Accessing+Student+Voices


 * Methods for Accessing Student Voices**

This is one of the **first** steps to take when seeking ideas for school improvement. "Students are, perhaps, the most important stakeholders in schools (p. 54)."

Insights gained from student voices complement other data and can be used to compel educators to make changes.

**Interview individual students**
 * Pre-selected to represent schools demographics
 * Must have parental permission to take part in the interview
 * Use "Me, Myself, and I" Protocol
 * Analyze data: combined by grade-level, note insights, compile report to share with school, meet with school staff to review results, and use these as basis for discussions to refine school

**Step 1: Planning (p. 56)** **Step 2: Implementation (p. 56-57)** **Step 3: Provide Feedback and Follow-Up (p. 57)**
 * 1) Clarify the point of the interview (ex: gauge the effectiveness of school culture and give direction to school improvement)
 * 2) Choose Interviewers: Make use of school staff (must be trained on interview consistency, etc.) OR use outside researchers (to eliminate any bias)
 * 3) Pick a process: make use of a commercially made protocol OR create one
 * 4) Choose a sample group: intentionally select students to represent the school's diverse nature
 * 5) Develop a time line: include dates for sending receiving parent permission forms, dates/times of interviews
 * 6) Find an interview spot & collect materials: quiet location
 * 1) Gather students and familiarize them with the process
 * 2) Interview: Record student responses
 * 3) Closing
 * 1) Compile/analyze data according to observed themes/trends. Several researchers should share impressions from the data to help accurately interpret trends.
 * 2) Generate written report to share with school administrators
 * 3) Follow up: facilitate discussions on impressions from student responses.
 * 4) Plan: How will student responses be collected/analyzed/used.

**Interview student focus groups**


 * Students speak, teachers listen. Students facilitate discussion. Adults observe and take notes.
 * Use inner circle/outer circle format
 * Increases student responsibility and teacher motivation
 * Pre-select diverse students to represent the school's demographics

**Step 1: Prepare (p. 59)**
 * 1) Identify an issue: one that can be impacted by student and teacher decisions. Students and staff can be involved in this process.
 * 2) Develop questions that encourage dialogue & refrain from embedded assumptions: flow from broad to more focused questions
 * 3) Discuss confidentiality: trust is key. Adults must understand they cannot quote/refer to individuals from the focus group.
 * 4) Determine which students to include: 5-15 students (random or purposeful selection)
 * 5) Notify staff: adult group should reflect or be less than the size of student group
 * 6) Select space
 * 7) Choose an (outside, adult) facilitator: trained to paraphrase and build upon ideas shared to formulate new questions oriented toward the purpose
 * 8) Set a time: 30-45 (K-3rd grade), 1 hr (4th grade - up)
 * 9) Debrief with observers immediately following focus group discussion
 * 10) Provide refreshments

**Step 2: Conduct the Focus Group (p. 59-60)**
 * 1) Gather students: inner circle (students), outer circle (adults). Facilitator reviews rules, sets norms/agreements for group.
 * 2) Choose student roles: 2 students to record notes, 2 process-checkers to make sure conversation stays on task/no interruptions
 * 3) Outline the topic: Facilitator overviews topic, opens with question. Students make notes before sharing responses.
 * 4) Call for responses: "round-robin"- students share one idea. Facilitator paraphrases to bring out themes (students confirm themes).
 * 5) Close: facilitator closes group after all questions are complete. Invite (and thank) students to continue their involvement in resulting changes in the school.

**Step 3: Teacher Observers Debrief**