Read This First
It has taken us a while to realize that we have been expecting schools to improve without ever listening to students talk about how they are experiencing school. Students have essential insights into tough questions about how to strengthen teaching and learning. It's time we made them full partners in figuring out what works and what doesn't.
Carolyn Witt Jones, Executive Director
Partnership for Kentucky Schools
Why is this Toolkit needed?
The Partnership for Kentucky Schools has a firm, long-standing commitment to increasing the student voice in school improvement. This is a Toolkit for you, if you are in a school community, share the Partnership's vision, and have these interests:
- You want to listen actively to students.
- You want to engage students as responsible learners.
- You want to involve students directly in the decisions that impact their learning environment.
Educators who use this Toolkit to listen carefully to students can use the results to improve teaching and learning.
Who should be interested in this Toolkit?
- School superintendents and members of school boards and school councils
- Principals, teachers, guidance counselors, and other school administrators
- Parents, business and community leaders, and students
This Toolkit is written with educators in mind. While others – parents, business leaders, or students themselves – may use the Toolkit, the instructions presume that educators are initiating this work.
What does this Toolkit offer?
The Turn Up the Volume Toolkit describes an inquiry method you can use to talk with students and listen to their experiences with school and learning. The Toolkit includes these features:
- A detailed guide to planning and carrying out high-quality focus group research on the student experience
- Ready-to-use samples of forms, letters, meeting agendas, interview questions, and much more, which will help you conduct student focus group research
- Real-life examples and tips from school-community groups in Kentucky that have conducted their own research with students on a variety of topics
Why is it useful to talk with students?
- Students can disclose invaluable information on all aspects of their school experience and suggest ways to increase the effectiveness of specific teaching and learning strategies.
- Students, particularly those in high school, yearn for respect but feel it is in short supply at school. Listening thoughtfully and carefully to students offers them this highly sought respect.
- Talking with students promotes everyone's understanding that students are responsible partners in their own learning.
- Offering opportunities for students to talk about school and learning can lead to early identification of troubling situations and set in motion changes that prevent or mitigate problems in a timely way.
How do student inquiry efforts fit with overall academic performance goals?
- Results from student-based research can show educators how to improve curriculum and instruction.
- Talking with students can inform a school's Consolidated Plan by revealing what is working and what might require modification.
- Students can work as researchers and facilitators, which provides them with valuable critical thinking, leadership, communication, and analytical skills.
What else does student inquiry offer school communities?
- Educators can strengthen their own inquiry skills, which can then strengthen many areas of instruction.
- Focus group research can be adapted for uses with other important groups, such as educators, parents, and community members.
What conditions would make student inquiry efforts most successful?
- Strong and steady support from the district's leaders
- Plenty of time to carry out the research
- Appropriate timing
- Ample resources
Next: Introduction to Focus Groups
