STUDENT VOICE IN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Key aims 

• To explore the potential of students and teachers to work in partnership for the professional development of teachers at all stages in their career.
• To enable students to have a genuine and valued input into classroom practices within their school community.
• To develop a school based programme which promotes the above aims in an ethical and practical manner and produces measurable outcomes.

Project 1: Teachers and Students Co-planning (TASC Force)

The TASC Force Project involves students who, after a rigorous selection process and comprehensive training, co-plan lessons with teachers.  Students then observe the teachers in the classroom and give constructive feedback, including suggestions for improving the learning experience for students.  Students work mainly with trainee teachers but not exclusively.  Their mission is, “To leave the teacher feeling confident, competent and valued yet clear how to develop”. 

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Project 2: Students’ Improving Learning Focus Group

All Maths teachers identified one trusted student in each class to be trained as a researcher in AFL.  Students then focussed on one aspect of AFL, collecting evidence of good practice and identifying opportunities to develop the use of AFL in their own Maths lessons.  The focus varied, directed by the project leader, Rashida Mouhssine e.g. questioning, plenaries.  Rashida ran focus groups with the students who prepared recommendations to present at Faculty meetings.  The group is now researching classroom challenge. 

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Project 3: Student Mentors 

Using the G&T list, Suman Anand interviewed all students to identify where they felt confident and where they needed extra support.  This information, plus data and information from teachers, was used to produce a grid showing strengths and challenges for each G&T student in Maths.  All students were then trained in mentoring before being allocated a student to mentor and another to be mentored by.  The impact of this process, plus targeted teacher-led workshops for students and parents, was evaluated by assessing students’ confidence and summative testing.

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