Student Voice (Essay Sample)

Student Voice
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Student Voice
The term “student voice" is used to describe the manner in which students may have the opportunity to take part in making decisions that shape their lives, as well as that of their peers. Thus, through these opportunities, the students can collaborate with their teachers to design their path for reform. The process enables students to meet their own development needs and strengthen their ownership of the reform process. There are various forms of student voice, which range from limited input to leadership. However, student voice is substantially different from the tasks that the students typically perform in their school environments. Student voice may include the the manner in which students share their opinions regarding their potential solutions with adults, parents, and their peers. It may also involve the youth addressing the problems by taking the lead in fostering change in their schools.
It is important to involve students in school decisions in order to transform their lives and the lives of their peers. To enhance student achievement, it makes sense to involve them in sharing their opinions concerning school experiences. This provides them with an opportunity to share their opinions with teachers about school problems. In addition, students should collaborate with their parents, adults, and teachers to address significant problems in school. To some extent, they should also be given an opportunity to assume leadership roles. These efforts can greatly improve teacher’s classroom practice. This can also be achieved when teachers partner with students to discuss issues related to teaching and learning. These reform processes can result in better instruction, improved teacher-student relationships, and more empowered students.
Student leadership lies at the heart of improving school performance by enabling young people to realize their true potential. Therefore, student participation can be a means through which students support the school improvement process. Therefore, when learners are involved in leadership, they can build essential skills, such as motivation and confidence. This can also be a catalyst for students and teachers to work alongside each other, which can be very instrumental in establishing a collaborative learning community where they both learn together. This can develop trust between students and teachers, essential for building effective teacher-learner relationships. On the other hand, while many schools demonstrate commitment to student representation, representation often relies on more traditional mechanisms, such as student councils, forum, peer mentor, and counsellors. However, these mechanisms may be inappropriate because they can establish a sub-set of chosen students to represent the views and needs of all students, leading to disenfranchisement of the students.
Schools may need to evaluate the extent to which current formal mechanisms of learner’s participation in decision-making encourage involvement of all students. In addition, this can allow students to serve as experts on classroom issues by providing expertise on how they can likely respond to various pedagogical strategies and new lessons developed by teachers. On the other hand, students may suggest ways to make lessons more applicable to their needs and interests. When students have a voice in their own education, they may present their opinions concerning specific modifications to classroom instructions that can help them master content and make sense out of the information about multiple intelligences that adults share with them. As a result, they may be in a better position to share strategies like providing more information after school tutoring. Through multiple interactions, students and teachers may recognize that they have similar reactions to activities and circumstances within the school. By focusing on the partnership between teachers and students, they may support their initiatives and gain understanding and respect from administrators, which is essential to changing the school culture. In the process, the legitimacy of student voice as part of school change may be developed. Furthermore, students’ invaluable perspectives may assist in identifying important issues that require improvement, as well as focus on what they truly experience and what kind of support they require. In addition, the close relationships between the students and teachers may also play an important role in bridging the gap between youth and adult life.
When students are given a role to participate in school activities and reform efforts, it enhances their self-worth, self-respect, and develops a sense of membership in the school. Therefore, student voice initiatives may assist the learners to develop a positive direction and necessary skills. Thus, to become effective leaders, students need to participate effectively in school activities; however, they need to influence matter of concern to them and actively solve issues. Therefore, giving students a chance to have a voice in their education to identify problems and solutions may remind educators that the learners possess unique knowledge and perspectives concerning their schools, which cannot be easily replicated by adults. In addition, through open discussions with students concerning injustices in schools, student voi...