tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-556994347638967900.post3151117443943511664..comments2024-02-07T11:15:05.679+00:00Comments on Teaching Science: Student VoiceHelen Rogersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05573666547153531632noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-556994347638967900.post-42772104916493461462012-06-29T09:25:37.636+01:002012-06-29T09:25:37.636+01:00Genuine student voice has to be well managed, clea...Genuine student voice has to be well managed, clearly acknowledging and listening to all parties involved. I value a teacher who runs their class room with an open and respectful approach taking into account what works for the students so that all parties involved have a better lesson. A teacher like this is worth a million token school councils. <br /><br />There's nothing wrong with a school council addressing issues about the school loos if that's what's important to them, and if that will really make a difference to their lives. I don't doubt that sometimes this may be the case. The problem arises when the toilets are the only thing the council are given discursive and decisive rights over and students never get to say what they think about things which actually matter to them. <br /><br />Student voice should be about achieveing real improvement and making genuine progress to benefit the school community as a whole. It's not about complaining, it's not about rating, it's about constructive feedback and positive change. <br /><br />That's why at StudentVoice we aim to train and support young people in confidence, communication and campaigning skills so they can go about expressing themselves in the responsible, respectful and valueable way which they are capable of.StudentVoicehttp://studentvoice.co.uk/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-556994347638967900.post-43395749974564713162012-06-29T08:10:30.960+01:002012-06-29T08:10:30.960+01:00Excellent point about having 30 student observers....Excellent point about having 30 student observers. I think there can be value in having a student who isn't a part of the lesson as an observer. This obviously needs to be with the permission of the teacher and class and the terms of reference negotiated between them. A lot of the value of this is negated by having a member of staff with the student. It then becomes part of a professional judgement rather than the additional point of information/perspective it should be for the teacher. Classes with an additional member of staff in, even if just an observer, act differently. A student observer doesn't have as great an effect.Asher Jacobsberghttp://involver.org.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-556994347638967900.post-85333072502517411082012-06-25T21:31:16.621+01:002012-06-25T21:31:16.621+01:00I too am uneasy about the student voice concept bu...I too am uneasy about the student voice concept but I was known as a teacher who would listen to you so perhaps that is my own version. Your comment about toilets made me smile - the first thing our student council did was to paint the girls loos and make them nice. It actually worked - they put up posters, had handcream etc and amazingly looked after them. Not sure it would work everywhere but it was important to them at that time. I gave up a Saturday to go and help out - a really great day.Sue Hallidayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09880183882681201329noreply@blogger.com