Personalized environment and opportunities for student voice
Giving students a voice in school (and life) decisions builds leadership and thinking skills at the same time that it engages students as active members of the school community. Some ways that schools can encourage student voice are as follows:
- Ask students to suggest themes, books, and topics to study (especially during the advisory program or homeroom period—see the section on advisories in Chapter 5, “Relationships”).
- Encourage students to discuss homework policies.
- Engage students in debate about teen issues, such as the dress code, cell phone use, proper Internet usage, and curfews.
Allowing for student voice makes schools more democratic, and democratic schools tend to have fewer discipline problems, more civic involvement, higher student engagement, and higher achievement.1
In the Spotlight
Herbert Hoover Middle School (Outside Source), San Jose Unified School District. This visual and performing arts and technical arts magnet school offers students a chance to express their concerns and practice their writing talents through the student newsletter. The school's Web site, includes examples of the student work.
The April 2006 issue of Educational Leadership was titled Teaching the Tweens (Outside Source). The video shows students actively engaged in learning during a lesson that incorporates teamwork and participation.
Teaching the Tween Brain
Read the ASCD transcript (Outside source).
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Developmentally Responsive Middle Grades Practices
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Student perceptions about their competence
Footnote
1 Susan Black, “Listening to Students,” American School Board Journal, Vol. 192, No. 11 (November 2005).