Student Voice in Every School – the Why and the How NSW Secondary Principals’ Council Professional Learning Day Term

Why? The Melbourne Declaration The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child Changing educational contexts Academic and practitioner research and evidence WHY?

HOW? S tudent V oice R eflective P ractice T eacher P rofessional L earning equals Transforming Learning ‘Without the involvement of students it is not possible to enquire effectively into the teaching and learning processes of the school itself.’ Bragg and Fielding 2005 ‘Our results reveal reflection to be a powerful mechanism behind learning.’ Stefano, Gino, Pisano & Staats 2014 ‘We do not learn from experience … we learn from reflecting on experience’ John Dewey ‘Today’s students need to be able to access information globally available, work collaboratively and apply innovative solutions to problems. Teachers need to know how to develop these capacities in their students in ways that inspire students to be lifelong learners’ GTIL 2013

STUDENT VOICE - QUESTIONS?  If you asked the students at your school these questions, what do you think they’d say?  If you asked the teachers at your school these questions, what do you think they’d say?  A memory I have of a challenging but fun learning experience…  Something that my school/ teachers could do to help me learn better…

WHILE YOU ARE LISTENING… 3 post it notes: Emotional responses Ideas for your school Questions Later, we’ll stick these post it notes on a chart in a ‘silent conversation’

STUDENT VOICE – QUESTIONS?  Curriculum design?  Teaching?  Learning?  Assessment?  School environment?  School management?  School staffing?  School reform?  Research about classrooms, teachers, students and schools? Student voice = Students sharing their perspectives on issues that affect their learning To what extent do we include or exclude students from discussions, decision-making about and evaluations of: What might students bring to these conversations?

STUDENT VOICE – QUESTIONS?  Do you know why student voice should be engaged?  Do you know exactly how student voice voice happens in your school right now?  Are you going to provide opportunities for students and adults to learn together about student voice?  Have you identified how staff and students will learn about student voice?

CC PRINCIPALS LEARNING ALLIANCE CCPLA DRAFT CONTINUUM  Explore the SV possibilities  Opt-in strategies for SV  Implementation of SV in schools will vary  Possible vision for school – SV incorporated into ‘the way we do things here’

CC PRINCIPALS LEARNING ALLIANCE What did we do? Conferences Relevant research Facilitators/ leaders/ teams Resources Training for students & teachers Teacher professional learning SV website Shared journeys Capacity and sustainability

CC STUDENT VOICE ALLIANCE – WHAT DID WE DO?

HOW TO INVESTIGATE? - ACTION RESEARCH METHODS  Surveys  Responding to photographs  A silent conversation  Mapping  Ranking/prioritising  Using written scenarios with teachers  Using postcards to start a conversation  Using scenarios to start a conversation  Giving students cameras to take photos  Drawing a picture or a map  Constructing something  Role play (puppet shows, drama…)  Technology: podcasts, discussion boards  Surveys in other modes? Action research = people conducting their own research

RESOURCES

REFLECTIVE PRACTICE – WHAT IS WORKING WELL?  Structure of meetings  Collaborative groups – able to share stories  Networking  Building capacity  A day (time) to focus  Keynote speaker/s  Taking skills back to school  Increasing confidence  Developing a CC perspective  Having opinions valued  Being honest and conveying actual feelings  Splitting up from own school  Interaction with/between teachers from different schools  Leaders sharing knowledge

REFLECTIVE PRACTICE WHAT ARE WE LEARNING?  How to find time to support student voice?  How to identify skills and provide appropriate training & resources  How to be a facilitator? (stand on the side)  How to get staff on board?  How to create student voice that is sustainable in a dynamic environment? Barriers & challenges

HOW DO YOU THINK ‘STUDENT VOICE’ WILL GO AT YOUR SCHOOL?

OPPORTUNITY FOR DEVELOPING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY …. Teacher Professional Learning Accreditation - Proficient - Highly Accomplished - Lead Professional Development Plans

AUSTRALIAN PROFESSIONAL TEACHING STANDARDS

WHILE YOU WERE LISTENING… 3 post it notes: Emotional responses Ideas for your school Questions