Project-based learning, reading partners, rubrics, choice boards and menus, and having students act as teachers are 5 ways to give teens more voice and choice in the classroom. These approaches allow students to take ownership of their learning, provide guidance and parameters without limiting creativity, offer differentiated options that cater to different learning styles, and assess students' understanding by having them teach concepts to others.

1. 5 Ways to Give Teens a Voice/Choice in the Classroom
1. Project-Based Learning: In project based learning tasks students generally
work in small, collaborative groups. They find sources, conduct research, and hold
each other responsible for learning and the completion of tasks. Essentially,
students must be “self-managers” in this approach. This is a great way to allow
students to take charge of their own learning experiences and express themselves.
2. Reading Partners: Reading partners allows an older student to pair up with a
youngster student and act as a reading mentor to the younger student, or pair up
with a peer and partner read together. Either partnership is a great way to help give
students a voice in their reading collaborative experience.
3. Rubrics: Rubrics are a great way to help give students choice in their classroom
experiences. Rubrics enable are a great way to provide guidance and parameters
for students without stifling their creativity. Students are able to construct projects
and assignments with established criteria. Rubrics area a great means of providing
choice to teens in the classroom.
4. Choice Boards and Menus: Choice boards and menus provide a selection of
preselected options for students to choose from. This is a great way to provide
differentiated instruction to meet the diverse needs of different learners. Learners
can feel confident and more a part of the learning process because they have a say
in what it is they will be completing. Choice boards and menus offer a variety of
options to students and enable them to complete tasks that are more comparable to
their particle learning style and learning needs.
5. Students as Teachers:Having students present information as if they were the
teacher is a great way to have students share information and construct meaning.
Students will have to learn information as a learner and construct meaning well
enough to teach it to their peers or another individual. How well they are able to
explain the concept can help a teacher assess their understanding of the concept.