Date of Graduation

Summer 2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Transformative Education and Social Change

Committee Chairperson

John Elmore, PhD

Committee Member

Dana Morrison, PhD

Committee Member

Jason T Wozniak, PhD

Abstract

I define an Autonomous Student as a learner detached from the capitalist mindset, who learns not just to reproduce the working world but to better themselves and the future. A learner who is independent, flexible, civically engaged, connected with their community, and has their own idea of success that is not tied to the school or the economy. A learner who can uncover injustice and knows how to fight back. As it is currently set up, the education system in the US does not work toward creating autonomous students. Instead, the focus is on reproducing society as it is and preparing students for the work force. This is engrained in students through the focus on standardized testing, goals of college application, and the classroom environments. However, there exists one vital agent of change to this system: the teacher that runs the classroom. The teacher can, in small ways, fight for their students' right to autonomy. The teacher can build an environment that fosters genuine student leadership and space for free thinking, a room that collaborates rather than lectures. In doing so, the teacher sews for their students a small pocket of civic responsibility and ownership. Although the teacher as a singular individual can not stop the wheel of capitalist demand, the teacher can light a path for the future generation to band together and create a better world. We are living in a time of major changes. Schools are placing more focus on social emotional learning, diversity, and student mental health, even despite a federal government that wants to stop this progressive thinking. Now is the time to reimagine our teacher preparation programs before they slip deeper into a vocationalized training system. If we can change preparation to include more focus on all communities, exposure to different lifestyles, beliefs and cultures, and give a deeper understanding of systemic injustices, teachers will leave college ready and able to help their students reach autonomy.

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