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“I wish they would try to understand why we do things,” a 14-year-old shared as he bobbed his leg up and down.
A girl chimed in, “Yeah - I’d like to have a deeper conversation, like we are now. This helps me process things.”
I nodded my head. The other administrators did the same as we glanced at each other. We were wrapping up our first year with our Student Voices group and were getting some feedback from the kids.
This group began as a way for the principal to get a pulse of the school but morphed into something we never expected – a bonafide venue for kids to increase their agency.
At the secondary level, it is not uncommon for principals to gather students together, whether it be executive council, student council, student advocacy, or countless other names, to get their perspectives.
About two years into Principal Advisory, we pivoted to a new name: Student Voices. This small change reflected the shift we wanted to take post-COVID – elevating our students’ voices and ensuring they had a place to discuss openly pressing topics and whatever was on their minds. We discussed everything from riots to COVID to teacher-student relationships.
Designing classroom and school-wide environments that accept and elevate our students’ voices and can lead to engagement, resilience, problem-solving, and more collaborative mindsets.
When I entered elementary, I wanted to highlight the kids' budding voices. Over a year ago, I attended a workshop with a panel of speakers who discussed the impact of students’ voices. I recall one participant sharing that student voice is not just for secondary students. Our elementary students should be granted the opportunity to express themselves and develop their agency.
I latched onto this sentiment. Midway through my first year as an elementary principal, I implemented a student voices group to develop our young students' leadership capacity and provide them a space to express their voices.
This week’s post will review why student voice is so important for students and the larger community. Then, if you are on board with beginning a student voices group, I have a 6-step process that will help you get started in your school.
Why Student Voice is Important
Who doesn’t want a voice? To be heard and make genuine change. When students share their perspectives, they can become better self-advocates and advocates for the community. What better way to practice sharing your perspective in a thoughtful, reflective, respectful manner than within a school setting?
Student voice is: “authentic student input or leadership in instruction, school structures, or education policies that can promote meaningful change in education systems, practice, and/or policy by empowering students as change agents, often working in partnership with adult educators.”
Part of the education process is not just to impart knowledge, but to develop our students into productive, empathetic citizens. As educators, we ought to empower our students to speak and do so in a respectful manner. Our world is already filled with bombastic, self-aggrandizing pundits. We must inspire change agents who will make this world a better place.
Students want to be active and make change especially when they see what they perceive as an injustice.
Incorporating student voice into school decision-making processes can create a more inclusive, effective, and supportive educational environment. Designing classroom and school-wide environments that accept and elevate our students’ voices and can lead to engagement, resilience, problem-solving, and more collaborative mindsets. By listening to students, schools can gain insights into what teaching methods, curricula, and policies work best from the learners' point of view.
Students want to be active and make change especially when they see what they perceive as an injustice. After the Parkland, Florida shooting in 2018, students in the local area and nationwide rallied together for gun reform. Students have also drawn attention to equity and inclusion issues like the school-to-prison pipeline and the criminalization of minority students. The Voices of Youth in Chicago Education advocated for statewide changes around punitive discipline policies in school leading to the 2015 passage of SB 100 in Illinois.
Empowering students to share their opinions fosters a sense of ownership and responsibility over their educational journey. When students feel that their voices matter, they are more likely to actively participate in their learning and school community. This engagement can reduce feelings of alienation and increase motivation, which is crucial for academic success and personal development.
While educators can promote student voice through surveys, organized Student Voices groups or advocacies can also effectively elevate student voice. Student leadership through a youth group can allow for deep, meaningful conversations, but they also limit the scope of who is brought to the table.
Including student voices in bodies that can bring change engages students in the education system, a place where they sometimes feel underrepresented and disconnected.
Some districts have even considered student voice in survey implementation and data analysis. Unleashing the Power of Partnership for Learning (UP for Learning) is a nonprofit group based in Vermont that encourages student voice with a youth-adult partnership model. UP for Learning helps students learn how to share their perspectives and analyze data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey.
Including student voices in bodies that can bring change engages students in the education system, a place where they sometimes feel underrepresented and disconnected. As the most important customers of the education system, shouldn’t we offer them an opportunity to share their experiences and perspectives with teachers, administrators, and parents? Shouldn’t we see them as partners to improve and enhance educational opportunities and arrive at new approaches and solutions?
While many opportunities for student voice fall to secondary students, elementary students should have the opportunity to practice advocacy. The Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence, a nonpartisan, nonprofit group in Kentucky has brought attention to the value of youth perspective to improve academics and equity in the state. The organization has a Student Voice Team representing approximately 100 students ranging from elementary to college students.
While an advocacy group may seem better suited for older students, with the right scaffolding and guidance, a student voices group can be productive at any level. If students and adults focus on building the skills and mindsets that students need to take the initiative, advocate, and make change, then maybe we can re-engage students and help them productively share their thoughts and feelings.
A 6-Step Guide to Creating a Student Voices Group
Need some help in getting started with a student voices group? Then, no worries! Follow the six steps below to begin transforming your school and empowering your students:
1. Identify the Why
Understanding the purpose behind creating a student voices group is the foundation for its success. Start by asking yourself and your team: Why do we want to hear from students? Are you looking to improve school policies, enhance the learning environment, or address specific issues?
Clearly defining your goals will help guide the group’s activities and keep everyone focused. Share this vision with students, staff, and parents to build support and ensure everyone understands the importance of student input.
Consider creating a mission statement that encapsulates your objectives and the value of student voices in your school community. For example, “We believe students are the heart of our school, and their insights can lead us to a brighter, more inclusive future.” A little inspiration goes a long way!
2. Gather Participants
Recruiting a diverse group of students is crucial for capturing a wide range of perspectives. Reach out to students from different grade levels, backgrounds, and interests. Consider using surveys, nominations from teachers, or open invitations to identify potential participants.
When we started this group as Principal Advisory, the administration hand-selected students and invited them via our LMS. When I began a commensurate group in my current position, I leaned into my staff’s perceptions and had them put forward some student names who might benefit from a student voices group. I wanted to make this group as transparent and collaborative as possible which is why I reached out to teachers; I wanted to hear their voices, too.
To communicate students’ selection, I sent a communication to parents and had them opt their child into the group. This doesn’t necessarily have to be done, but letting parents know their child has been selected for this honor is something that will probably make their day. So spread some cheer! 🌈
Make sure to explain the purpose of the group and the commitment involved so students know what to expect. When determining the duration and frequency, take into consideration students’ ages.
Aim for a balanced mix of students who are eager to contribute and those who might have unique insights but are typically less vocal. This diversity will enrich discussions and ensure that all voices are represented. And don’t forget, sometimes the quietest students have the most profound things to say. 🙂
Students want to be active and make change especially when they see what they perceive as an injustice.
3. Create Norms
Your first meeting needs to focus on creating community and establishing norms. Creating clear norms and expectations is essential for fostering a safe and productive environment. Since you most likely will be discussing topics that make students feel vulnerable, safety is paramount!
Begin by discussing with the group what respectful communication looks like and sounds like. Set ground rules for listening, confidentiality, and the constructive sharing of ideas. Ensure that every participant feels comfortable speaking up and that their contributions are valued.
You might also want to create a written agreement or a group charter that everyone signs. Regularly revisit these norms to keep them fresh in everyone’s minds and to adjust them as needed based on group feedback.
4. Plan Conversations
After you’ve done some team building and have a consensus on your norms, then the conversations need to be had. Organizing regular, structured meetings is key to maintaining momentum and focus. Develop an agenda for each meeting, including specific topics for discussion and goals you aim to achieve.
I highly recommend following a responsive approach and even mirroring a morning meeting. This approach will pay dividends as you build culture and capacity with your students. Use a variety of formats, such as group discussions, partner work, and individual reflection, to keep meetings engaging. You will also want to break things up with energizers for the whole group.
Document the discussions and decisions made during these meetings to track progress and hold the group accountable. And don’t forget to inject a bit of fun – maybe start meetings with a quick energizer or a round of silly questions like “If you could be any school supply, which one would you be and why?”
Another component to planning the conversations is ensuring you invite others in. If the administration leads the student voices group, then it is pivotal to have teachers included.
This past school year, I cycled one teacher into our student voices meetings. You do not have to do this, but I think it poses an opportunity to keep the teachers in tune with kids’ voices outside of an academic setting. Your teachers will appreciate being included.
5. Get Feedback
Continuous feedback from participants is vital for the group’s ongoing improvement. After each meeting, ask students to share their thoughts on what went well and what could be better. This can be done through surveys, suggestion boxes, or open feedback sessions at the end of the meeting.
After each meeting this past school year, I asked the same three questions to keep things consistent:
1. What did you learn?
2. What was the best part of today?
3. What is one area we can change for next time?
Pay attention to positive and constructive feedback and be prepared to make changes based on what you hear. Showing that you value and act on feedback builds trust and demonstrates that the students’ input leads to tangible improvements.
6. Implement Feedback
Taking action based on student feedback is where the real impact happens. Review the conversations you have with students and the feedback you receive and identify actionable items.
Communicate openly with the group about what changes will be made and why. If certain suggestions cannot be implemented, explain the reasons and explore alternative solutions together. This transparency ensures students feel heard and respected.
Regularly update the group on the progress of implemented changes and celebrate successes. By consistently acting on feedback, you reinforce the value of student voices and inspire continued participation and engagement.
We had our Principal Advisory members lead professional learning with staff, and it was incredible. If you can get them this active within the school, then absolutely go for it.
One Last Thought
This past school year, one of the highlights of my month was having my student voices group come together, laugh together, and learn together. As a group, we focused on empathy, what it truly means, and how we can be emissaries of kindness and compassion.
Toward the end of the year, I had a final roundtable where I asked for specific feedback from them on how we were doing as the adults in the building. The feedback I received from them forms the basis of what my school community and I will be examining this upcoming year.
A student voices group is a way to develop student capacity and initiate major change. I encourage you to create these brave spaces where students feel comfortable expressing their thoughts and ideas.
And it does not matter their age – whether they are 6 or 18, their voices deserve to be heard and honored.
References
About SB 100 | VOYCE Project. (n.d.). https://voyceproject.org/initiatives/campaign-common-sense-discipline/sb100/
Conner, J. O., Ebby-Rosin, R., & Brown, A. S. (2015). Introduction to student voice in American education policy. Teachers College Record, 117(13), 1-18.
Cook-Sather, A. (2006). Sound, presence, and power:“Student voice” in educational research and reform. Curriculum inquiry, 36(4), 359-390.
Fielding, M. (2001, January). Beyond the rhetoric of student voice: New departures or new constraints in the transformation of 21st century schooling?. In Forum for promoting 3-19 comprehensive education (Vol. 43, No. 2, pp. 100-109).
Jordan, A. (2022, November 23). Why is Student Voice Important in Education? Move This World. https://www.movethisworld.com/classroom-resources/why-is-student-voice-important-in-education/
Mager, U., & Nowak, P. (2012). Effects of student participation in decision making at school. A systematic review and synthesis of empirical research. Educational research review, 7(1), 38-61.
Mitra, D. L. (2008). Student voice in school reform: From listening to leadership. Teachers College Press.
Pritchard, K., & Bowen, B. A. (2019). Student partnerships in service learning: assessing the impact. Partnerships: A Journal of Service-Learning and Civic Engagement, 10(2), 191-207.
Wu, H. C. J., Kornbluh, M., Weiss, J., & Roddy, L. (2016). Measuring and Understanding Authentic Youth Engagement: The Youth-Adult Partnership Rubric. Afterschool Matters, 23, 8-17.
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