Empowering Students to Drive Their Own Learning
Growing up, my mother would scold me for not taking care of things that she had “paid good money for” and often remind me that I’d see things differently when I was the one paying the bills. As with most everything, Mom was right. (She was an educator too, after all!)
I now hear my mother’s voice as I recite those same words to my own kids. There’s something about ownership that changes how we value and care for something. When it’s ours and we’ve invested our time, energy, or hard-earned resources into it, we’re more thoughtful, responsible, and intentional.
Whether it’s a new car or an idea, ownership shifts our mindset from passive participation to personal pride. That same principle holds true for our students: when they take ownership of their learning, everything changes. That sense of ownership, the shift from apathy to actively shaping what could be, is exactly what this month’s Activity of the Month – Hack My School – is all about.
What the Activity Looks Like
In Hack My School, students become innovators and problem-solvers in their own school community. Using the Design Thinking process, they choose a problem that matters to them and develop a creative, actionable solution that could make life better for their peers.
They begin with empathy, conducting research to understand what their classmates truly need. From there, they define the problem, brainstorm bold ideas, and bring concepts to life through sketches, prototypes, or mockups. Students then test their ideas, gather feedback, refine solutions, and present them in the format of their choice.
Each stage of the activity gives students ownership of their learning journey. They decide what to focus on, how to collaborate, and how to bring their ideas to life.
Why Hack My School Matters
When students take ownership of their learning, they see themselves as creators of change, not just participants. Hack My School embodies that mindset. By choosing problems they care about and crafting their own solutions, students gain confidence and initiative that come from leading their learning process.
This activity also puts Empowered’s Foundational Principles into action as students demonstrate:
- Responsibility by taking initiative;
- Freedom in shaping their path;
- Passion as they see their ideas come to life;
- Opportunity by designing something new;
- Sound Judgment by weighing tradeoffs; and
- Win-Win Focus by serving their peers and school community.
At its heart, Hack My School is about empowerment. When students are trusted to lead, they don’t just imagine better schools. They build them.
Educator Spotlight: Jacki Bauman
For Montana educator Jacki Bauman, Hack My School has become a go-to project in her Entrepreneurship class. What began as a contest entry for the Montana Chamber Foundation’s Prospects student competition has evolved into a cornerstone activity connecting design thinking, business creation, and student ownership.
Through Hack My School, Jacki’s students practice empathy and problem-solving on their own campus. By surveying classmates, identifying needs, and brainstorming improvements, they generate ideas for productive change while learning how entrepreneurs think about customers.
Outcomes vary based on how far students want to take their ideas. Some pursue real changes, presenting pitches to student council or administrators. Others stop after the concept phase but still walk away with something invaluable – the understanding that their ideas can shape the world around them.
Jacki encourages teachers trying Hack My School to start small.
“Begin with just listing ideas and getting students to think about changes,” she said. “Encourage them to be realistic—maybe you can’t change the lunch menu, but you can suggest additions like a salad or soup bar. Get your admin or student council involved to hear presentations and see what’s possible. It doesn’t have to be formal; even a class discussion helps students understand how to make change happen.”
While Jacki uses Hack My School in Entrepreneurship, the activity easily adapts to any subject.
Whether students are applying data analysis in math, persuasive writing in English, or creative problem-solving in science or social studies, Hack My School fits anywhere students explore how to make their world better.
Try It Out
Hack My School gives students the chance to take real ownership of their learning and their environment. Like Jacki’s students, they get to see that their ideas matter – and change can start with them. Invite your students to choose their own path by identifying a problem worth solving and designing a solution that makes school better for everyone. Students who feel empowered to take action don’t just learn – they own their learning.
TRY HACK MY SCHOOL
Make this activity your own. Find free support on Empowered Hub.
- Watch “Hack My School Pro-Tips”
- Watch “Empowered Now (Replay): Hack My School Project” (with James Easton and Shaylan Richardson)
- Read Design Thinking 1-Pager
- Watch “Empowered Now (Replay): Building Empathy with Design Thinking” (with Jacki Bauman and Renate Matthews)
Once you and your students have experienced the activity – share your feedback (with the hashtag #AOTM (Activity of the Month) on Teacher Talk on Empowered Hub.
Useful Links
If you found this article helpful, we encourage you to go deeper on this topic by:
- Instantly turn your ideas into learning experiences with our free Activity Creator AI.
- Join the Empowered Community and share our free tools with your teacher friends.
- Let us know how we can help you confidently bring more life to the classroom.
