An educator’s role in amplifying student voice to equip them with essential life skills for a tech-driven future
Did you know that 61% of students believe they have a voice when they enter middle school, yet by the 12th grade that number drops to 37%?
In a world where social media, tech, and current event trends impact students’ daily lives, learning, and well-being, understanding students’ experiences is essential in fueling their health, happiness, and future success.
But with how quickly these trends come, go, and evolve, how can educators keep up and truly understand students to better empower them? By amplifying student voices, educators gain first-hand knowledge of students’ experiences, cultivate empathy, trust, and connection in the classroom, and create a safe and inclusive environment where every voice is valued.
This might seem easier said than done. But is it?
One of the simplest ways to do this is by huddling with students through casual conversations. When you choose to huddle over lecturing, you’re amplifying student voices, listening with empathy and understanding, and empowering students with modern life skills that will prepare them for their tech-fueled futures.
Why student voice matters in education
But why does student voice matter? When students feel like they have a voice, they are 7x more likely to be motivated to learn, 8x more likely to be engaged in school, and 9x more likely to experience purpose in school.
And amplifying student voices, especially when it comes to their experiences online, benefits educators too, as there is so much to learn from students themselves. Not only are students the true experts on their own experiences, but they are navigating social media and technology daily – with 73% of students telling us that social media is the top way they get their news.
For students, social media isn’t just a tool for entertainment. It’s how they connect, socialize, and consume information. Oftentimes, when educators and adults lecture students and only focus on the negatives of social media, students cringe, or worse, tune out, and are less likely to join in on conversations in the classroom because they feel like their experiences don’t matter.
On the flip side, when educators let students speak up about their experiences with social media and technology, students feel heard and that their experiences do matter – shaping a more positive classroom and school culture.
Listening to students isn’t just about hearing their words; it’s about huddling together and understanding their experiences so that they are empowered to take ownership of their learning journey. By involving them in decision-making processes, such as classroom tech policies, educators can create a sense of agency and responsibility that extends far beyond the classroom walls, equipping students with the skills and confidence to make high-character decisions outside of the classroom.
In fact, students who are engaged in their learning are 2.5x more likely to do well in school and are 4.5x more hopeful and positive about their futures. When we give students a voice, this fosters a sense of trust and connection, where students feel safe to express themselves authentically and huddle with their teachers about ways to build essential life skills that empower them to navigate social media and tech in positive ways.
For instance, after huddling on The Social Institute’s #WinAtSocial Trending Lesson, Understanding how companies use media to advertise unhealthy energy drinks and vaping to students, elementary students at Brookwood School in Thomasville, GA asked the cafeteria to remove certain drinks from the lunch menu that were high in sugar! This is just one of many examples of students huddling with educators and using their voices to create positive change in their own communities.
How educators can amplify students’ voices in the classroom
By huddling with their students, Brookwood educators actively listened and incorporated student voices into the fabric of their school. This created a culture where students felt confident in sharing their experiences and speaking up about a change they would like to see. When educators shape a learning environment that promotes essential life skills through huddling with students, it’s clear that everyone wins.
Check out these practical strategies for incorporating student voices into your classrooms:
- Open-Ended Discussions: Instead of simply lecturing, create opportunities for open-ended discussions where students can share their thoughts, experiences, and questions. Encourage active listening and respectful dialogue, allowing every voice to be heard.
- Reflective Journals: Provide students with regular opportunities to reflect on their learning experiences through journaling. Ask open-ended prompts that invite students to share their insights, challenges, and goals, allowing them to articulate their thoughts in their own words.
- Student Surveys and Feedback: Regularly encourage feedback from students through interactive surveys, polls, or anonymous suggestion boxes. Ask questions about their learning preferences, interests, and concerns, and use their input to inform your instructional decisions.
- Student-Led Conferences: Empower students to take the lead in parent-teacher conferences by allowing them to share their reflections on their academic progress, goals, and areas of growth. This not only gives students a voice in their own education but also fosters a sense of accountability and ownership.
- Peer Mentoring and Collaboration: Encourage peer mentoring and collaboration by pairing students of different skill levels or backgrounds to work together on projects or activities. This not only promotes empathy and cooperation but also creates opportunities for students to learn from one another’s perspectives.
By integrating these strategies, we’re not only enhancing our classroom community but also creating a school culture where student voice takes center stage.
TSI’s Take
Through the Student Ambassador Program, student mentor videos in #WinAtSocial Lessons, and real-time student, anonymous data in #WinAtSocial Insights, student voice is at the heart of what we do. As our students navigate the fast-changing world of social media and tech, we continue to embrace their experiences and perspectives because the better we understand our students the better we can empower and equip them.
Here are resources that you can bring back to the classroom to amplify student voice:
- #WinAtSocial Student Insights
- The 2024 Insights Report offers a window into the hearts and minds of more than 29,000 students through TSI’s Annual Student Survey and more than 1 million responses through our K-12 learning platform, #WinAtSocial, revealing how social media and tech impact their learning and well-being. With these insights, educators can tailor their approaches to meet students where they are, empowering them to thrive both in and out of the classroom. Discover these insights here!
- Student Ambassador Program
- The Student Ambassador program provides students with a platform to collaborate, discuss, and lead conversations on social media, current events, and technology. By amplifying student voices, this initiative fosters a culture of empowerment where students not only gain leadership skills and real-world experience but also contribute to meaningful discussions impacting peers from around the world that shape their educational journey. Nominate one of your students for our program here!
- Huddle Up with Zigazoo
- In this Huddle Up episode, Leah Ringelstein, Co-Founder and Director of Impact of Zigazoo, the world’s largest social network for students explores the importance of student-led communities and and how teachers and families help them succeed through project-based learning, mentorship, and innovative approaches that flip the script on how students navigate social media and tech. Watch now!
Interested in learning more about how The Social Institute can help your school empower student voices and prepare students for a world that is tech-fueled and social media-filled? Request a demo of our peer-to-peer learning platform that uses a positive and proactive approach to empowering students to make high-character decisions as they navigate their well-being, social media, and technology.
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