Student Voice

You arrive at a PD meeting, you have no clue what is going on today except that you must be there are 7:30.  Someone else decided on the topics, when breaks are, how long they are, when lunch break is, how the information will be presented or anything else..  We as teachers feel we should have a voice in what we need to learn and how best to learn it.  Students feel the same way, they want a voice as well.

Now we all know that in education, sometimes students can have a say and sometimes because of rules and regulations we just cannot change some things.  It is still good to give them a chance to voice their thoughts and opinions.  They may have an idea that you had not thought about. How do we go about giving students a voice and more importantly convincing them that their ideas and opinions are welcome?

The first thing that must be done is to create an environment where students are comfortable having an open discussion.  The first day of school in your class would most likely not be a good day.  They have not had time to trust the teacher.  When you work in class, you let the kids get to know you and understand that you are willing to take their opinions and not judge them or put them down for what they said.  They need to know that your room is a safe place to offer ideas, thoughts and opinions.

Next we need to give them a voice.  Ask for their opinions; listen to what they have to say.  If a project is failing, ask them what they think is the problem.  If you are going to try something new, like gamification, ask them what rewards would motivate them most.  One of my classes will do almost anything for food but another class wants 10 minutes of free time.  It is much easier to ask than to guess and be wrong.

You can also give student's a voice in the big things.  Why are college students required to evaluate professors but high school teachers almost never ask students for an evaluation?  If a school is run for the benefit of students, why not have a student group that administration can consult with for ideas and suggestions?  When students are frustrated over a desision, why not ask students for idea.  It may not change anything or it may, either way at least students feel empowered.

How have in incorporated student voice this year?  First of all, I did have students evaluate me.  There were a couple surprises and I guaranteed students that it was anonymous and it was.  The problem was that a student made a comment that I would have liked to discuss more in depth but I could not figure out who the student was.  I have also asked students how we could improve our new Advisory hour, and how do they best learn, what distractions are in my room and how could I reteach a topic so they may better understand.  Or how would they learn better in groups, peer tutoring, lecture, investigation.

Student voice can also apply to a one-on-one conversation.  A student says they hate school, ask them why, give them paper to write down suggestions to improve school.  Make sure they know that you are not only going to read the list, you are going to investigate your ideas to see if any are realist.  Sometimes that voice is a quiet voice asking you to check on a student that is more quiet than normal and sometimes it is that loud voice that yells that he is going to drop out.  Sometimes it is an entire class saying this project makes no sence or a few students saying that the project does not work for them and can they tweek the assignments.  What is more important, learning or completing the project exactly the way you created it and used it for ten years?