Overview
At ANet, we are committed to thinking about ways to elevate student voices and what this means for teachers, school leaders, and system leaders. Elevating student voice shifts participation and power within a school community. Students should have a voice for change, a voice about their learning, and voice within their learning. The resources below are aligned with PERT’s principles of student voice and should be viewed as a starting point for building a toolkit of holistic and equitable student support. To dig deeper, reach out to your ANet coach!
Develop the Appropriate Mindset
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Resource |
Description |
Tips for Implementation |
|---|---|---|
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National Equity Project |
Short overview of the role students play in creating liberated schools and how to shift culture and mindset from adult to student-centered. | Read the examples of youth demands and reflect on opportunities that students in your community have to hold power and influence. |
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Elevating Student Voice in Education Center for American Progress |
Detailed report with clear definitions and strategies for elevating student voice. |
Consider using this article as foundational reading for staff, framing the “why.” This report captures the transformative power of students having a voice for change. |
Create Opportunities for Student Choice
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Resource |
Description |
Tips for Implementation |
|---|---|---|
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Create Opportunities for Student Choice Toolkit PERTS & Sevenzo |
Toolkit with activities, videos, and strategies (e.g. learning menus) for increasing opportunities for student choice. |
Use these examples as an opportunity for you, the educator, to have a choice. Select one small action you can try in the classroom. |
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Using Choice Boards to Boost Student Engagement Edutopia |
Article describing how choice boards can support student voice within assessments, homework, and remote instruction. | Reflect: Where in my students’ day do they have a choice in their learning? In what small ways can I increase the amount of choice? |
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The Importance of Student Choice Across All Grade Levels Edutopia |
Article with tangible examples of developmentally appropriate choices across grade levels. | Zoom into one grade band and discuss with colleagues ways to increase choice in developmentally appropriate ways. |
Solicit Student Feedback
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Resource |
Description |
Tips for Implementation |
|---|---|---|
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Building SEL Surveys through the Online Quiz Tool ANet & Panorama |
Bank of prewritten SEL items developed alongside Panorama and available in ANet’s Online Quiz Tool. |
Start small: identify a few questions you can ask students at multiple points throughout the year. Where do you see progress? |
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Zion and Zion |
An outline of the what, why, and how of conducting empathy interviews. |
Build capacity among adults first. Practice conducting an empathy interview between colleagues. Reflect: What elements came naturally to you? What was more difficult? |
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6th-12th grade survey to gauge students’ needs within their learning. |
Listen to teachers and students describe the importance of listening to and acting upon student feedback. |
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Leveraging Student Voice to Promote Stronger Developmental Relationships To and Through |
Short case study detailing insights from educators at one school that launched a Student Voice Committee. |
Reflect: What did this school learn in their experience? What might you take into your own practice? |
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Mills College |
Asynchronous course to support the rollout of a math journal routine, organized in digestible modules. |
Complete on your own or as a team. The developers encourage adults to adopt a “Reflect, then Discuss” approach to reflect individually on ideas, observations and experiences before sharing and discussing. |
Respond Authentically to Student Feedback
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Resource |
Description |
Tips for Implementation |
|---|---|---|
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Model Agenda for Data Meeting with Students Aspen |
Sample agenda to use with students to make sense of and act upon climate data. |
Use this agenda to debrief any data you receive from the surveys listed in the section above. |
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Constructivist Listening Protocol NRF |
Protocol for creating a safe space to practice listening and talking in-depth. |
Build capacity for constructivist listening among adults. Practice with low risk prompts first as adults strengthen their listening muscle. |
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Shane Safir |
List of twelve concrete steps for creating a more anti-racist grading system for students of all ages. |
Reflect: Which of these practices exist at your school? What steps would you need to take to advocate for change? |
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Lifting up Student Voice: Tips for Collecting & Reflecting on Student Feedback TransformEd |
Article summarizing strategies to use while collecting and reflecting on students’ informal feedback. |
Consider collecting informal student feedback (e.g. from a conversation) in addition to any formal surveys you may launch. |
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EL Education |
Videos, templates, guiding questions, and case studies to support implementing student-led conferences with families. |
Pick one sample video to watch and discuss with colleagues. Reflect: What did you notice? How are the outcomes of this conference similar to or different from a traditional conference? |
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