Conceptual Inquiry at St Matthew’s:

The Benefits of Promoting Student Voice

Here at St Matthew’s, our teachers know that personal and academic resilience is strengthened when students are their own advocates. We value the perspectives and opinions of students and act on them ways that shape learning and decision-making at our school.  

Student voice is not simply about giving students the opportunity to communicate ideas and opinions, or ‘having a say’ and ‘being heard’; it is about students having the power to influence change. Authentic student voice provides opportunities for students to collaborate and make decisions with adults about their learning. This is known to lead to improved educational outcomes. 

Student voice is evident when students:

• listen to and learn from peers and adults
• ask questions to strengthen their understanding
• share their ideas and opinions
• actively seek feedback from teachers and peers to progress their learning and reflect on their learning experience
• give feedback to peers and teachers
• negotiate learning goals and assessment
• respectfully challenge others’ views about learning and teaching and 
• feel confident to contribute in meaningful ways for a shared sense of ownership.

We encourage students to actively participate in decision-making about those things which shape their educational experiences. Students who are given voice learn how to be agents of change in their communities (Duncan-Andrade, & Morrell, 2008). For example, over the last term, we have received several ‘applications’ from students who wish to establish and lead lunchtime clubs. As a result, students can participate in a Sustainability Club, a Drawing Club, and a Rubik’s Cube Club. We’re looking forward to finding out what other initiatives our wonderful students come up with in the future!