Thank you for coming to listen to me today on the topic of whether students should participate in decisions made about our school. As you are aware, we currently do not have a school council, which I personally believe is short-sighted and denies us the opportunity to develop important life skills.
Student participation in school decisions, such as via a school council, can be a divisive topic, and a lot of the time the effectiveness of a school council is dependent on the type of school you go to and how well student participation is managed. A school with a council in which students’ feedback and decisions are not valued is indeed pointless. If student representatives are in a meeting in order just to tick a box, then this has no substance. If I was a student representative and I put a lot of time and effort into preparing for a council meeting, only to have my views and the views of my fellow students ignored, then this would leave me feeling disillusioned and unheard. In these cases, student and teacher time would be better spent on actual teaching and learning.
I can also imagine that, in fee-paying schools, parents would expect their children and the teachers to put education first, and leave the big decisions to those entrusted with running the school in the first place. However, we are not in a fee-paying school, and in addition, not having a school council implies a lack of belief in our ability to make informed decisions about the place where we currently spend the majority of our time. Just because we are young, this does not mean that we are incapable of making good decisions and providing good feedback.
Having a school council or some other form of student representation can bring real benefits to a school and its pupils. Students can feel valued, and at the same time develop life skills such as communication, negotiation and decision-making. Being a member of a school council is well-regarded and looks good when it comes to college, university or job interviews, and students can offer a fresh perspective on issues that can be challenging to solve, such as behaviour and bullying. When students are given more responsibility, this can result in more positive attitudes, better attendance and results. Given this trust, we would be more motivated to participate in decisions that have a major impact on our lives.
As part of my preparation for this speech, I read a guide for teachers on setting up school councils, and while some ambitious claims were made about their benefits, I wonder how realistic the guide is when considering the amount of time and commitment a school council requires from both students and teachers. The guide only promoted the benefits, and while I believe that we do need student representation in this school, I do think it has to be balanced and well-considered. I think the most effective type of participation is one in which pupils have a say on the real issues that affect our school, and where we have the opportunity to shape key policies for the future. This enlightened approach, however, should not just be rushed into. For this to work in our school it will take real commitment, with real benefits attached for both students and teachers alike. Ultimately, I believe that we should be trusted with the responsibility in shaping the course of our own education, and a school council would be one of the ways in which we can do this.
Thank you for listening.
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