Teaching Tip: Foster a Love of Learning by Offering Choice

Hello, friends! I’m Elizabeth Urbanowicz from Foundation Worldview, and today’s Teaching Tip is all about fostering a love of learning in the children you’re teaching. One simple and effective way to do this is by offering choice.

Why Choice Matters

As humans, we are highly motivated by choice—and this makes perfect sense considering how God has designed us. In Genesis 2:15-16, we read:

“The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, ‘You may surely eat of every tree of the garden…’”

Now, we know the passage goes on to say that there was one tree Adam was not allowed to eat from, but notice that God still gave him real, meaningful choice. He could choose from every other tree.

Throughout Scripture and in life, we see that God has given us a great deal of variety—in careers, gifts, relationships, and more. So, if we want to nurture a love of learning in the children we’re teaching, we should also consider what kinds of choices we can offer them along the way.

Choice Within Boundaries

Now, let’s be clear: there are many parts of education that we can’t just hand over to children. There are certain concepts and skills that must be taught and mastered. But even within those necessary boundaries, we can offer structured choices that give children a sense of ownership and motivation.

Here are a few ways to offer choice in your teaching:

1. Choice in the Order of Work

When possible, let students choose the order in which they complete assignments. For example, if you have three tasks for the day, give them the freedom to decide which one to start with.

2. Choice in Work Location

Let students choose where they work—maybe at a desk, on the floor, or on a couch. Of course, this requires clear boundaries and training. We can’t just let the children we’re teaching run wild. But with proper expectations and follow-through, these small choices can have a big impact.

3. Choice in How Work Is Completed

One of my favorite examples of offering choice comes from when I taught third grade. I would give my students several different options for how they practiced their spelling words:

• Using letter tiles

• Tracing letters in sand trays

• Writing in shaving cream

• Using dry erase markers on the floor tiles (as long as they cleaned up afterward!)

It took some time to train students on how to use each method properly, and if expectations weren’t met, they lost the privilege of using that option the next week. But because they loved the freedom and variety, most students rose to the occasion and followed expectations well.

4. Choice in Learning Focus

You can also offer students choice in what they focus on within a larger unit:

• In literature, let them choose between two novels to read and study.

• In history, give them options on which battle or historical figure to explore.

• In science, allow them to pick an animal to study or a human body system they’re curious about.

These kinds of structured choices still meet educational goals, but they also help students take ownership of their learning and discover areas they’re genuinely excited about.

Final Thoughts

Offering choice—when done with wisdom, structure, and training—can be a powerful way to foster a lifelong love of learning. It taps into the way God has designed us and helps children build motivation, independence, and confidence.

Just as a reminder, today’s teaching tip was: offer choice to the children you are teaching as you move through different units of study.

For more tips on helping children think biblically and love learning, be sure to check out the other resources we have available at FoundationWorldview.com.

Thanks so much for joining me for this Teaching Tip, and I’ll see you next time!