How to Empower Student Voices

Do you want to give your students a gift? Help them to Learn to Listen to Their Own Voices Not their outer voice. Not the teacher’s voice. But their inner voice—the one that thinks, questions, and reasons. We give our students a gift for life when we help them to listen to their own voice! 1. We Teach the Pause "Just a moment… let me think." This simple pause cue interrupts impulsivity and invites the brain to engage. It's the gateway to inner listening— not rushing to answer, but hearing your own thoughts take shape. 2. We Activate Verbal Self-Regulation “What am I doing right now?” “What am I looking for?” “What makes this sentence important?” These self-questions turn passive readers into active processors. We call that metacognition—thinking about thinking. 3. We Connect Thinking to Strategy Instead of “circle the main idea,” we teach: “Say what you think the author wants you to understand—then ask: Does everything else support that?” Now they're not just performing a task— they’re checking it against their own understanding. 4. We Make Thinking Audible—Then Internal At first, we say it out loud: “I’m noticing something here…” “Wait—that doesn’t make sense.” “Oh, now I see why they did that.” Later, we guide students to say it in their heads— until it becomes their thinking voice. 5. We Let Silence Be Strategy Quiet in the room doesn’t mean nothing is happening. If we teach students to: Reflect Rehearse Reconsider …then silence becomes a sign that the mind is working. ✨ Why This Matters for Marginalized Learners: Many students from under-resourced backgrounds: Have rarely been asked what they think Are rewarded for compliance, not reflection May not have internalized the right language for processing You’re not just teaching them how to read. You’re teaching them how to hear their own mind at work. “When the thinking voice gets louder, the fear gets quieter.” — Dr. Gwendolyn Battle Lavert

Students who are seen and not heard are students who don’t learn. In the classroom, students should be talking 80% of the time. Here’s why: Students learn when they are speaking. 🗣️ As educators, we need to shift the focus from our voice to their voices. We can guide them, but the real magic happens when they engage in: -conversation -problem-solving -collaborative learning But the above is easier said than done, I know - especially if our current lesson plans and models focus more on our voices. Here are a few evidence-based instructional practices for educators who want to make an intentional shift: 1. Revise your lesson plans. First define whether it’s  a grammar lesson or a comprehension lesson. If it's a comprehension-focused lesson, prioritize communication over perfection. Don’t correct every mistake you hear or observe - that can disrupt the flow and impede learning. But in a grammar lesson, corrections are essential as the focus is on accuracy. Then ask yourself: How can I foster a conversation around this topic? 2. Break students into small groups of 2 or 3 and assign speaking roles. Start with the English speaker with the most experience, allowing other students time to observe. 3. Incorporate tangible items. Give students something to talk about, like a picture or object. Ask them to walk around, discuss, and write down their thoughts. 4. Set time limits. Teachers should speak 20% of the time or less. Time your instructions, repeat key points, model, then let them do the work. Think of yourself as the facilitator, not the lecturer. 5. Observe your students. Walk around, listen, and note where your students struggle and excel. This informs your next steps in supporting their language development. To the other educators out there - any other evidence-based practices you’d offer on this subject? #EducationEquity #LanguageLearning #CulturalHeritage #LanguageLiteracy

Want to know the key to creating GenAI guidelines that work for students? Involve students as key stakeholders in the process. I saw that first hand today while working with 11th grade students from South Brooklyn as they build AI policies for their fellow students as part of the yearlong NYC DOE HE3AT program. To say I am energized by their insights, engagement, and commitment is an understatement. Some of the takeaways I am bringing back to the wider work we do with schools and districts: 🌟 Students want to be able to use GenAI in targeted ways to support their learning - no one believed ChatGPT should be banned 🌟 Students want a set of clear guidelines on how to appropriately use GenAI - they do not want to be left on their own 🌟Accessibility and equity were of huge concern to students - some went as far as to say that students with disabilities and language needs should have MORE access to these tools 🌟Students believe that AI literacy training should include a focus on model bias and hallucinations 🌟 Students wanted tools that were targeted to students' grade level and specific needs GenAI is set to make the biggest difference in young people's lives. Yet we so rarely include them in conversations about GenAI adoption. My challenge to anyone working in this space is to bring students into the process at every step along the way. I promise it will be worth the effort! AI for Education Barry Haines Ed.D. #aiforeducation #teachingwithAI #studentvoice #aipolicy #aiethics #genAI #AI #ChatGPT

Education shouldn’t just be for students—it should be shaped by them. In the latest EDUCAUSE Community Conversations podcast, host John O’Brien talks with Vanessa Hammler Kenon, Associate Vice President Technology Compliance and Community Engagement at The University of Texas at San Antonio, about the integration of student voices into strategic decision-making in educational institutions.🗣️ Their insightful conversation highlights the importance of student participation in shaping policies, curricula, and institutional initiatives. During their talk, John and Vanessa cover: ✅ Students as key stakeholders whose insights can enhance institutional effectiveness. ✅ Approaches such as surveys, advisory boards, and participatory governance. ✅ Obstacles like tokenism, lack of student interest, and institutional resistance, with strategies to overcome them. ✅ Instances where student engagement led to meaningful change. ✅ Best practices for institutions to ensure genuine and impactful student participation. Whether you’re an educator, administrator, policymaker, or student advocate, this episode will inspire you to rethink how we engage the next generation in shaping their own academic journeys. Watch or listen here 👉 https://buff.ly/6jG3Uv3 #StudentVoices #HigherEd #Podcast