Amplifying Student Voices: A Classroom Where Every Voice Matters
09/11/2024
In the winter 2024 edition of the Advocate, we talked to 2024 Teacher of the Year and ISTA member Eric Jenkins. He shared four ways he intentionally engages his students and amplify their voices in the classroom.
In today's educational environment, the importance of student voice cannot be overstated. Encouraging students to express their thoughts, ideas and opinions not only fosters a positive classroom culture but also nurtures essential skills such as critical thinking, confidence and collaboration.
Here are four things we learned about how Jenkins engages with his students in the classroom:
Encourage Creativity
Learning can be fun, and creativity is needed every step of the way. It is important to build relationships and create a safe space for students to encourage them to express themselves and be creative.
Understand Differences
It is imperative to consider other peoples’ perspectives and know that there are perspectives that exist outside of your own. It doesn’t make one better, worse, right or wrong. It’s about understanding that people have different viewpoints.
Open Communication
The website remind.com is a great resource to send updates to parents and open the lines of communication through various mediums: text, email, call, etc. It helps to build trust and establish a partnership with parents. It’s also beneficial to open the lines of communication with students and connect on a one-to-one basis to better understand how to interact with them.
Provide Choices
Find opportunities for students to provide their feedback and input into the classroom. Allow them to have a choice in what they’re reading, how an assignment is approached, what they’re watching, etc. Allowing students to have choices makes them feel more connected to the class.