, but how we spend our day. Our MOD schedule was built in part to give students greater flexibility in shaping their academic experience, allowing them to design a course load that reflects both their passions and their ambitions. This innovative schedule has expanded what’s possible for a small school: it enables us to offer a wider range of classes than ever before, giving each student the opportunity to select 14–16 electives over the course of her Upper School journey. Because the schedule allows for variety and adaptability, we regularly ask our students what courses they wish existed, and then, we make those courses a reality. The result is a program where girls don’t just fit into a curriculum; they help create it.