Students want a voice!

It is clear that young people want to speak out

The ultimate goal of inspiring student voice is to engage and empower students, both individually and collectively, so that they can act on their empowerment and that their learning experiences are meaningful to them.

The student voice in the classroom and their opinions prepare them to exercise their voice effectively as they enter adulthood and also have an opinion on how they learn best.

Their values, opinions, beliefs, and perspectives to learning experiences, teaching approaches, promoting their interests, passions, and ambitions are key to their personal development and require an environment where they can be listened to and their preferences, interests, and perspectives valued.

This can ignite their passions and increases their persistence and personal leadership skills.

ISC has conducted research on whether schools value student voice within their own communities and its impact

Download the report Listening to international student voices

There is no doubt that international schools are recognised for the globally minded thinking that they develop in their students.

The ISS research identified that there was a real concern about student voice relating to mental health.

Only 42% of students believe their international school is addressing mental health issues well.

Other issues that were raised were gender equality, racial bias and environmental issues as well as global issues.

Students definitely want a voice!

In only 40% of international schools, students feel they can speak out and their opinions valued in their school.

59% of the students feel uncomfortable sharing their opinions within their school whereas the teachers and leaders welcome student voice.

The main areas where student voice are really welcome are events, wellbeing, the environment and service (50% of schools).

When it comes to learning, curriculum, leadership, policy or recruitment, student opinion is sought by fewer than 50% of international schools.

Student feedback

It is recognised by the students that not all student feedback can and will be developed into any kind of action, they just want their voices to be authentically heard.

Authentic Student Voice and agency

Authentic student voice provides opportunities for students to collaborate and make decisions with adults on matters related to their learning, their passions, their dreams and also to understand how their learning is assessed.?

This is different to student agency which refers to the level of autonomy that they develop in the learning environment.

Clearly student voice, agency and leadership plays a central role in improving student outcomes and supporting student safety and wellbeing by empowerment.

Benefits of elevating student voice

Students have a unique perspective on how high-level decisions impact the day-to-day life of the school. They have a valuable opinion.

By listening to students, schools can make informed decisions about the changes that will best support all learners fin the school.

For example their opinion on how they learn from their perspectives will inform teaching styles and learning activities to enable them to make better progress in an engaging learning environment.

Student leadership

Just as important, when students are engaged authentically as leaders, problem-solvers, and decision-makers, these experiences give them an understanding and ownership of how learning is implemented in their school with students experiencing a sense of agency.

They also develop the ability to make decisions and take actions that impact their own trajectory and they learn that they can have influence on the wider world.

When students have a sense of agency, they believe that their own active participation matters and they are more likely to take action.

A sense of identity

Schools can foster a sense of identity, agency, community, and belonging by providing a variety of thoughtful leadership opportunities for all students—(not just those who regularly volunteer to lead) - so that they can contribute both in and outside of the classroom.

This includes actively engaging students who don’t typically take on leadership roles by recognising that the knowledge, life experience, and culture of all students’ are assets to the school community and providing them opportunities to celebrate their experiences, skills, talents.

Power dynamics

It is important to consider the power dynamics between adults and students at the school.

While it may not be realistic for young people to engage and initiate all action, teachers and leaders can be intentional and purposeful about how to elevate student voice and engagement to improve learning and their own destiny a sense of value.

Benefits of student voice

• It improves self-awareness, as students define their own values and perspectives, gain awareness of personal strengths, and gain a sense of self-efficacy.
• It empowers self-management, as students practice self-motivation and organisational skills when working towards a goal they’ve set.
• It sensitises them to become more socially aware, as students recognise the perspectives of others when many different voices are elevated.
• It improves relationship skills, as students practice communicating and engaging others in shared ideas and goals.
• It helps them make responsible decision-making, as students identify and solve problems in their classroom, school, and community.

In the ISS report 54% of students in the research said they believe they have seen an improvement in the elevation of student voice in their school during the past two years.

However, some students spoke out throughout the survey about what they see as limited, patronising or tokenistic changes.

The ISC Survey and how it can help

This is such an interesting report.

I found that it can assist you in evaluating your approach to student voice and to informally benchmark where your school currently sits on a student voice continuum - also sharing case studies of international schools implementing initiatives to value student voice in ways that are developing learner agency.

The students are the future, their voice will make the future, we need to inspire them to dream and dream big!

Dr. Tassos Anastasiades