Student Leaders pt.2 - A Place at the Table

Our newly established Student Advisory Teams have met twice. (A reminder that we have one team comprised of kindergarten through second grade students, and another team that is third-fifth grade students - see 'Student Leaders,' which I originally blogged about on September 1st.) While we haven't accomplished much, yet, we have had some really good discussion and the students have generated some great ideas. These teams are literally giving our students a place at the table.

When I first informed the students that they had been selected for these teams, I gave them the assignment of beginning to think about what they would change about our school if they had a magic wand with such powers. At our first official meeting, we brainstormed ideas of the things that they wanted to see changed. We didn't rule anything out. All of their ideas were left on the table.

After two meetings, the first one spent brainstorming and the second one dedicated to narrowing down their list, the 3rd-5th grade team's list includes:

• Reducing  the restrictions that students have re. conversing with their peers during lunch
• Improving their lunch procedures/schedule
• Raising money for new playground equipment and more technology 
• Announcing birthdays, as well as other important events/reminders at the end of the day
• Desire for more assemblies that their Student Advisory Team will help plan/lead

It was so neat to listen to their ideas, as almost all of them were things that were already in the works!

Now I would be lying if I said that the Kindergarten-2nd grade team was being as productive as our 3rd-5th grade team. Nonetheless, I believe that the process is valuable for these students that are involved. It is beneficial for them to know that they have a voice when it comes to improving our school. It is beneficial for them to think about the things that they can do to improve our school. And it is beneficial for them to see how change is a process that takes time and work.

With all of that being said, this group of kindergarteners, first, and second graders has decided to focus on limiting the amount of distractions that occur inside our classrooms from outside (the major distraction being other kids playing at recess near classroom windows). I'm fairly impressed.

I realize that this is, unfortunately, a small percentage of our students that we are enabling with student voice. However, it is a starting point; a starting point that I hope to build upon. After all, Rome was not built in one day. Nonetheless, the excitement that I see from the involved students leads to my growing belief that this may, in fact, be an optimal method for beginning to increase our students' sense of ownership for what happens within the walls of their school.

Student Involved Conferences

We are very excited to announce that we are upgrading our conferences!

As we are continually working for our students to have more ownership of their learning, we think it is essential that they have a place at the table when conferences take place next week (Tuesday, September 23rd and Thursday, September 25th). What we are introducing is not a student led conference, but instead a student involved conference. The teacher will be the facilitator of the conversation, which will actively involve both the parent(s) and the student.

"Students - when given the chance - can prove remarkably insightful about the quality of their work and what they need to do to improve it."

- ‘Student Involved Conferences’ ASCD Education Update

"The conferences are about the children and their learning. They are about where the children have come from and where they are going. They are about how their parents and I can support their learning journey. It only makes sense for them to be there, too." 

- Kathy Cassidy, ‘Student-Led Parent Conferences: How They Work in My Primary Classroom”

We are encouraging parents to bring their child with them to his/her conference so that we can have a student involved conference.

The process for each conference will be as follows:

1. The teacher will ask parents if they have any questions/comments.
2. The teacher will review the process of the conference.
3. The student, then the parent, then the teacher share three strengths the student has demonstrated as a learner.
4. The student, then the parent, then the teacher share two areas the student needs to work on as a learner.
5. The student articulates goals (no more than two or three) for future work (with assistance, as needed, from the parents and the teacher). Each party pledges specific kinds of support for the goals.
6. The teacher answers questions, recaps, and concludes the conference.

Also, we ask that parents begin to give thought to the strengths and areas for growth that they feel their child has as a learner, as well as how to contribute to their academic improvement. As we finish-up benchmark testing in the areas of math, reading, and writing, expect those results to go home next Friday, September 19th. This will be information that may help parents when thinking about their child's strengths and areas for growth.

These conferences should take 15 minutes, and in an effort to respect everyone's time we will be vigilant of our time restrictions. If there are other "issues" that need addressed, we definitely want to offer the opportunity for a traditional meeting with the teacher. If, as a parent, this is the case, please let your child's teacher know.

This process will be new, and like anything new it will not be perfect from the onset. We appreciate patience as we implement this change, as we truly believe that it will benefit our students. Furthermore, we will invite parents the opportunity to give us feedback regarding their conference experience after conferences have taken place.

Thanks, and we look forward to this first round of conferences!

Student Leaders

Last February, my Superintendent gave all of the principals in our district a copy of Yong Zhao's World Class Learners. First of all, I would recommend this book in its entirety to anyone who has an interest in public education. However, my biggest take-away came from the following text as it became crystal clear to me that there was a need to establish some sort of leadership opportunity for our students at Riverside Elementary School.

"Student voice has a positive effect on the school culture, increased student engagement, and overall improvement in children's well-being." (Zhao, 2012, pp.183) 

"Students bring unique perspectives and knowledge that can help improve the school environment and academic quality. Students can point out structural and cultural obstacles in the school that may be overlooked by adult administrators and teachers. Thus students should be considered "capable and valuable members of a school community who can help initiate and implement educational change." (Zhao, 2012, pp.183)

"Students should be considered an integral part of the school leadership in the new education paradigm." (Zhao, 2012, pp.184)

Adding to my excitement, over the summer, I read a book, Engaging Students with Poverty in Mind, that a former principal that I'd worked with had given me. This is another book that I'd give high praise towards, as a resource with great strategies for engaging all students. The following two-passages, shared below, only heightened my sense of urgency to provide our students with a leadership role.

"How can I expect to keep kids invested in the process if I don't give them a piece of the action?" (Jensen, 2013, pp.76)

"Taking leadership roles and collaborating in teams increase student responsibility and help students become more confident. The more self-reliant students become, the more control they feel over their learning, and the more likely they are to actively engage as a matter of routine.

"Developing students' leadership skills begins with granting incremental increases in responsibility to students while providing relevant instruction in the skills they need to succeed, offering encouragement, and holding them accountable for the obligations they take on." (Jensen, 2013, pp.140)

After much reflecting over the summer months, and thinking aloud with colleagues, I started to draft a plan for this idea. I am excited to announce that we are going to create two Student Advisory Teams at Riverside Elementary School. We will have one team with a student representing each classroom from kindergarten through second grade, and we will have an additional team with a student representative from each classroom in grades three through five. Each team will meet weekly over their lunch time. Depending on how much interest students show, team members may rotate quarterly to maximize participation.

Last week, I visited each classroom to explain the leadership opportunity that students will have by being a part of our Student Advisory Team. The conversation covered logistics, and the following slides were shown as talking points re. leadership.

Student Advisory Team - Leadership images/slides.

Older students, grades 3-5, who expressed interest in the idea of having a leadership role were asked to answer the attached questions. Younger students, kindergarten-2nd graders, who showed interest in the leadership opportunity had the option of drawing a picture or writing about what leadership looks like at Riverside Elementary School. 

My goal is for these teams to be formed and begin to meet by mid-September. Hopefully, these meetings will give students the opportunity to identify things that have the potential to be improved at Riverside Elementary School and then brainstorm solutions for how to make these improvements a reality. I think this will be really exciting for two main reasons: 1) I am excited to witness our students flourish when given a leadership role, and 2) I am excited to explore implementing the ideas that our students have to improve their school.