This chat is moderated by Grapevine-Colleyville ISD educators where we discuss current education trends and deepen our learning. 1st and 3rd Thursdays at 8:30 PM CST September to May @msbearce @SBarkerEDU
A1: I have looked at the student lesson/project design teams resources and pulled pieces on a mini attempt last year. I hope to go full force with it again this semester. #gcisdchat
That's a great way to start! It'd be interesting to survey kids and ask them how they would most like to share their perspectives - kind of like a survey about surveying :). #gcisdchat
A1 when I began using student voice I depended on the sample surveys. I think the lesson design teams would be a good step to grow my practice! #gcisdchathttps://t.co/m11MsMTG4g
A1: I have used an “I wonder...” approach to researching topics of interest. It hits all the research TEKS and gives my early finishers an option to do something they WANT to do and something they are curious about. #gcisdchat
A1: I did something similar to the "Asking Students About Teaching" resource. At the end of the first semester I asked my students to write me a letter to share their feelings about the class so that I could make adjustments for the second semester #gcisdchat
A1 I have done surveys this year. I'd really like to have a student team that will help design/plan the lesson. I hope to try that next year. #gcisdchat
A1- There is something for everyone GCISD student voice website- whether you are looking for ways to get started or ways to deepen your practice. The "survey starters" have been a favorite this year. #gcisdchat#gcisdvoice
A2: I have found resources that show a math concept within real world application and STEM Careers. Giving the students this choice is powerful. #gcisdchat
#gcisdchat
A2: Spring semester last year I started "Genuis Hour" each Friday for students to research topics of their choice and then present to the class. Getting ready to launch it again this year!
A1: I sat 1:1 w/ 9th gr ASPIRE Ss. Wore jeans & sat on the floor. Learned lots! Thrilled to work in ISD where this sort of thing is encouraged. #gcisdchat#gcisdvoice
A2: Flipgrid gives ALL students an opportunity to speak because sometimes they do not want to say it or write it. Sometimes language is a barrier, so video has inspired many students to privately share from home. #gcisdchat
A1 I was a part of an ARD that included a student and it was so exciting and powerful to hear directly from the student about their needs and their goals #gcisdchat
A2 Sometimes just asking questions and listening works. I love when my students feel confident and comfortable enough to tell me what is working and what isn't. #gcisdchat
A1: I give student voice surveys on Fridays. They're called Feedback Fridays. I'm even having the students complete one tomorrow while I have a sub. They like giving their input on how they learn. #gcisdchat
A2: Another thing that has inspired student voice on our campus is teachers watching other teachers and hearing what other students are saying about their classrooms! The KIDS truly are our best resources! #gcisdchat
That's awesome. Once kids realize that your inquiry is sincere, and that you're going to actually listen, the trust that develops is amazing. #gcisdchat
A2 Our youngest learners use their voice to choose activities, give feedback, and jump feet first in. Animal habitat research pbl has become a staple in our room. Seeing Ss connections makes it so awesome! #gcisdchat
A1: I give student voice surveys on Fridays. They're called Feedback Fridays. I'm even having the students complete one tomorrow while I have a sub. They like giving their input on how they learn. #gcisdchat
You know, I have found many of mine simply like making a video of themselves using iMovie or whatever else they use. Same thing, different tool. :) #gcisdchat
The human connection of talking with students and sharing/discussing/collaborating is always invigorating.
Circling up and just talking — it’s amazing what kids will tell us if we just listen #gcisdchat
A3 Student choice can be student voice, but not all choice is voice. I think the difference is when you use student voice to design the choices in learning based on their needs and interests #gcisdchat
Q3: To me, voice is listening to their thoughts and opinions, and altering instruction to reflect those things. Choice is giving them options for ways to learn or even demonstrate mastery. #gcisdchat
A3: Choice is a great start but may still imply teacher-created options to choose from. Voice allows students an authentic means of sharing their own insights on how they learn best and why. #gcisdchat
A3:
Student Voice: hearing the student's thoughts, ideas, and input.
Student Choice: allowing the student to self-select their method(s) of learning which will reflect their voice
#gcisdchat
A3: I feel like choice is letting them answer a question, but voice is letting them ask the question. Both are awesome, but voice offers more ownership than choice #gcisdchat
That's awesome. Once kids realize that your inquiry is sincere, and that you're going to actually listen, the trust that develops is amazing. #gcisdchat
A3 Student choice can be student voice, but not all choice is voice. I think the difference is when you use student voice to design the choices in learning based on their needs and interests #gcisdchat
A3 "Providing choice can be confusing. If learners are choosing from a list of options from the teacher, then the teacher is ultimately the one responsible for the learning not the learner." How can choice be voice? Read more here https://t.co/aUOLUmghsW#gcisdchat#gcisdvoice
A3: I understand Choice to be when I provide the options and Ss choose from them, Voice is when they are in the driver’s seat, they “own” the lesson. #gcisdchat
A3: Student voice is about listening to kids and letting them know they are heard and acting on it, whether it is what they asked for or not. If not explaining why this is not able to happen. Choice is allowing Ss ownership in learning styles, activities, etc. #gcisdchat
Project based learning, interactive apps to have them show what they know by projecting their ideas, and one of my favorite projects is with google slides. Designing a slide to be their own and sharing as a group. #gcisdchat
A3: student voice - the culture you create for students to feel safe and confident to share their thoughts and ideas. student choice-differentiating instruction/assessments based on needs/preferences #gcisdchat
A3 choice implies Ss using T selected options. Voice means Ss had a role in identifying & creating instructional options & opportunities they value #gcisdchat
A1: Collaborative structures are crucial to student voice. Ss must feel safe to express themselves & talk in the classroom on a “real” level. If they aren’t expected to talk all week but are then given a survey, we aren’t truly empowering them to use their voice! #gcisdchat
A4: The funniest thing when I did this was the Ss looked at me and said, "You have to teach us ALL of THIS?" It built a little empathy in them. :) #gcisdchat
A4: When students use TEKS to plan lessons they see what our true focus is for designing the work that we do. It gives students a different perspective. #gcisdchat
A3: I feel like choice is letting them answer a question, but voice is letting them ask the question. Both are awesome, but voice offers more ownership than choice #gcisdchat
A4: It’s inquiry based learning! Students seeing the end goal and exploring how to get there is the same with starting class with an essential question and having the kids figure out how to answer it! Ss automatically are required to learn at a more rigorous level! #gcisdchat
A4 Anytime I have let students unpack the TEKS of a unit and then be a part of how they learn what they need to learn they are always more creative than I am! Their ideas inspire me #gcisdchat
A3: I feel like choice is letting them answer a question, but voice is letting them ask the question. Both are awesome, but voice offers more ownership than choice #gcisdchat
A4 Students break down TEKS in ways we may not think about. Seeing their process of thinking helps drive instruction in a more meaningful way. #gcisdchat
A3: Voice & Choice so different to me. Choice might be limited in scope/options. Voice = more open-ended. You can learn things you didn't think to ask. #gcisdchat#gcisdvoice
A4: One cool outcome of letting them plan lessons using TEKS is that students are exposed to content/concepts BEFORE the lesson. That way, the content will seem more meaningful and important to them when they see it in the lesson #gcisdchat
A2: using fellow teachers as collaborators! Shoutout to @SraQuack for ditching the standard vocabulary lists and inquiring about WHAT students wanted to learn in Spanish. Each unit we created was personalized to our students curiosity! #gcisdchat
Absolutely! I’ve noticed that when students “unpack” the TEKS and engage in a discussion of what mastery “looks like”...a student created rubric naturally appears! #gcisdchat
A4 - Watching students grapple with verb levels in the TEKS was so eye opening! They were deciding how long our class should spend teaching content TEKS based on the verb level. We had a new mutual respect for one another afterwards for sure!
#gcisdchat#gcisdvoice
A5 I meet with a focus group every grading period. It was the best decision I made as a new teacher! My students encouraged me and gave me practical suggestions on better classroom management as well as instruction! And they love seeing me implement their suggestions! #gcisdchat
A4: Ss need the big picture for their learning. They see the vast number but see how many we easily incorporate. And they understand that Ts aren’t winging it! #gcisdchat
A5: Before I did surveys, I had Circle Up sessions about a new project or activity once it was completed. I got good feedback from the students about what they liked / didn't like or would do differently. Things I wouldn't have thought. #gcisdchat
A4: I have discovered that we are almost naturally shifting to unpacking the TEKS with the kids, like we do our units. It helps them understand what they need to know and do - and helps me keep that focus too! #gcisdchat
A2: Student voice resources can be found in books which inspire us or w/strong characters who have found their voice. "I Am Malala" or "Green Card Youth Voices" are good examples.
A5- Novelty is an important factor in student engagement. I fear too many surveys that result in too little change might actually be detrimental to achieving true #studentvoice. So excited to hear Ts share other possible options #gcisdchat
@DavidDenning2 has our administrative team meet with student groups periodically to find out how things are going and how we can improve the learning experience. Then, most importantly, we try to ACT on what they share with us when possible. #gcisdchat
SV over time can become more natural...it’s more of a culture thing than an action. Informal checks before you dive into a new lesson, asking for feedback live as you notice the need for changes, debriefing after lessons/projects #gcisdchat
A3: In S voice they share personal experiences, perspectives, learning preferences, passions etc. In S choice it’s more of their options regarding how they meet learning standards #gcisdchat
A5: student voice should be seamless in the culture of the class. In AVID there are high expectations for seeing value in your own voice as well as others, but we ensure it is safe by building on our AVID family. #gcisdchat
One of the things I love most abt AVID. Seamless integration of student voice with identity, self worth, self advocacy, and openness towards others. #gcisdchat
A5: student voice should be seamless in the culture of the class. In AVID there are high expectations for seeing value in your own voice as well as others, but we ensure it is safe by building on our AVID family. #gcisdchat
A5: surveys and circle time get results but reaching out with students through leadership roles and Ss and Ts lunch bunch build value Once Ss saw me listening and acting on their ideas they felt empowered to share more. #gcisdchat
A5 Goal setting has been an integral role in the SET class. Our students have some unique ways of using student voice. However, they want to be successful with the correct supports. #gcisdchat
YES! It has been the most amazing new learning in my teaching. Keeps us focused on what we need to get done and not off track on something that's just fun, but that will not get us to master our skills. Intentional focus! #gcisdchat
A5: Student voice has to begin with relationships, then surveys, etc. SV starts with relentlessly striving to truly know your students. If you don’t say my name right, but you want to know what I think about a class project...am I going to feel like my voice is valued? #gcisdchat
A6 Follow @stu_voice on Twitter. So much of their work is at the far right of the continuum of voice and establishes students as leaders in their schools, communities, and nation. #gcisdvoice#gcisdchat
One of the things I love most abt AVID. Seamless integration of student voice with identity, self worth, self advocacy, and openness towards others. #gcisdchat
A5: student voice should be seamless in the culture of the class. In AVID there are high expectations for seeing value in your own voice as well as others, but we ensure it is safe by building on our AVID family. #gcisdchat
#gcisdchat A3: Voice - Ss share ideas, ask for help/feedback, express their opinions/thoughts &/or lead from where they are. Choice - Ss make decisions re: who/what/ where their learning occurs. It's advocacy vs. ownership. #SafeEnvironment
I’ve stopped in the middle of a lesson and asked for honest feedback when I realized it was crashing. Luckily my Ss had great ideas that I used for the next classes. #gcisdchat
I agree! It becomes your mindset because that is what you do. We are here for kids and want to be awesome for them, so why not ask input? Once you take the first step, it is easier to take the second and so on. It becomes your normal daily practice. #gcisdchat
SV over time can become more natural...it’s more of a culture thing than an action. Informal checks before you dive into a new lesson, asking for feedback live as you notice the need for changes, debriefing after lessons/projects #gcisdchat
A6 Even the youngest of learners can set their mind to change to promote change and self advocacy. They aim to please and warm the hearts of many. #gcisdchat
#gcisdchat Q4: Ss who learn to take control of their learning now w/help them take the reigns of their life & profession later on. It can lead to a strong Legacy.
Research supports that if students can't see that their voice has been heard it can have a negative impact. Hearing doesn't have to mean doing, but it does mean acknowledging. #gcisdchat#gcisdvoice
A5- Novelty is an important factor in student engagement. I fear too many surveys that result in too little change might actually be detrimental to achieving true #studentvoice. So excited to hear Ts share other possible options #gcisdchat
It definitely takes courage, but when introduced with a little pep talk on kindness and how to give constructive feedback, I've seen kids respond well. #gcisdchat
In reply to
@Mr_Isbell, @GypsyMishoe, @MichaelCrow03, @DavidDenning2
A6: Most of my experiences have been teacher and learner-centered, but I get really pumped up when I think about students at the activism stage. As a Government teacher, I'm always trying to get my students to be more involved in real world decision-making #gcisdchat
Same here- There have been times I have stopped in my tracks and asked the kids "So, when exactly did i lose you guys" Ss nonverbal cues can provide us some of the most important feedback. #gcisdchat
A6 we had a lunch PD @CmsColts with @JessicaHHeaton and it was amazing to see how we were all over the place - sometimes in a unit- sometimes in a class period! Bring mindful of that helped our study group. #gcisdchat
#gcisdchat A5: @school Ss can have conversations w/o fear while 1-1 w/teacher re: learning likes & dislikes. @home, MAG respectfully disagrees and knows he w/be heard. It's all about approach & implementation.
A7: It all starts with ensuring ALL students have agency! When we pull focus groups to gain insight from students, do those groups reflect the demographics of our campus? Do our students leaders on campus mirror our student population as a whole? #gcisdchat
I was just going to say we were talking about how we wish this wasn't a staircase going up like we must be up. Just being on the continuum is a huge deal. Some days it is one end and some days we hit another, but we are moving and growing daily! #gcisdchat
A6 we had a lunch PD @CmsColts with @JessicaHHeaton and it was amazing to see how we were all over the place - sometimes in a unit- sometimes in a class period! Bring mindful of that helped our study group. #gcisdchat
I do believe there are some "safer" ways to ask questions that can eliminate the need for tough skin. Your colleagues might feel more comfortable starting with the "getting started with voice" survey starters on this page https://t.co/9EMLpPnR8m#gcisdchat
In reply to
@Mr_Isbell, @osunewell, @GypsyMishoe, @MichaelCrow03, @DavidDenning2
A7 thinking bigger for me will be giving Ss more of a voice in the moment. Stopping mid workshop and asking them how they might show what they have learned. #gcisdchat
A7: We have to get kids on board. It goes back to making sure they feel their opinions are valued. When we include them in the conversation teaching and learning can take a whole new direction and impact the atmosphere of our classroom. #gcisdchat
I agree that ownership comes with involvement. Once Ss find a passion and purpose on campus it is easier to guide towards a leadership role. #gcisdchat
#gcisdchat student voice even has places in district level departments . I have student voice meetings monthly on campus regarding technology ... the good ... the bad and the ugly . Key is acting on what you learn . It’s been very rewarding and impactful
Thinking big...what stories does data leave out? As we look at numbers/data and make decisions based on them...how can we incorporate our Ss voice in this process? #gcisdchat
A8 I learned how compassionate and engaged my students have been. They encourage and uplift US and want to do their best. Hearing their conversations and thoughts is the highlight of my day. #gcisdchat
A8 I learned that a group of 8th graders could design a lesson more powerful than two trained educators could when they are given the right tools, instruction, and support! Love @MrsA_GCISD and what she has done for students! #gcisdchat#gcisdvoice
A8: I really hear what their needs are, and almost 100% of time they are social emotional( hugs, friends, sleep, less work, to see parents more, snacks & more snacks, etc.)! This is where it must begin to get to the academics. #gcisdchat
I learned very early on that the sooner the better when getting student voice involved . Especially at district level since it can take more time to build the trust .#gcisdchat
A7: It all starts with ensuring ALL students have agency! When we pull focus groups to gain insight from students, do those groups reflect the demographics of our campus? Do our students leaders on campus mirror our student population as a whole? #gcisdchat
#gcisdchat A8: Trust & strong relationships. Ss appreciate being heard but trust you when there is action. I still have Ss from 10+yrs ago that call & write. With me they trust they'll be heard.
A8: The feedback about my weekly homework assignments has been really helpful. I don't want to keep going down the wrong path if my students aren't engaged by their tasks. I've definitely taken a couple of broken elements out of my class this year #gcisdchat
A8: Academically, the most profound I got back was that they do not want so much technology. They are tired of all their classes being in Google Classroom. This is why I try to provide options for both in all that I do. #choiceandvoice! #gcisdchat
A9 Thanks for the good conversation! I feel challenged to try student lesson design teams. I'm also about to read Quaglia's book on student voice #gcisdchat
A9: My biggest takeaway is that our kids are in great hands. I'm looking forward to seeing some of the ideas that have been shared get put into action. #gcisdchat
A8: Ss have taught me that it is ok to talk about important real-life issues that can be uncomfortable. If we don’t provide ss with the platform to find value in their voice with difficult topics now, what kind of leaders are we creating in the future? #gcisdchat
#gcisdchat A9: Awareness is my biggest takeaway. Many EL's & their families are still looking for their voice. Conversations such as these spark more ideas that help me help them!
