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I talk a lot about collecting student voice data or “street data” (Safir & Dugan), so in this episode, I discuss systems and scheduling strategies you can use to identify times during the school day that teachers, counselors, and other school stakeholders can regularly listen to students. You may be willing to invite students to share their experiences and ideas, but you may not know when this might happen. Let’s think about some ideas.
What is student experience data, and why do we need it? Let’s start with the second part. There are many benefits to gathering data about student experiences, both for youth and adults. I’ve covered these in previous episodes. For now, I’ll say: schools and districts make better decisions when students help make the decisions, just as organizations in general have better organizational outcomes when diverse stakeholder groups are part of the decision-making process (Kusy & McBain, 2000). In their book, Street Data, Dugan and Safir (2021) write a comprehensive model of school transformation could consist of “...stitching together four often-siloed elements: equity as the fundamental purpose, pedagogy as the fundamental pathway, adult culture as the vehicle, and street data as the GPS system that keeps us on the path of equity-centered transformation” (p. 59). As educators, when we look at data, it’s often what Dugan and Safir call satellite data (broad, quantitative measures such as test scores, attendance patterns, graduation rates) or map data (social-emotional, cultural, and learning trends within a school community which may include rubric scores or surveys). Deeper dives into data sets may include street data (students’ lived experiences that illuminate how students are performing or feeling about their learning environment and themselves). Street data, or what I’ve been referring to lately as student experience data, could include a student sharing what’s impeding their ability to thrive or suggestions for what adults can do differently to improve instruction or other aspects of school. However, these deeper explorations of student experience typically occur every five or so years during strategic planning processes and are rarely practiced on a daily or weekly basis. If you have the willingness to engage in this work, but can’t find the time, this episode is for you. Where might we gather data and listen to student experiences? Below are some ideas for where this may live in your school(s). Advisory, Mentoring, or Morning Meeting Develop prompts for students (whole group or individually) to share ideas about what’s great about the school, what’s not so great (and what the impact has been on the student), and what could/should be changed. Counseling At the end of a group or individual session, ask if students are comfortable sharing their ideas (e.g., what they like, dislike, or want to be changed), with adults in the school (e.g., a leadership team) to help improve the school and the students’ school experience. Let them know the ideas will be shared without any student identifiers, so adults will not know which student(s) shared the ideas. College, Career, Civic Planning sessions or IEP Meetings Prompt students to share experiences of what their aspirations are, to what degree school stakeholders and structures (e.g., course offerings) have supported these dreams, and what could be more supportive. Main Office or Restorative Room The students who are sent out of class are likely the students who are not feeling successful or supported at school. These are the students we want to learn from! Setting up a system, whether it’s a person to talk to, a space to record their thinking (verbally, in writing, or as an image—drawing or selecting/taking a picture) in response to some prompts similar to ones above would help us learn how to support that student and other students who might have similar experiences or ideas. End of Lesson, Week, or Unit Conversations in Academic Classrooms Instruction is a central part of why we’re all in schools. All students take academic classes, so this is an opportunity to invite all students to reflect on their student experience in relation to curriculum and instruction. (You can also invite students to share experiences and ideas about school supports and policies beyond curriculum here.) Final Tip Once you have the structures in place, you can regularly invite students to share their experiences and ideas for change. For how to do this, check out the upcoming Student Experience Data Strategy series on my YouTube channel starting February 7 (2024). For now, you can check out a related video below! To help you start to gather student experiences right away, I’m sharing my Student Leadership Capacity Building survey with you for free. And, if you’re looking for more details on the ideas in this blog post, listen to episode 146 of the Time for Teachership podcast. If you’re unable to listen or you prefer to read the full episode, you can find the transcript here.
If you enjoyed this episode, check out my YouTube channel where I explain about the types of discourse in schools:
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Time for Teachership is now a proud member of the...AuthorLindsay Lyons (she/her) is an educational justice coach who works with teachers and school leaders to inspire educational innovation for racial and gender justice, design curricula grounded in student voice, and build capacity for shared leadership. Lindsay taught in NYC public schools, holds a PhD in Leadership and Change, and is the founder of the educational blog and podcast, Time for Teachership. Archives
January 2024
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