Children are Capable of Making Decisions - Active Agency

Active agency sees children as agents rather than actors in their society. An individual is an ‘actor’ when they do something and is an ‘agent’ when they do something with other people, make things happen and contributes broader processes in their society.

When we see children as actors it means we see them as active persons in creating their own lives. But when we see children as agents it means we realize their capabilities in making a change, not only in their own lives but also in the lives of those around them.

Active agency creates an environment that gives children a sense of worth, not only in school but as society members; children see themselves as individuals whose opinions matter, especially when they have a positive impact on them and others; and they develop resilience by being involved in challenging tasks.

Active-agency creates children that are more confident of their own world, are innovators and inventors because they have been given a space to dare/participate. When an environment that supports active-agency is created, children become more independent, thus positive outcomes for children are optimized. 

ESL