In every person, there is a voice. For some, they are hidden behind the curtains of discouragement and fear. What happens when the voice you have inside isn't allowed to be heard? Everyone has their own opinions, beliefs, perspectives, and choices that should be acknowledged. “The Curious Times” is dedicated to promoting student voice and helping students become more comfortable with sharing their thoughts.
The encouragement of student voices should arguably be widely supported in schools. Most people agree that the participation of students greatly depends on student commitment and feedback, which is ultimately impacted by their peers and adult role models. “How Implementing Voice & Choice Can Improve Student Engagement” from the Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute agrees, “...giving students choice means providing them with options and allowing students to choose what works best for them.”
It is also an excellent aspect of the concept our school has been attempting to implement more frequently: SEL (social emotional learning). With the strength of student voice, students may make proper educational decisions and contribute to a more positive school environment.
As a summary, I have allowed students to share their voice and conducted interviews with them regarding their opinions on student voice.
Q: “What do you think the promotion of student voice is about?”
A: One student remarks, “Student voice is a great way to express thoughts and feelings throughout our school community.”
Another peer adds, “It’s when students can voice their opinion and are usually encouraged to.”
Q: “As one individual, how would you like to spread your voice?”
A: An anonymous student notes, “I would express my hobbies and share ideas with friends.”
Q: “If the student voice campaign was promoted more visually in our school, would you be for or against it? How would you contribute?”
A: One student says, “It should be promoted more so more kids can express their ideas.”
Q: “In your opinion, how does student voice contribute to the school environment?
A: Our final interviewee comments, “It helps make the school better by allowing students to say what they like and don’t like. In addition, kids will be able to talk about topics to an audience when they usually can’t.”
This is “Student Voice” with “The Curious Times”! As an afterthought, how would you impact your school community and share your voice? Whether it may simply be participating more frequently in class or helping with world issues through campaigns, remember that your voice and opinions matter.