My name is David Schmidt. I have been working with students ages 11 and up for my entire 16-year teaching career. Teaching is hard work, and there are a lot of core assumptions that teachers base their decisions on. Mine is that,

“people are innately curious, interested creatures who possess a natural love of learning and who desire to internalize the knowledge, customs, and values that surround them” (Niemiec & Ryan, 2009 , p. 133)

This assumption is the foundation of Self-Determination Theory. Self-Determination Theory researchers provide evidence of how autonomy supportive practices increase engagement, resulting in people becoming more (or less) intrinsically motivated.

We now know that early adolescence is a critical period in cognitive development where socio-emotional skills are cultivated or thwarted. It is as critical as the early childhood years are. When children do not have their needs met in early adolescence, it sets them on a trajectory that often ends at the school to prison pipeline.

To the extent which a child’s autonomy, belonging, and competence are supported or thwarted we see students emerging with either positive or negative self-concepts which then influence social behaviors. These social behaviors and self-concepts then impact engagement, either supporting learning if needs are supported or undermining learning if needs are thwarted. We see a similar pattern emerging when supporting teachers and other professionals in professional development and learning.

While serving in the Peace Corps in Nicaragua and while serving as a Baltimore City Public School teacher, I have seen firsthand the immensely powerful impact of autonomy-supporting teaching and leadership practices on adolescent students and teaching professionals. Likewise, I have seen the incredibly detrimental impact of authoritarian teaching and leadership practices on students and teaching professionals.

Practices which thwart a student and teachers’ autonomy, belonging, and, competence need to be replaced in order to maintain a high quality education so that all students develop the mental muscles to maintain our democratic system.

Our primary goal is to implement and share autonomy supportive practices in schools, professional learning environments, within government, and in the community to create a more engaged and collaborative community in Baltimore.