#suptchat I am Brian Troop, Supt of Ephrata Area SD in PA. We engage student voice in a variety of F2F and virtual ways within our district. Regular standing meetings with admin and impromptu dialogue on issues. Using @Schoology forum and social media too!
Hello, all! Scott, current PK-3 principal, future supt on July 1, tweeting from beautiful Southern Illinois. I seek student voice by asking questions and listening. A lot can be learned this way. #Suptchat
Dominic, assistant principal at #WeAreLakePark in Roselle! Happy to join in-I'll mostly be learning and reading along tonight while chasing the little ones around! #suptchat
A1 #suptchat Increasing student agency at the school board level can take shape in many ways student board members, student presenters at board meetings - take their voices from invisible to invaluable
A1: At EASD, we have a student representative on the Board who provides a building update for each school, each month. We also have a student presentation with Q&A at each voting meeting. Our board loves hearing from students! #Suptchat
A1: At EASD, we have a student representative on the Board who provides a building update for each school, each month. We also have a student presentation with Q&A at each voting meeting. Our board loves hearing from students! #Suptchat
A1: In the future, we will be looking at having students report to the board on schools events/issues, and in turn, students will report to the student body and community board news. #suptchat
Literally in almost every way in every district student voice should be amplified. We have a responsibility to listen to our customer and our BOSS #suptchat
#suptchat Good evening! I'm Mike Lubelfeld, the superintendent of schools in @dps109 through June 30, then @NSSD112 With @npolyak and @MCUSDSupe we wrote Student Voice: From Invisible to Invaluable to elevate the power & influence of student voice intransformation of our schools.
Hi! I am Ashley Liss. I am a Digital Learning Coach @CUSD300. I seek student voice
by listening to what students say - and taking their advice to improve. #suptchat
Dave Palzet, proud superintendent of @PdaleSD in Burr Ridge, IL. Student voice is woven throughout our strategic blueprint. We host student committees & have students included in school decisions. #suptchat
A1: Two years ago, we started placing two students on our School Board (one from each high school). @noellel27 actually wrote a section of our book about her experience! #suptchat
I am Sharon Frys from the DuPage ROE. My previous role was an assistant superintendent in Community Consolidated District 93 in Carol Stream. We involved students by meeting with school leaders various issues to share perspective and potential solutions #suptchat
Q1-We are stepping slowly into student agency at the BOE level by creating opportunities for students to engage with the Board and have meaningful input into decisions, actions and projects/initiatives #suptchat
A1: Two years ago, we started placing two students on our School Board (one from each high school). @noellel27 actually wrote a section of our book about her experience! #suptchat
A1: we had students present at every board meeting giving their perspective on their learning experiences and had them on our strategic planning committee. #suptchat
A1: student prez at boe on areas aligned to PBL- gave insight into budget, planning, and course offerings. Also- student advisory committee continues to influence. #suptchat
A1: student prez at boe on areas aligned to PBL- gave insight into budget, planning, and course offerings. Also- student advisory committee continues to influence. #suptchat
A2: Students have been part of the decision-making processes in your school/district through committee representation, walk throughs, via surveys, through planning events - technology, science lab/learning spaces, furniture and more #SuptChat
A2: This is an area where we are really starting to hit well using design challenges at EASD! So far we built a MS Makerspace designed by students, updated a playground and are about to start a $2 million media center project co-designed by HS students! #suptchat
Q2-We have a Student Leadership Committee at the middle and elementary levels. Students are also engaged in decision making in their Discovery Zone (Genius Hour) Projects #suptchat
A1: Having students present to Board on an initiative that is being implemented at a school. This focuses on the students’ perspective on a pilot or program. Let’s look at an initiative from a student’s POV. #suptchat
A2: On a smaller scale & more wide-spread, in classrooms - we are using more open-ended projects to learn and apply knowledge/skills and performance-based assessments as part of our emphasis on personalization. Students choose how they learn and demonstrate mastery. #suptchat
Q2-We have a Student Leadership Committee at the middle and elementary levels. Students are also engaged in decision making in their Discovery Zone (Genius Hour) Projects #suptchat
A1: Having students present to Board on an initiative that is being implemented at a school. This focuses on the students’ perspective on a pilot or program. Let’s look at an initiative from a student’s POV. #suptchat
A2: in dev... currently student advisory. Also ms and hs has governance council w community and teacher reps- we’ve added student reps to this. #suptchat
A2: On a smaller scale & more wide-spread, in classrooms - we are using more open-ended projects to learn and apply knowledge/skills and performance-based assessments as part of our emphasis on personalization. Students choose how they learn and demonstrate mastery. #suptchat
A2: We viewed them as equal stakeholders - giving them a time and place to voice their comments, suggestions, etc just as we would community members, families, staff, etc. #suptchat
A2: We viewed them as equal stakeholders - giving them a time and place to voice their comments, suggestions, etc just as we would community members, families, staff, etc. #suptchat
A2: We have several student advisories based on topic/interest and often have students in the planning of events, program changes, or even in the initial brainstorming process to hear their perspective. #suptchat
A2: Students are part of the decision making through surveys, working in committees, and through student leadership teams, like Student Council. Just talking with students when in hallways or classroom is helpful. #suptchat
A2 created a leadership board with S’s from different clubs athletics and T recommendations who are helping us with different ideas, project and feedback #suptchat
A2 I currently have a Superintendent Advisory Council of students in grades 6-8. They are developing homework policies - can't wait to see their final product.
A2: Currently the two middle schools in my district are revamping our PBIS framework. One of our next steps is to involve students in our committees. They will take our efforts beyond our expectations. #suptchat
A3: Students can create different layouts for different types of actvities. Then they can have discussions to vet out some different pitfalls and advantages to suggested layouts. #suptchat
A3: Sts always exceed expectations when given a real task of designing their space! Give them parameters and let them loose on a design challenge (with architect consultation) THEN have them present the concept to the Board! #SlamDunk#Suptchat
A3: How can students be involved in the design or re-design of learning spaces? #SuptChat We write about this in Chapter 5: School Design/Structures: What is School? The Cemetery Effect
Student Input in Science Lab Redesign-The new library-Learning Commons
Common areas
Summary
A3: We have to understand that schools don't exist for teachers to have jobs. Schools exist for students to learn. They should have a strong voice in how their school is re-designed. #suptchat
A3: When I was in the classroom I started the year with a semi-empty design and asked the students what they wanted and why they wanted it that way. Then we worked together to make it happen through the year. #suptchat
A3 looking to redo library. Looking to see how it can be a better space for S’. Planning to get T ideas and share w S’s so they can expand on our adult ideas! #suptchat
A3 Create the space for it at the classroom, building and district level. The classroom is the real day to day, make sure Ts are empowered to develop a S centered design #suptchat
A3: Students know how and where they learn best. Give them the opportunity to design learning spaces and they will! It can be as simple as a brainstorming sessions, sketches, presentations or class/school challenges. #suptchat
A3: seek meaningful input and empower. In our reno now- MS and HS TSA working on media center.. do need to expand to more- but first start is good #suptchat
A3: If you ask students, many don't know what is possible. Having students visit progressive schools to gain a perspective will lead to questions and suggestions if they are given a voice. It should be about their needs. #suptchat
I’ve looked into this in my last district. Would love to do this transformation. Started small w a 7 habits class in our specials rotation. Definitely need to expand! #suptchat
Asked students to solve a parent pick up issue-divided them into two teams-team design that exited the parents the quickest won lunch for their team. Student-designed exit process is still in place at that school. Give them a problem-they CAN solve it! #suptchat
A3: When I was in the classroom, I had flexible seating and the students were constantly redesigning the classroom to meet their needs. It was fluid and I learned to be flexible. #suptchat
A4: I often refer to the story on p. 95 from Dariusz Warzocha and his video project. @MCUSDSupe could have told this story, but look at the impact the story has coming from a student voice. Student voice is POWERFUL! #suptchat
A4: Students have a unique perspective and not including them provides an incomplete picture. More importantly, promoting the student voice shows they are respected and valued by the school and community - a good message for them to repeatedly hear in 2018. #suptchat
Q4: Why is it important to empower/allow students to tell the story of your schools and district?
#suptchat It's important because the kids' story is what's matter!
End of Chapter feature ASK'EM (ask, support, know, empower, monitor)
Q4: Why is it important to empower/allow students to tell the story of your schools and district?
#suptchat It's important because the kids' story is what's matter!
End of Chapter feature ASK'EM (ask, support, know, empower, monitor)
In no other industry do we discount the opinion of the consumer like education. If we want to get better, the best path to information is through the #stuvoice#suptchat
Q4-Empowering students to tell our story is more authentic and powerful. Our stakeholders want to hear from our kids and need to hear from our kids #suptchat
A3. Just remembered our STEM teacher is having our students redesign our outdated playground. We are a 5-8 building and really no need for the monkey bars! Will be presenting at BOE #suptchat
A4. The Ss are true ambassadors for the learning that takes place and can communicate their experiences in a more authentic manner than we can. #suptchat
A4: The schools exist for the students. The community wants to see what students are doing and their successes. Empowering kids to tell the story feeds this desire to see students growing. #suptchat
A3 - Having students design learning spaces at my school at this point is limited to their input for classroom arrangement. We're also looking at moving toward a learning commons for our LRC and are thinking of this as an opportunity to expand this concept. #suptchat
A4: If we want Ss to take ownership of their education, we have to give them a voice. The only reason we are here is because of Ss so we need to empower them. #suptchat
nearly halfway through tonight's #suptchat and we have active representatives from 20% of the United States! IL, VA, PA, NJ, GA, WI, CA, KY, AL, NY - wow! Way to represent leadership and #stuvoice tonight @MCUSDSupe@npolyak
A4: Students are the walking anthropologists of a school. They will be the most honest about what is happening in every hallway and in every classroom #suptchat
A4 they tell our successes and failures every day when their parents ask them “ how was school” the answers depend on how well we did. We need their voice to make their world awesome @ school! #suptchat
"In many top-performing nations, administrators also teach part of the day or the week, which occurs only rarely in American schools." https://t.co/opCmubzuJZ#edadmin#suptchat
A4: Ss have a unique and authentic perspective. Their voice is invaluable compared to myself or others in the schools. No politics or agenda, just honesty about their experience. #suptchat
A5: Our shift to learner-centered has made real progress since we identified our profile of a grad called Life Ready Graduate (LRG). The process is helping align each learner’s individual path along the 12 features of the LRG. https://t.co/s5V6reMdg9#suptchat
A5: What are you doing in your school/district to shift towards a learner-centered environment? #SuptChat
Experiment in Team Fusion this year and various pilots like Exact Path and Genius Hour, EdCamp, Instructional Coaches training and supporting teachers, book studies
A5: We have been creating student-centered activities with @haikulearning and coaching teachers with the guideance of @APascoEdTech to lead students with more differentiating and less teacher-centered instruction. #suptchat
A4: I have found my students’ voices to be the most accurate in telling me/us what they need to be successful. Allowing them to tell the story of the school or district represents a very real, believable, authentic picture of what they think about our sevice. #suptchat
A4 It is their story which should be of great value to us as leaders. Also benefit in developing skills crucial to becoming productive citizens with voice. #suptchat
A5: When making decisions, we always bring ourselves back to what is best for kids. If it's all about our students, schools are naturally learner-centered. #suptchat
A5: Just completed our inaugural EdTech 301 PD cohort where a group of incredible teachers tackled just this. They are looking at how to redefine what we do; learner-centered lessons, flexible spaces, new instructional possibilities & more. #suptchat
A3. So excited by this chat! Participatory school design is putting ownership of learning back where it should be--with students and families! Check out https://t.co/ngrlx7uRZh They are doing good work. #suptchat
A4. When we empower students we give them a sense of ownership over their own destiny; we help them realize that their internal willpower is stronger than any outside force or obstacles #suptchat
Inquiry/problem based learning. Honor student interest. Creating collaborative learning environments. Focus on SEL skills. Open ended assessments. Focus on relationships with students #suptchat
A4. When students feel their voices aren’t heard they may comply, but they won’t engage; we inadvertently invite them to disconnect from their own journeys. Same is true of educators; ownership, engagement, and empowerment are a triad. #suptchat
A5: Several of our teachers are empowering students to contribute to their lessons through a plus/delta/Rx reflection at the end of a lesson. Not a surprise that these teachers have wonderful relationships with their students. #suptchat
A5: Increase the amount of collaborative project-based assignments for Ss to show mastery using their strengths. The teacher is there to help guide (not give) Ss to reach their potential throughout the process. #suptchat
A6: Inclusive leaders are grown when inclusive leadership is shown. Elevating student voice demonstrates that those with power value those without - the students. This is good for our school, community, nation and world. #Suptchat
A6: By listening to Ss voice, interests, passions and even what prevents them from connecting, we can work to meet their needs. This helps create lasting engagement and involvement, supporting the whole student. #SuptChat
A6: How does student voice help support equity in your schools, the community, and the world? #suptchat
Read about this in
Chapter 8: Helping Students Define Equity: Engage Students in the Equity Discussion
Chapter 9: Teacher Evaluation: Give Students a Voice
A6: now more than ever it is important for students to feel empowered to make a difference. We can show them that and develop that belief and process within our classrooms daily! How lucky are we?? #suptchat
A5: Students must be the center of learning. It's their education. We need to make sure they are actively engaged with Collaborating, assisting each other, critical thinking, and choosing how to demonstrate their understanding. #suptchat
A4) Besides the fact that it is their story to tell, students need to practice using their voices powerfully in the world. What better way than to be ambassadors for their schools as well as advocates for what we can improve. #suptchat
A4. Students and teachers tell the stories best. When stories come from the ground level they are authentic and real. A 30,000 foot view will never provide what an on-site and in the trenches view can...it’s where the action happens! #suptchat
A6: Fundamentally, Ss want access to high-quality learning experiences that prepare them for their futures. When they talk to one another, they know when their experiences are not the same. Students understand equity better than we think they do. #suptchat
A6: Student voice is such an important component to learning. Expanding their audience across schools, states, countries, is possible every day! We need to embrace the power of technology to increase student voice in our world. #suptchat
A6 Ss have a better handle on how to navigate the biases and barriers that impede their learning. All we have to do is empower them to act and/or respond in order when they use their voice in organic ways to impact change... #suptchat
A7: What are your thoughts on including student voice in the evaluations of teachers and administrators? #suptchat
I'm all for it - the more input the better. I ask students to complete a Student Engagement Survey to get their macro voice
A7: Consolidated data from students on elements that they have a unique perspective on - like relevance, relationship, autonomy - could be interpreted and used together with the teacher or principal as part of their evaluation, guiding reflective dialogue. #Suptchat
A7: As an educator, I would be highly interested how students viewed my leadership. Student voice would be powerful as a non-weighted factor in evaluations. It would be very similar to the 360 Degree Feedback found in the business world. #suptchat
A6: Nationally we are seeing students taking a voice, and demonstrating their ability to use it for change. Give them the opportunity in their communities to make a difference and watch acceptance of diversity grow. #suptchat
A7: When I get my oil changed, they always email me to see how they did. Shouldn't feedback from students to teachers be more important than feedback on oil changes? #suptchat
A7: As an educator, I would be highly interested how students viewed my leadership. Student voice would be powerful as a non-weighted factor in evaluations. It would be very similar to the 360 Degree Feedback found in the business world. #suptchat
Probably even need the next step where those on the field invite those on the sidelines into the game. Inclusion? Collaboration? Community? #stuvoice#suptchat
A7: While many are afraid of what Ss might say, if we don't bother to ask, we are failing them. Ss voice, Ss feedback, Ss insight is what should drive our decision making. #suptchat
A7: half way through the year I had parent & S’s evaluate” me, my teaching style, relationships, communication, professionalism, etc. it did not go towards my formal eval for the district but was great feedback that lead to meaningful change #suptchat
Incredible #suptchat thank you @MCUSDSupe for rocking the international chat for superintendents and all interested in leadership - one more question tonight coming up Q8! @npolyak bring you the chat every month on the 1st Wed - April TBD, May 2nd - with guest host @pammoran
Q3: This is a great question. I need to do a better job of involving students on the redesign of our learning spaces of our 60 year old building. #suptchat
A7: Ts should love to have feedback from Ss, and should request it regularly...”How am I doing?” “How can I make things better for you.” As a T, you can learn so much by asking, and the tweaks you make could be game-changing. #suptchat
A8: In learner centered design, student perception of reality is the one we are trying to impact the most, therefor their voice should be represented with the others in a similar proportion. #Suptchat
A8: How do you balance student voice with the voices of all other stakeholders? (teachers, parents, community, etc...) #SuptChat
All voices are powerful, all voices have a place at the table, all voices matter!
Leaders make decision based upon input - situational leadership
A7:When I was teaching I loved the times my students were honest on their anonymous year-end evaluation & those students who were confident enough to talk w/ me one-to-one had such an impact on my instruction. Got me thinking how I can solicit this as an administrator! #suptchat
A5) Every school I work with, I advocate that they allow Ss to choose to do Read Right to get better at reading--so far, most schools use it solely as an intervention and put Ss in by test scores. #suptchat
As someone who does this regularly, it should not be part evaluation; However,Ss Voice MUST be in the classroom DURING learning. Done regularly in the classroom environment. Ss can own learning throught the "we" community you build #suptchat
Q4: We are currently allowing our students to tell the story of the importance in voting for the Mar. 20th County Facilities Sales Tax. The public is more interested in hearing the students perspective. #suptchat#powerofapenny
A8: All of our stakeholder voices are crucial. Today, with the tech available to quickly ask for input and feedback, it's crucial that we are regularly connecting with our families & community and using that feedback to grow. #suptchat
A8: Therein lies one of the great challenges of running a school district. It belongs to everyone (students/parents/community/teachers/more), so they should all have a voice in decisions. #suptchat
A7: As a teacher, Ss noticed repetitive vocabulary in my instruction, little habits I never knew I had, even a small stain on a tie. Why would we not want their voice to get feedback? Ss input is key to my improvement. #suptchat
Q6: ASKEM-their voice engages the students in taking ownership for their learning and helping us to make sure we are meeting their future education preparation needs. #suptchat
We look forward to seeing you on April 4, 2018. #suptchat Thanks to @npolyak@MCUSDSupe and thank you all for making #suptchat the best hour of PD all month!
A6) Student voice is at the center of our quest for equity in education. Real learning only happens when we own the learning. Giving power to students for what and when and how they are learning opens that door to ownership. #suptchat
A8: Ss are the reason I'm there so I value the most! It takes a mature person, because you can not take things personal and have to know Ss to understand all their feedback (short term memory, factors in to response, ask them questions when you need more clarification) #suptchat
Big Thanks to @mikelubelfeld, @npolyak & @AASAHQ for another great #Suptchat Important topics and questions tonight! You guys should write a book on this stuff…
build the culture, create authentic engagement and the input will guide/drive - in @dps109 we ask students in grades 3-8 for Student Engagement Survey input #engage109#suptchat#stuvoice
I think there is a place for it. If it’s used to improve learning, that’s the goal. The skeptical side of me says what about the students who just want to complain and at what age do we start?
