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Miss Annika Dutson-Steinfeld Bedfordshire School Improvement Partnership Bedfordshire , England , United Kingdom
This paper discusses the following questions.
In order to discuss this issue, it is imperative to first address the question: what is student voice? ' Voice ' is a useful allegory for the dialogue aimed at implementing ideals and actions of all stakeholders in education. In the simplest terms ' student voice ' can be described as the opinions, ideas, experiences, and knowledge of young people in school and is best heard when there are no adult interpretations applied. Student voice takes many forms, from this literal definition of the auditory, to the metaphorical description of student action revealing a political and social stance.
In the traditional education system the role of students as creators of knowledge was neglected. There was an adultist perception of students as passive recipients of learning. Even in terms of school improvement, they were used merely as data sources, ticking boxes in a questionnaire designed by teachers, despite the fact that they are the young people school is provided for. Levin illustrates this point in the following quote.
' Even though all the participants in education will say schools exist for students, students are still treated almost entirely as objects of reform. ' (Levin, 2000)
Through this historic dismissal and the culture of some schools and their traditional-minded leaders, there is an ongoing denial of the ability of students to cause effective, sustainable, and meaningful change in their schools. Only recently has the influence of the consumer been heard in the field of education and there is still scepticism and mistrust of empowering students. Consequently, students can be forced to make their voices heard in an arena where no one listens. There have been attempts to involve pupils in the process of school change but often these have been a tokenistic approach to student voice and have little authenticity and actual impact on decisions. This is expressed in the following quote.
' Learners ' opinions are sought only after significant decisions have already been made. ' (Brooker & MacDonald, 1999)
Since students globally are subject to compulsory education, many young people themselves actively seek to make their schools more inviting, engaging and inspirational. Some educators have begun to address this imbalance of power and are now using the involvement of students as an integral part of school improvement. They realise that pupil perceptions create powerful data about what works to improve teaching and learning. As the customers of the education process, should it not be obvious that they need consulting about how satisfied they are with their school, in the same way that consumers of other products are involved in market research?
Students will express themselves with or without someone listening, so it would be ludicrous not to include and empower their ' voice ' . Let students do some of the hard work ( Students as Researchers, Raymond 2001), listen to their ideas, support projects, fund research, embrace student leadership and empower their courage to make a difference. Student voice and leadership can be a catalyst for school improvement and educators must learn to support and encourage the natural desire of students to want to improve their own communities and environments. If incorporated into the school policy system, students feel involved when their voice is being heard effectively, changes are occurring as a direct result of their input, pupil/teacher barriers are broken and learning environments are significantly improved. Not only does this make the whole community atmosphere more pleasant but also, if student voice to this extent is successful, it will be reflected in attainment and exam results. This proves there is a significant link between student voice and school improvement and a learning community, therefore, that embraces student voice will inevitably tackle the issue of school improvement in terms of pupil involvement.
' The case for pupil voice may be advanced on a number of grounds. It ' s inherent justice, as a human right, or more pragmatically because it improves teaching and learning, school ethos and leadership. ' (MacBeath, Meyers & Demetriou, 2001)
We at Bedfordshire Schools Improvement Partnership (BSIP) aim to utilise the students ' experience and knowledge to encourage improvements that benefit all in schools. To do this, co-operation from senior management staff in individual schools is vital to enable us to access the students and, most importantly, their opinions. BSIP is a facilitation mechanism for schools to interact in-phase and cross-phase.
Learning Communities is an initiative that has been developed by the Local Education Authority (LEA), schools, teachers and pupils, and has been formally introduced in Bedfordshire in this school year (September 2004). This splits the county into seven groups of schools from all phases, the aim of which is to encourage collaboration and community solutions, through sharing good practise, responsibility, creativity and innovation. The power of student voice activities in Learning Communities will be a catalyst to increase the pace of change. This aims to ensure that all pupils receive a high quality experience of learning, regardless of which school they attend.
' We all need to feel a moral responsibility for ALL children in Bedfordshire, not just those in our own school. '
BSIP hopes to achieve its objectives by locating and recognising students at the centre of learning. It contributes via training, guidance and support to the development of effective leaders in schools at all levels and across phases. There is a focus on the development of reflective professional practice based upon action research and the application of high quality teaching and learning activities and innovative curriculum development. This effective practice will be disseminated locally, nationally and internationally. In order for this to take place, BSIP will work with Learning Communities in assisting professional development in partnership with other agencies and facilitate this development in School Improvement Networks.
From simple conversations in the corridors of schools, it is clear students have voice and influence. Without dismissing this essential foundation of student voice, there is a need to implement mechanisms by which this voice can be utilised effectively to make changes.
' Informal dialogue is very much frozen in the present tense; encapsulating what a school is like, a snapshot of its ethos and culture. To move towards an inclusive future for school improvement, we need to formalise vehicles for expression of student voice. ' (Detheridge, 2004)
BSIP provides training for students in skills necessary to use their voice effectively and become drivers in the student involvement in school improvement. BSIP has been instrumental in the development of projects such as Students as Researchers (SAR) and Students as Learning Partners (SALP). It also runs conferences for students and adults to network ideas, find the current situation and improve development in and between schools. The partnership recognises the importance of differentiating activity to enable all schools to engage at their level, whilst providing challenge and opportunities for all to develop.
School councils are probably the most widely recognised form of student voice. Their success, however, largely depends on how effective the school wants the council to be, again re-visiting the authenticity argument. School councils can easily become a token attempt to empower students and can be used as puppets to be manipulated by managers and put on show to other stakeholders as proof that student involvement exists.
When used effectively, student councils can steer a school to new heights. Being involved, the pupils can reap a number of benefits, including personal skills of interaction, facilitation, debate and decision-making, which they may not be encouraged to use in the classroom.
Students as Researchers (SAR) is a relatively new vehicle for student voice. It began in Bedfordshire at Sharnbrook Upper School in 1996. Fielding and Bragg describe the initiative as ' promoting partnerships in which students work alongside teachers to mobilise their knowledge of school and become change agents of its cultures and norms ' . Central to the success of SAR is the remarkable passion, organisation and support from influential managers in the school (one of whom, Louise Raymond, is now director of BSIP), thus proving there is a definite need for internal focus to be aligned with external support. The SAR model of school development by students was then disseminated throughout the county via conferences delivered by BSIP.
As the SAR co-ordinator at Harlington Upper School, I have had direct experience in this initiative and found it extremely rewarding not only in terms of what I could give back to the school, but also because the project I undertook complimented my A-Level studies.
SAR is a mechanism leading to school improvement. Indeed, Raymond comments ' I can tangibly trace how students enquiry has fundamentally impacted on school improvement ' .
Students as Learning Partners (SALP) is another initiative that is being networked through conferences by BSIP. The scheme arose out of the findings and recommendations of a student research project exploring trainee teachers and their school placements. The students effectively said that they wanted to be part of the process and helped to develop a way of involving students to enable them to work closely with trainee teachers and their mentors to provide feedback on lessons. Obviously, there has to be training and discussion on sensitivities and boundaries, but all of those involved feel that they have benefited greatly.
' I was really sceptical of the project in its early years, but now I am a convert. The personal benefit of having students observing my classroom techniques has been immense. ' (teacher of 20+ years experience)
Peer mentoring is another mechanism for student voice and is used by schools that recognise its potential. Statistically, in the UK, we struggle to deliver effective PSHE (Physical, Social and Health Education). Research shows that, in many circumstances, students feel more comfortable approaching their peers to resolve personal difficulties; this can be a powerful source of school improvement. Each school that undertakes this scheme does so at varying degrees and formality. Some have implemented a structured scheme, whereby older students deliver a session of drugs, sex or alcohol counselling, whereas others adopt more of an ad hoc ' drop-in ' system.
I have been employed as one of three ' Gap Year ' students who will be working with BSIP in their year ' off ' before university. We will be working in partnership with the LEA, NCSL (National College of Student Leadership), headteachers, other members of staff and students in all phases of schooling. We have all been allocated Learning Communities to work with, of which mine are communities 3 and 4 (Mid-Bedfordshire). I aim to support and facilitate current and new student voice activities undertaken in schools and use them as fuel to drive school improvement.
If your answer is ' yes ' to the above questions, then why is this issue even being discussed? Student voice should not be a novelty, an innovative step in the right direction, but an integral part of every day academic life.
In the summer term of 2004, Miss Annika Dutson-Steinfeld completed her A-Level studies and achieved an A in both Geography and Economics and a C in Music. She plays the flute, soprano saxophone, and classical and jazz piano and has been successful in completing exams to a high level. She also enjoys dancing and until recently was a member of an Academy. Having been actively involved in 'Students as Researchers' at upper school she was responsible for organising, researching, analysing and documenting a report on student voice focusing on transition between schools. She is currently employed as a student facilitator for Bedfordshire Schools Improvement Partnership for my year out before university where she hopes to study Economics and Accountancy.
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