Extract A:

This is why I never allow teachers or school leaders to visit

classrooms to observe teachers; I allow them to observe only students the reactions that students have to incidents, to teaching, to peers, to the activity. Then, they interview and listen to the student about what the student was doing, thinking, and not understanding. Such observation adds another pair of eyes to help the teacher to see the effect of his or her teaching, and moves the discussion away from the teaching towards the effect of the teaching While we can learn without knowing it (commonly called tacit knowing), for most of us there needs to be a deliberate attempt to assimilate or accommodate new learning. That means that a major precursor to learning is engagement in the learning. As William Purkey (1992) so eloquently put it, we as teachers need to invite our students into learning. So often, many students come to the class simply because it is the next class to which they have to go. His argument is that such an invitation conveys respect, trust, optimism, and intentionality by the teacher. The key dimension in evaluating whether the students were invited to learn included the following: Respect Did you demonstrate to all students that they were able, valuable, and responsible, and did you treat them accordingly? Trust Did the lesson lead to cooperative, collaborative engagement in the learning, such that the process of learning was seen by all students to be as important as the product of that lesson? Optimism Did the students get the message from you that they possess untapped potential in learning what is being taught today? Intentionality Was the way in which you create and maintained the flow of the lesson specifically designed to invite learning?

an interest in generating more data to tick boxes to satisfy the performance information-driven culture that some national education policy scenes have become. It is no good just collecting the data; schools need to know how then to interpret this to extract meaning that can be used to inform real and positive change to teaching and learning processes. Schools need to transform to a more democratic culture, one where teachers across departments are open to questioning their own practice and value the students perspective on how this can be improved. Student voice work has the potential to change the way teachers think about their lessons and to encourage them to work with pupils in new and more effective ways that will lead to improved learning. As recipients of teaching, the students perspective on what works best can be invaluable. They need to be seen as equal and vital partners in a dialogue about learning. Discussing with them about issues about teaching and learning helps to improve understanding of what achieves effective learning. Encouraging students to consider how they learn best and to identify any problems related to their learning can help in promoting more effective learning. Language of consultation Many question whether young people have the right language for communicating their feelings, experiences and concerns, because they are looking for it to be articulated in a language that they as adults find socially acceptable. But trying to educate students using the discourse of educational professionals has the potential to distort and weaken the impact of what they have to say. Many would argue that instead pupils simply need advice on the tone and respect with which their voice should be articulated, and instead of teaching them their language, teachers should be learning the language of the students. Certainly, it is important to ensure students have the skills to articulate their views effectively, but this does not mean shaping they way they express them. Research on the use of student voice has constantly affirmed the maturity of pupil responses and that they value being treated more like equals, and take seriously the opportunity to have their say to make a difference in the way the classroom operates. If given the right opportunity, they will speak reasonably, intelligibly and usefully (Bragg, 2011) about issues that can reveal improvement that are possible in teaching and learning.
Listen Up: Hearing what students have to say about learning. (2007). Teaching Expertise. viewed 18 February 2013. http://www.teachingexpertise.com/articles/listen-up-hearingwhat-students-have-to-say-about-learning-1036

instruction. For example, if we believe that all students can learn, how are we making sure that this happens? Ultimately, in order to create a high-performance learning team in our classrooms, the students and the teacher have to be accountable to one another. The trust created in such an environment will allow us to ask and then answer the hard questions How am I doing as a teacher? and How am I doing as a learner?
Johnson, B. (2009). Student Feedback Helps Teachers Grow. Edutopia. Viewed 18 February 2013. www.edutopia.org/student-feedback-accountability-teachers

Extract D:

One of the central principles of good practice in

professional development is feedback (Joyce and Showers 1982). In the past this feedback has come from skilled practitioners with expertise about good teaching. The data from the UKs Consulting Pupils about Teaching and Learning Project suggests that reflection on practice, without listening to student voices, is limiting the evident and the challenges to thoughts that are critical to honest reflection. The research Student Voice: a historical perspective and new directions suggests that if teachers are to provide experiences that engage students and involve them in constructing their own learning, they must first listen to what their students have to say (ESRC). Research supports the understanding that student voice is one avenue though which students can explore and construct their own learning, gain more control over content, direction and method of learning and develop higher-order thinking skills. Voice in this context is not simply about the opportunity to communicate ideas and opinion; it is about having the power to influence change (West 2004). It provides opportunities for them to become active participants in their education, including making decisions about what and how they learn and how their learning is assessed. Ranson (2002) argues for pedagogy of voice, which enables learners to explore self and identity, develop self-understanding and selfrespect and improve agency, capability and potential. David Jackson (2005) maintains that student voice is about valuing people and valuing the learning that results when we engage the capacities and multiple voices in our schools. It focused on realising the leadership potential inherent within all learners.
Manefield J. et. al. (2007). Student Voice a historical perspective and new directions. Office of Learning and Teaching Department of Education. viewed 18 February 2013. http://www.education.vic.gov.au/studentlearning/research/researchpublications.htm

Invitational learning requires a transparent commitment to promote learning for all, and consideration of a students prior learning and of what each student brings to the lesson. It requires a sense of fairness and openness to allow students to learn, to make errors, and to collaborate in the success of the learning. It allows for dialogue among teachers and between students related to understanding the concepts in the lesson. The notion of understanding how the student experiences the lesson is critical to engagement and success in participating in learning Can the teacher stand in the shoes of the student and see his or her perspective of the learning? When this is understood, a teacher can know the optimal feedback to provide to move the student forward.
Hattie, J. (2012). Visible Learning from Teachers: Maximising Impact on Learning, London: Routledge. pp. 138-140.

Extract B:

There needs to be measures in place to ensure that pupils

Extract C:

The hardest question to ask is, What grade would we give

Extract E:

Mind frames survey

feel safe to give their real views, rather than just spout forth what they think the teachers want to hear. Teachers need not only to be genuinely interested in hearing what students say, but must also be happy to cross the bridge and actively listen to what they might mean. (Fielding, 2001). At the heart of all student voice work there needs to be a genuine desire to encourage greater freedom of thought and action and a belief that this will engender more creative ways to transform classrooms into learning spaces where power and responsibility is shared. It should not just be driven by

ourselves as teachers if it were our students asking us, What grade do you deserve? Now I am not suggesting that we ask the students to grade us. That would be unfair for us and for the students. I am proposing, however, that we actively seek and welcome student suggestions on how we can enhance the learning experiences we create for them. We should also look especially at the correlation of what we say we believe about students and learning and how we are applying that belief in our

In this school, the teachers and school leaders: a. believe that their fundamental task is to evaluate the effect of their teaching on students learning and achievement; 123456 b. believe that success and failure in student learning is about what they, as teachers or leaders, did or did not do. 123456 c. want to talk more about the learning than the teaching; 1 2 3 4 5 6 d. see assessment as feedback about their impact; 123456 e. engage in dialogue not monologue; 123456 Inviting Student Voice Workshop: Session I

f.

enjoy the challenge & never retreat to doing their best 1 2 3 4 5 6

Hattie, J. (2012). Visible Learning from Teachers: Maximising Impact on Learning , London: Routledge. pp. 188.

Inviting Student Voice Workshop: Session I