“Empowerment,” like “collaboration,” are both words that are used frequently with nothing but positive intention but often with multiple interpretations of their meaning.

I like to think about empowerment as a process forming a circle. The top half of the circle of empowerment is Choice. The bottom half of the circle of empowerment is Accountability.

Acknowledging the reality of Choice is critical in creating a culture of empowerment. Acknowledging the reality of Choice deflates the illusion of Control. I often pause when the parents of teenagers state, “I have lost control of my child.” As I spend time caring for my three year-old and nine month-old granddaughters, I realize that what I really Control is my response to their behavior. We can certainly and do create structures and systems that both teach and guide them in positive directions. However, in the end, they make their choices and I provide responses or consequences that hold them accountable in such a way as to encourage positive, prosocial behavior and to discourage hurtful, irresponsible behaviors. (This is the essence of PBIS.)

Being held Accountable for our Choices is what separates empowerment from entitlement. The circle of empowerment communicates to young people, and not so young people, that, “I embrace your right to Choice and you know also that you will stand Accountable for the consequences of your behavior--both positive and not so positive.” Without Accountability false-empowerment is really entitlement which is to say, “You can do anything that you want to do and there is no consequence.” It is irresponsible for us, as adults in the lives of young people, to in any way foster a sense that their Choices have no consequence. That is not the real world.

Empowerment allows people the freedom to make their own Choices with the understanding that they will stand Accountable for the consequences of their actions. They will be empowered to learn from and to celebrate the positive effects of responsible Choices and to learn from the corrective consequences of irresponsible Choices. Failing to complete the circle of empowerment by not following Choice with Accountability teaches our young people that they can do whatever they want to do regardless of personal or social consequences.

Student-led learning allows us to fully teach the process of empowerment. By learning to stand Accountable for their Choices, our young people can enter the world of adulthood ready to access opportunity, to build positive and productive lives, and to create a strong and healthy community.

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