Intersecting Dreams: Building student voice in middle school
The idea for my Dream School project came from an interesting disconnect that I noticed when I asked students to imagine their dream school. As I journaled about my own dream school during GSE class, I noticed a thread running through all of my thoughts: student voice. I imagined a school built by students. They dreamed it, constructed it, and created the culture. In this dream school students would care about the environment and each other because they literally built it. Although this may be somewhat possible my dream has limitations. What would happen after the original students passed through? Would the feeling of ownership leave with the founding students? Where do teachers and other staff members fit into this “student built school?”
In sticking with the topic of student voice, I asked my team of 8th graders the next day to write a journal entry on their dream school. Many students wrote about sports and food but also about having choice in what they learn, how they learn it, and who they learn it with. This may seem like a normal response but it stood out to me because it came right after hearing 8th grade complaints about our new experiment at HTM, Projectopia. Don’t get me wrong, many students are enjoying this new structure but some of the same students who are complaining, also stated that choice in what they learn is important in their dream school. They appear to have been given a lot of choice in Projectopia so I wondered if they saw the connection between their dreams and the goals of Projectopia. I also wondered how the lack of voice in the design of Projectopia as a whole added to their aggravation.
In sticking with the topic of student voice, I asked my team of 8th graders the next day to write a journal entry on their dream school. Many students wrote about sports and food but also about having choice in what they learn, how they learn it, and who they learn it with. This may seem like a normal response but it stood out to me because it came right after hearing 8th grade complaints about our new experiment at HTM, Projectopia. Don’t get me wrong, many students are enjoying this new structure but some of the same students who are complaining, also stated that choice in what they learn is important in their dream school. They appear to have been given a lot of choice in Projectopia so I wondered if they saw the connection between their dreams and the goals of Projectopia. I also wondered how the lack of voice in the design of Projectopia as a whole added to their aggravation.
Conversation with a colleague
At first I was trying to think of a way to incorporate more student voice into the structure of Projectopia but we are already halfway through our two months. Not much we can change now. I started to think about the level of student voice at HTM in school wide decisions. How could I make a difference on a larger scale? A conversation with my director helped solidify my next steps. We were planning to have a series of project tunings on the topic of exhibition ideas for Projectopia. She wanted to include students in the tunings so I asked if I could take on that task. We also talked about how she currently gets students for events like tunings, info meetings, etc. She just quickly asks whoever’s available. We discussed the idea of having a group that was trained for the year. All she’d have to do is send out and email to that group every time she needed student voice. We also talked about the current ambassador program at the high schools and how they do tours around the village. She noticed that sometimes they don’t necessarily know what’s going on here at HTM. This was the start of a larger idea: A Student Advisory Panel.
the idea: Student advisory panel
The purpose of the Student Advisory Panel would be twofold. One: to lead visitors around and explain the unique culture here at HTM. What makes us different and unique from the other HTH schools. Second: they would serve as the student voice as big decisions are made here, like Projectopia. I could envision 2-4 students from each grade level making up the panel. They could be part of project tunings and maybe some staff meetings where school wide decisions are made. I could also see them coming back to their classes and asking their opinion and then bringing it back to the staff. I would like this group to be students that have a lot to say but aren't always the ones who speak up. This could be a growing experience for them as well as helping the school.
The first step: student voice in project tunings
As of now, I have contacted students who I think would be great additions to the panel. Five of those students (3 eighth graders, 1 seventh grader and 1 sixth grader) participated in the project tunings. They all told me that they felt comfortable and shared their opinions about the exhibition plans. I talked to one teacher after that expressed appreciation that the students came. He told me that the students in his group shared and gave good ideas.
A week later, we had another exhibition tuning. I asked a few students to participate again. Three of the same students came. One group had students as part of the tuning already because they were presenting their exhibition plans to the group. I observed that exhibition tuning. I noticed that the students were quiet through most of the conversation. At first, the presenting teacher spoke and questions tended to be asked to him. Another staff member participating asked a question to the students at one point during the protocol and that turned the conversation toward them. They answered questions but were hesitant to give ideas of their own during the discussion period of the protocol. I asked them later how the tuning felt. Were they nervous? Would they do it again? They all said they felt nervous before the tuning and that the process felt awkward. They also said they would do it again and that they would probably be more comfortable next time. I presented my “student advisory panel” idea and asked if they thought they might be interested. All three said they would be and that they wanted more of a voice in school wide decisions.
I also spoke with a teacher after the tunings who was presenting in another group. I had assigned a student to that group. It was her second time participating so I was curious to hear how it went. The teacher said it went well and gave me another interesting insight. He said he appreciated how she gave a “student perspective.” When I asked him to elaborate, he explained how he often hears students trying to give a teacher perspective while participating in conversations with teachers. They try to think like a teacher would instead of telling us how they really feel. I was glad he explained this because I could see this being a topic of discussion with the panel once it gets started. It reminded me of the purpose of student voice- to hear a student’s perspective. The student had explained that she hates sitting at exhibition for 2 hours explaining the same information over and over to each person coming by. This was a perspective that only a student could add to the conversation.
Hearing this reminded me of the “think tank” idea where different people with different perspectives come together to solve problems. When we have typical project tunings and staff meetings, we really only have one perspective; teachers. It’s so important to add in the student voice. This last conversation with a colleague cemented why I want to pursue the Student Advisory Panel idea.
A week later, we had another exhibition tuning. I asked a few students to participate again. Three of the same students came. One group had students as part of the tuning already because they were presenting their exhibition plans to the group. I observed that exhibition tuning. I noticed that the students were quiet through most of the conversation. At first, the presenting teacher spoke and questions tended to be asked to him. Another staff member participating asked a question to the students at one point during the protocol and that turned the conversation toward them. They answered questions but were hesitant to give ideas of their own during the discussion period of the protocol. I asked them later how the tuning felt. Were they nervous? Would they do it again? They all said they felt nervous before the tuning and that the process felt awkward. They also said they would do it again and that they would probably be more comfortable next time. I presented my “student advisory panel” idea and asked if they thought they might be interested. All three said they would be and that they wanted more of a voice in school wide decisions.
I also spoke with a teacher after the tunings who was presenting in another group. I had assigned a student to that group. It was her second time participating so I was curious to hear how it went. The teacher said it went well and gave me another interesting insight. He said he appreciated how she gave a “student perspective.” When I asked him to elaborate, he explained how he often hears students trying to give a teacher perspective while participating in conversations with teachers. They try to think like a teacher would instead of telling us how they really feel. I was glad he explained this because I could see this being a topic of discussion with the panel once it gets started. It reminded me of the purpose of student voice- to hear a student’s perspective. The student had explained that she hates sitting at exhibition for 2 hours explaining the same information over and over to each person coming by. This was a perspective that only a student could add to the conversation.
Hearing this reminded me of the “think tank” idea where different people with different perspectives come together to solve problems. When we have typical project tunings and staff meetings, we really only have one perspective; teachers. It’s so important to add in the student voice. This last conversation with a colleague cemented why I want to pursue the Student Advisory Panel idea.
next steps
· Meet with representatives from the high school ambassador program to find out more about their program and to get their advice about how to adapt it to middle school.
· Talk to teachers from HTMMA to find out about their ambassador program and why they stopped it this year.
· Communicate with staff about my idea at an upcoming staff meeting. See if anyone is interested in helping me start it so that it will continue after this year. Solicit ideas for where staff wants more student voice or representation (info meetings for new students, summer bridge, staff meetings, etc).
· Recruit potential Advisory Panel members by asking teachers for recommendations and then holding an info meeting.
· Have high school students help me design the application process and interview.
· Choose panel members and plan future meetings/training.
· Talk to teachers from HTMMA to find out about their ambassador program and why they stopped it this year.
· Communicate with staff about my idea at an upcoming staff meeting. See if anyone is interested in helping me start it so that it will continue after this year. Solicit ideas for where staff wants more student voice or representation (info meetings for new students, summer bridge, staff meetings, etc).
· Recruit potential Advisory Panel members by asking teachers for recommendations and then holding an info meeting.
· Have high school students help me design the application process and interview.
· Choose panel members and plan future meetings/training.