Fostering student agency is one of the most important jobs teachers do for their students. Unfortunately, our current public education system does not support all students equitably. Dr. Anindya Kundu conducted qualitative research, using sociological methods, to generate multiple hypotheses as to what types of factors, social and cultural supports, environments, and relationships help ALL students achieve academically. Kundu states, "all young people have agency; we need to create spaces for them to tell their stories on their terms, and then create the conditions for them to thrive, while acknowledging academic barriers."

Despite being an academic text, The Power of Agency does not read as such. Kundu's analyses and explanations are clear and engaging. He amplifies the voices of his student participants, sharing powerful stories to illustrate how vital it is that we make our schools more equitable and inclusive.

If you are at all connected to educating young people, I highly recommend you read this text. The themes Kundu discusses disrupt the way many of us traditionally understand grit and agency, and will inform educational stakeholders in actionable ways to create safe learning environments for ALL students to thrive.

I also recommend pairing The Power of Student Agency with Dr. Anindya Kundu's TED Talks on the same topic. https://www.ted.com/speakers/anindya_kundu