Title: Simple Ways to Promote Student Voice in the Classroom | Edutopia
Headings: Simple Ways to Promote Student Voice in the Classroom
Student Voice
Simple Ways to Promote Student Voice in the Classroom
Giving students some say over what happens in class can promote engagement and a strong sense of community.
By Beth Pandolpho
March 10, 2020
Begin Class With a Welcoming Ritual
Plan Consistent Opportunities for Student Voice
Ask Students About Their Lives Beyond The Classroom
Ask for Student Feedback—and Use It

Content: For one thing, as Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey write, “The amount of talk that students do is correlated with their achievement.” There are strategies teachers can use to elevate student voice in order to strengthen relationships, foster a sense of belonging, increase engagement, and inform instruction. Begin Class With a Welcoming Ritual
Students arrive to class with their minds swirling about failed quizzes, mounting pressure about homework assignments, and concerns about interactions with their peers. In order to help them clear these distractions from their minds, we might begin class with a predictable routine. Students might share “breaking news” or “what’s on the top of your mind?” in pairs, with small groups, or with the whole class. This welcoming ritual allows students to release their most pressing thoughts and create space for new experiences. It also builds relationships between students as they share a little bit of themselves with their peers. Welcoming rituals foster a sense of belonging as the classroom becomes a place that accepts students not only for who they are but where they are at a particular moment. This brief share might transition directly into an opening activity that connects to the learning of the day.