- What valuable insights can we learn from our young people about how schools should work?
- How do young people define their pathways to success?
- How do we empower young people to engage in conversations about education, learning, and the purpose of school?
- How do we encourage adults to listen when they speak?
- Where are young people learning in their communities, other than in school?
Student Interviews were conducted with young people of various ages to inform my research. Here are the guiding questions from my interviews (borrowed from StoryCorps):
The following students interview responses can be accessed by clicking their name or link to blog posting:
A common thread through these stories, and others that were not posted, was the importance of relationships in learning. You have to know your students and genuinely care about your students. This makes the learning so much more powerful. Young people can see right through disingenuous care comments. It doesn't earn respect or kindness - only dismissal and disdain. If you aren't in this because you love kids, get out of the way. There are plenty of other careers out there.
- Do you enjoy school?
- What kind of student are you?
- What do you do for fun?
- How would your classmates describe you?
- What are your best memories from elementary school? What about middle school? What were you best high school memories? What about your worst memories from each?
- Is there a teacher, or teachers, who had a particularly strong influence on your life?
- Do you have any favorite stories from school?
The following students interview responses can be accessed by clicking their name or link to blog posting:
- Mohamed completed both surveys and is a constant source of inspiration for me.
- Ami met me for coffee and shared her story. Read about it HERE.
- Alexis met me for a hamburger so we could catch up. Read his story HERE.
- Autumn was kind enough to share her perspective from her High School years in Florida.
- Kids like Cole remind me that not every experience is a bad one or one that needs to be changed.
- Emma's response shares the importance of parent and family connections to the classroom.
- John talks about grades and about the importance of his relationships with friends.
- Former student Shareeka shares her experience and the importance of relationships with her teachers.
A common thread through these stories, and others that were not posted, was the importance of relationships in learning. You have to know your students and genuinely care about your students. This makes the learning so much more powerful. Young people can see right through disingenuous care comments. It doesn't earn respect or kindness - only dismissal and disdain. If you aren't in this because you love kids, get out of the way. There are plenty of other careers out there.
Where in the community do adolescents collaborate with adults to accomplish a shared goal? How can we rethink in-school activities?
A great starting place for exploring student agency would be to have students look over and dig into The Student Bill of Rights.
Students are supported by their families at school and within the larger community. The Harvard Family Research Project offers 6 Family Engagement Principles that can be used as action steps for building a strong, trusting relationship with families. Families can, and should, be a part of the learning community that serves children.
According to the most recent (2016) Gallup Student Poll, as students progress through to grade 12, they are more and more disengaged in their schools. How are we address this very serious problem? Are we looking to ourselves and the learning environments we create and asking why this is happening? This can't be good enough. It can not continue. The answer to school can't be, "Just get through it and college will be much better."
A great starting place for exploring student agency would be to have students look over and dig into The Student Bill of Rights.
- Might be used to ground an Advisory Program
- Might be a foundation for Student Government
- Might be a tool for deeper conversations with students about the importance of rethinking school and learning
Students are supported by their families at school and within the larger community. The Harvard Family Research Project offers 6 Family Engagement Principles that can be used as action steps for building a strong, trusting relationship with families. Families can, and should, be a part of the learning community that serves children.
According to the most recent (2016) Gallup Student Poll, as students progress through to grade 12, they are more and more disengaged in their schools. How are we address this very serious problem? Are we looking to ourselves and the learning environments we create and asking why this is happening? This can't be good enough. It can not continue. The answer to school can't be, "Just get through it and college will be much better."