How to Incorporate Student Voice in the Classroom - Colourful Teaching For You
How to Incorporate Student Voice in the Classroom

Today we’re going to talk about how to incorporate student voice in the classroom.

One of the best ways to foster active engagement and cultivate a strong classroom community, is to give your students a voice in their learning. This will have a positive impact on their achievement because when children feel heard and cared for, they automatically start contributing to the learning process. Even those who are introverted, incredibly shy, new to the country, or who have learning disabilities, will make an attempt when they’re in such an environment. Your students will be more willing to take academic risks instead of not engaging with the material, procrastinating or aiming for perfectionism.

How to Incorporate Student Voice in the Classroom

The following are flur actionable steps you can take to ensure that all of your children have an opportunity to find and use their voice in your class.

Actionable Steps:

#1. Set Meaningful Goals

There are many teachers who conference with their students, explain any errors that a child made and let them know what they need to work on without giving the child a chance to explain their side or voice if that goal is meaningful to them.

It’s important to ask your children what they feel is important to them and allow them to set their own goals. Click here for no-prep goal-setting resources. This way your children will take responsibility for their learning.

The High Achievers Roadmap to Goal Setting for Intermediate Students
The High Achievers Roadmap to Goal Setting for Secondary School Students
#2. Make a Choice

Instead of dictating what children should do every moment of their academic day, give them a choice whenever possible. For example:

  1. They can either silent read or write a story.
  2. If they work quietly for a certain amount of time, they’ll be rewarded with something they all like to do.

When we give students a choice, it motivates them to stay on task.

#3. Share Your Thoughts

Engage children in sharing their ideas or learning in different ways:

  1. Whole class discussion
  2. Small group discussion
  3. Pair-share

Be mindful of the types of students you have in your class. Would pair-share work best before moving on to small group discussions or is it better to start with whole class discussion and gradually move toward teaching your students how to work with a small group?

#4. Embrace Restorative Circles

Have your students sit in a circle, either on the floor or on their chairs. Remove all of the desks out of the way so that students don’t have anything to fidget with. Lead this circle of students in discussion about an issue that arose or a topic of concern that they’re working on. Have children discuss their point of views openly, patiently and respectfully. Only one student may speak at a time.

Restorative circles reinforce social and emotional skills by teaching children how to be good listeners, develop their speaking skills and it shows them how to have mutual respect for one another.

Developing trust and meaningful conversation in this environment will take time, but it’s worth it as it helps strengthen your classroom community and your students’ trust in one another.

Recap:

Let’s recap really quickly. Today, we looked at the following:

  1. The importance of incorporating student voice into your classroom.
  2. 4 ways to incorporate voice in the classroom: set meaningful goals, make a choice, share your thoughts, and embrace restorative circles.

Learn With Me:

If you’re a teacher or a parent, this is for you.

If you’re looking to teach your students about public speaking or if you have children who are scared of getting up and presenting their ideas, then I’ve got the PERFECT solution for you.

I’m hosting a Live (not a course) 6-week public speaking program for:
1) Teachers: show you how to teach it to your students: CLICK HERE IF YOU’D LIKE TO JOIN!

2) Parents: to teach your children how to compile and articulate their thoughts:

3 Benefits of Public Speaking for Students in High School

Free Resource:

In the mean time, if you’re feeling stressed out, overwhelmed and burnout, then I encourage you to check out the following: FREE MASTERCLASS: Systematic Plan to Super Passionate

Systematic Plan to Super Passionate

Next Steps:

In the meantime, take a moment to answer the question in the following image:

How to Incorporate Student Voice in the Classroom

If you found this video beneficial, would you do me a favor? Share this with your family, your friends, your loved ones, your co-workers or someone who you think could benefit from this. Thank you!

I’ll see you next Friday at 5:30pm PST.

Until I see you next time, remember to create, experience & teach from the heart.

Take care,

Charlotte

How to Incorporate Student Voice in the Classroom
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