Autonomy can be defined as the condition or quality of being independent. Autonomy in education and learning would be to allow the children independence in their learning within reason. Allowing them to choose what they want to learn and how they want to learn is a part of autonomous learning. By allowing them to choose, the teacher is letting the children decide what they think is important and value that opinion. In an autonomy-oriented classroom the children are more likely to believe that the work that they are doing is important. Children in this type of setting tend to internalize education goals and make them their own.

One promoter of autonomous learning, I feel would be Maria Montessori. She gave the children freedom to choose to learn what they wanted to learn and how they wanted to learn it. She allowed them the freedom to move about the classroom and work independently, with the teacher as an "outside observer". She found the Montessori school of learning that specifically centers around promoting self-learning in the children.

Erikson also promotes autonomy. It is part of his Eight Stages of Psychosocial Development, it is stage two: autonomy versus shame/doubt. He says that young children are capable of doing things on their own, and as they grow they are able to do more an more stuff independently. As they master one skill they move onto the next "level" to master. This is important because children need to be able to control their learning and be able to advance to the next stages on their own.

These are two people that I believe promote autonomy. Autonomy is very important when it comes to learning and young children. Children are very smart- even when they are so young. They are able to master skills on their own and then move onto the next.

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