When considering infusing Meaningful Student Involvement into school change, many educators want to know what exactly is going to happen. The following chart shows the major areas that MSI impacts. Send me an email if you’d like to see the research supporting each of these outcomes.
Type of Action
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Major Areas that Meaningful Student Involvement Impacts
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Program
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Administration
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Climate
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Student as researchers
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Examine interest in subject, engagement in class, efficacy of methodology
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Analyze student involvement, policies engaging partners, Activities of improvement activities
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Compare perceptions of student voice, effects of training, attitudes towards achievement
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Students as planners
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Design program, learning projects, classroom layout, personal learning goals
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Develop new policy recommendations, staff monitoring plan, school improvement process
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Create classroom behavior standards, student/teacher partnership activities
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Students as teachers
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Use student/adult teaching teams, student-centered methods, multiple intelligences
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Provide professional development re: student voice, student-led training for teachers
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Model student-driven learning throughout education, student voice in all school activities
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Students as evaluators
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Assess self, peers, teachers, curricula, classes
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Critically explore policies and Activities absent of student voice
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Contrast student/teacher relationships, respect throughout school
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Students as decision-makers
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Engage in classroom management, resource allocation, and consensus
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Develop positions on all committees, reception mechanisms for adult leaders, committees for students only
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Authorize students to mediate, create spaces for student interactions, facilitate student forums
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Students as advocates
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Embrace student interests and identities in program planning
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Encourage broad representation by nontraditional students
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Provide “safe spaces” and reception for self- and group-advocacy
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The SoundOut website has featured examples of what each of these look like for almost a decade. Find them at http://soundout.org/examples.html.
Written by Adam Fletcher, this article was originally posted to http://commonaction.blogspot.com. Learn more at adamfletcher.net!