““Student voice”: Student voice”: Involving youth in Involving youth in school reformschool reformDana MitraDana MitraAssistant ProfessorAssistant ProfessorEDTHPEDTHPPenn StatePenn State

KadenKaden

The absence of The absence of student voice in school student voice in school reformreform While many schools have struggled with While many schools have struggled with

how to improve student outcomes, few how to improve student outcomes, few high schools have decided to go straight high schools have decided to go straight to the source and ask the students. to the source and ask the students.

School reform in recent decades has School reform in recent decades has sought increased teacher and parent sought increased teacher and parent participation in change efforts, but not participation in change efforts, but not students (Fullan, 2001).students (Fullan, 2001).

Student voice emerging again for the Student voice emerging again for the first time since the early seventies. first time since the early seventies.

Adolescent isolation in high Adolescent isolation in high schoolsschools Often students describe high school experiences in terms of Often students describe high school experiences in terms of

anonymity and powerlessnessanonymity and powerlessness

High numbers of students who feel isolated and without supportHigh numbers of students who feel isolated and without support

Students report a lack of strong connections with their teachers.Students report a lack of strong connections with their teachers.

Students believe that adults in their schools rarely listen to their Students believe that adults in their schools rarely listen to their views nor do they involve them in important decisions affecting views nor do they involve them in important decisions affecting their own activities or work their own activities or work

Experiences of alienation result in disengagement between Experiences of alienation result in disengagement between students and their schools. students and their schools.

Disengaged students tend to come to school less, have lower Disengaged students tend to come to school less, have lower self-concepts, achieve less academically, and are more likely to self-concepts, achieve less academically, and are more likely to drop out of school drop out of school

Potential benefits of Potential benefits of increasing student voice in increasing student voice in school reformschool reform

School benefits:School benefits:

potential avenue for potential avenue for improving both improving both student outcomes and student outcomes and school restructuringschool restructuring

Problems may be framed Problems may be framed differently, providing differently, providing different solutionsdifferent solutions

Implementation is easier Implementation is easier when those affected when those affected understand and contribute understand and contribute to the changes-Can lead to to the changes-Can lead to changes in policy and changes in policy and practicepractice

Potential for raising Potential for raising questions of equity within questions of equity within the schoolthe school

Student benefits:Student benefits: Key opportunities to Key opportunities to

fulfill the needs of youth fulfill the needs of youth developmentdevelopment

New opportunities for New opportunities for interactions with adultsinteractions with adults

Can create sense of ownership Can create sense of ownership that re-engages students and that re-engages students and creates intrinsic motivationcreates intrinsic motivation

Opportunities for learning Opportunities for learning about decision making, for about decision making, for participation in meaningful participation in meaningful activity and for modeling adult activity and for modeling adult roles roles

May improve learning, self-May improve learning, self-concept, and awareness of concept, and awareness of their own talents as well as their own talents as well as those of othersthose of others

Types of “student Types of “student voice”voice”

Information

Collaboration

Auto-nomy

Students and adults together develop a vision of reform.

Students direct themselves, creating their own questions and developing action plans independent of adult support.

Adults use student perspectives as a form of raw knowledge

What does student voice What does student voice look like in practice? look like in practice? Does the development of Does the development of student voice significantly student voice significantly influence the school (andinfluence the school (andif so how)? if so how)?

Does student voice Does student voice influence the youth influence the youth involved in it?involved in it?

Whitman High School Whitman High School ContextsContexts• Low income and extremely diverse: Low income and extremely diverse:

• 57% of families receive public 57% of families receive public assistanceassistance

• 36% Latino, 19% Black, 17% White, 12% 36% Latino, 19% Black, 17% White, 12% Asian, 8% Filipino, 7% Pacific IslanderAsian, 8% Filipino, 7% Pacific Islander

• Community calls it a “ghetto” schoolCommunity calls it a “ghetto” school• 58% graduation rate58% graduation rate

• Focus on inquiry-driven reformFocus on inquiry-driven reform

Description of Student Description of Student Forum CaseForum Case Thirty students representing Thirty students representing

diversity of the schooldiversity of the school Began by analyzing focus Began by analyzing focus

group datagroup data Presented analysis to the Presented analysis to the

facultyfaculty

Problems Identified Problems Identified by Whitman Studentsby Whitman Students

Improve school reputationImprove school reputation Increase continuity between classesIncrease continuity between classes Raise standards and quality of teachingRaise standards and quality of teaching Counsel students on future plans Counsel students on future plans Create freshman orientation Create freshman orientation Develop communication between staff Develop communication between staff

and studentsand students

Main focus: Building Main focus: Building partnerships between partnerships between students and teachersstudents and teachers

-Teacher-Centered reforms-Teacher-Centered reforms-Student-Centered reforms-Student-Centered reforms

-What they did-Outcomes for the school-Outcomes for the youth involved

Student Forum: Focus ofStudent Forum: Focus ofTeacher-Centered Teacher-Centered ActivitiesActivities

• Involve students in school Involve students in school reform activities including reform activities including action research on improving action research on improving reading strategies and staff reading strategies and staff development trainings development trainings

•Analysis of textbook selectionsAnalysis of textbook selections•Wrote prompts for schoolwide Wrote prompts for schoolwide

writing assessmentswriting assessments

Student Forum: Student Forum: Outcomes of Teacher-Outcomes of Teacher-Centered ActivitiesCentered Activities

Students became:Students became: ““Experts” in domains of knowledge to Experts” in domains of knowledge to

which teachers did not have accesswhich teachers did not have access A bridge between teacher and A bridge between teacher and

student perspectivesstudent perspectives A source of teacher accountability A source of teacher accountability

and professionalismand professionalism

Changes in a teacher at Whitman:

“I think it makes me a much better teacher. Getting to know kids outside of the classroom… seeing how aware and how knowledgeable and how acutely... they (students) know what's up. They echo absolutely everything that myself and other colleagues have talked about in terms of dismay at…staff and resources…Their… keen awareness, as well as their excitement and willingness and desire to make things better is a good shot in the arm.”

Student Forum: Focus of Student Forum: Focus of Student-Centered Student-Centered ActivitiesActivities

Increase teacher understanding of Increase teacher understanding of studentsstudents

Create opportunities for youth to Create opportunities for youth to express their views and experiencesexpress their views and experiences

Involve teachers in: Forums on Involve teachers in: Forums on pressing issues in the school and pressing issues in the school and student-led tours of the neighborhood student-led tours of the neighborhood

Student Impression of Student Impression of the Tourthe Tour“It was cool. They learned where we lived, worked, the different territories, where we stay away from, where people get killed and hurt for being in the wrong areas. I thought it was really successful.”

Jeff Thompson, Student Tour Guide

Student Forum: Student Forum: Outcomes of Student-Outcomes of Student-Centered ActivitiesCentered ActivitiesTeachers:Teachers:

Developed an awareness of student Developed an awareness of student perspectives and concernsperspectives and concerns

Helped debunk stereotypes about youthHelped debunk stereotypes about youth

Indicated an increasing willingness to Indicated an increasing willingness to participate in future workparticipate in future work

Individual experiences: Individual experiences:

A Youth Development A Youth Development PerspectivePerspective AgencyAgency

BelongingBelonging

CompetenceCompetence

AgencyAgency

Belief that one can: Belief that one can:

Make a difference Make a difference

Be “heardBe “heard””

Lead othersLead others

BelongingBelonging

Connection to:Connection to:

Caring adultCaring adult

TeachersTeachers

School School

CompetenceCompetence

Problem solving and Problem solving and facilitation skillsfacilitation skills

Getting along with othersGetting along with others

Public speakingPublic speaking