![]() We would welcome any additional resources or reflections you might have. The Sammamish community is continuing to learn and experiment within the key element of Student Voice. It motivates me to really want to learn because I feel part of the learning environment I don't have to try to fit in, every student just falls into place. As a student, I truly appreciate that because it makes me feel welcome and part of the SHS community. The teachers and the administration as well as other leaders in the school always want student input to move forward in their plans. ![]() ![]() There is a refreshing parity created when students are treated as the experts who share valuable perspectives and ideas with a learning-focused group of teachers. Current students have shared how their family background, language or prior schooling experiences influence their experience as a Sammamish student. Past graduates returned to talk about what components of their Sammamish experience have made a difference as they transition to college. For many teachers, the highlight of the week involves the opportunity to hear from and learn about our students. The Investing in Innovation (i3) grant affords teachers, administrators, and our grant partners five days during the summer to gather and learn from each other about the key elements of PBL. As teachers and students become more comfortable sharing opinions and ideas, involving students in the instructional change process should become a routine part of our practice. This year we hope to extend the process by asking and listening as students describe the changes they experience as a result of giving their input. What made this experience unique was our opportunity as teachers to read the anonymized transcript of the student conversation and process together the implications for teaching and learning. A group of 8-10 students might gather for lunch with a lot of pizza, a voice recorder, and some questions to start a conversation. When teachers brought in outside clients to request and evaluate student aquaponics designs, it sent a clear message that student thinking, creativity, communication and learning were valued by the extended school community.ĭuring the last school year, one of our grant partners from the University of Washington was experimenting with student focus groups in science classes implementing PBL units. What differs when teaching through PBL is the amount of choice students have in how they direct and demonstrate their learning. During a STEM experience designing aquaponics systems (raising produce and fish together), students had opportunities to learn about typical content standards like human nutrition, cellular processes in plants, and matter and energy cycling. Shifting to problem-based learning dramatically increases student voice in learning. Following are a few snapshots of what I've experienced as a teacher during the last few years of working with the student voice key element. Through creating space for students to be more active participants in the learning process, we are seeing innovative teaching practices emerge. The key element of Student Voice signals important shifts in both teacher and student roles.
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