Students' autonomy and teacher's interpersonal style in self-determination theory

Starting from psychological needs that are considered basic within self-determination theory (autonomy, competence and relatedness), the importance of encouraging students' autonomy in school context is particularly emphasised. Appreciation of students' autonomy has a stimulating effect on school achievement, conceptual understanding, creativity development, strengthening of self-esteem, and students adapt better to school system and demonstrate a larger degree of internalisation of school rules and intrinsic motivation. Teachers' behavioural style largely determines the degree of students' autonomy in school life and work. Self-determination theory implies the necessity of agreement between the developmental need for autonomy in children and the level of adult control and distinguishes between two styles of interpersonal behavior of teachers: (a) those who offer support to students' autonomy by their behavior and (b) those that are predominantly inclined to control students' behavior. This paper also points out to different strategies that can be applied by teachers in working with students in school, which also contribute to the development of students' autonomy. What is especially encouraging is the fact that it is possible to learn and to develop 'appreciation of students' autonomy' as teacher's interpersonal style. Polazeci od psiholoskih potreba koje se u okviru teorije samodeterminacije shvataju kao osnovne (autonomija, kompetentnost i bliska povezanost sa drugim osobama), posebno se istice znacaj podsticanja ucenicke autonomije u skolskom kontekstu. Uvazavanje ucenicke autonomije podsticajno deluje na skolsko postignuce, pojmovno razumevanje, razvijanje kreativnosti, jacanje samopouzdanja, ucenici se bolje prilagodjavaju skolskom sistemu, pokazuju veci stepen internalizacije skolskih pravila i intrinzicne motivacije. Stil ponasanja nastavnika u mnogome odredjuje stepen autonomije ucenika u skolskom zivotu i radu. Teorija samodeterminacije implicira neophodnost saglasja izmedju razvojne potrebe za autonomijom kod dece i nivoa kontrole odraslih i razlikuje dva stila interpersonalnog ponasanja nastavnika: (a) oni koji svojim ponasanjem pruzaju podrsku autonomiji ucenika i (b) oni koji su pretezno skloni kontroli ucenickog ponasanja. Ovaj clanak ukazuje i na razlicite strategije koje nastavnici mogu da primene u radu sa ucenicima u skoli, a koje doprinose razvijanju ucenicke autonomije. Posebno ohrabruje cinjenica da je 'uvazavanje ucenicke autonomije'