When I was asked to coordinate the Student Council at Teston Village this year, I had some initial hesitation. When the school opened 7 years ago I was a member of our first Student Leadership Team. This experience proved challenging as we struggled to find direction and move forward with initiatives. Hindsight is 20/20 (as they say) and looking back I realize why my first endeavour with student leadership was not as positive as it could have been. I made the simple mistake of trying to direct the students toward goals that I saw as being important. What was missing in those early years was what is most important - Student Voice!
Giving students a stronger voice in the school seems like a basic concept. As teachers we often get caught up in making decisions in the best interest of students. Yet, we sometimes forget to stop and listen to those individuals that we are looking out for and directing. This years student council has brought forth a very simple lesson for me: if we want students to be engaged and passionate we must give them a strong voice and take the time to listen!
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