Pupil voice explored through:

The tragic love story of Bradley and Stacy, a Highwayman and Bess, Ed

Balfour, Karen, a summers night in 1867, class p and the 90th percentile.

(or, A creative discussion about engaging and using pupil voice to provide a
curriculum experience that is outside of convention, but one that makes some
much more sense to our learners.)

(or, Pupil voice and how it should influence our actions.)

(or, Can pupil voice become a shared learning voice? Because otherwise what is
our role as the adult facilitator of learning?
Must not talk myself out of a job!)
 Definitions of pupil voice.

‘Pupil voice’ refers to the active participation of pupils in the process of their own education
and to the extent that they are consulted and listened to about a range of issues that
directly impact upon them.

"Student voice is formed of the unique perspective of the young people in our schools. It is
formed in the same ways that adult voice is; that is, experience and education help students
create opinions, ideas, and beliefs to which they give their voice." - Fletcher, A. (n.d.)
Broadening the bounds of involvement: Transforming schools with student voice. New
Horizons for Learning. Online.
"The concept of voice spans literal, metaphorical, and political terrains: in its literal sense,
voice represents the speech and perspectives of the speaker; metaphorically, voice spans
inflection, tone, accent, style, and the qualities and feelings conveyed by the speaker's
words; and politically, a commitment to voice attests to the right of speaking and being
represented." - Britzman, D. (1989). 'Who has the floor? Curriculum teaching and the
English student teacher's struggle for voice', in Curriculum Inquiry, 19(2), 143-162
 The tragic love story
of Bradley and Stacy.
http://www.pleasurereaders.blogspot.com/

Cathrine Compton-Lilly: Identity, childhood

culture, and literacy learning. In this case study it is
demonstrated how teachers can successfully utilise
media and cultural resources that lie outside of the
traditional walls of school to create learning
experiences that are uniquely responsive to individual
students. Essentially, getting the children to engage
not only with their pupil voice but also their child hood
and media culture. https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=
Mcarthey and Moje, 2002 discuss that power plays a
role in how reading identities get enacted and how
children position themselves, their personal histories,
struggles and successes all contributing to their
reading competence. By developing their pupil voice,
http://pleasurereaders.blogspot.com/2008
creating learning experiences that are uniquely
responsive to individual students.
 Ed Balfour.

• Thoughts behind the research.

• If as adults we believe that sustained thinking,
possibility thinking, questioning, interaction and the
ability to adapt/respond to constant change within the
world are key skills that ultimately allow children to
become great learners (moving on from being better
at learning). Shouldn’t we allow for some part our
children the opportunity of having greater autonomy
over their learning experiences, nurturing their own http://mittandstick.blogspot.com/
passions, rarely directing but scaffolding their
observations, realisations and learning rehearsals, www.edenproject.blogspot.com
observing how they apply and display their www.b4b09.blogspot.com
understanding of the skills we teach and model to
them, in their own unique ways? www.listen2poems.blogspot.com
• But how? www.nopetrol08.blogspot.com
• And what my role?
 A summers night in 1867

For most men in a brazen prison live,

Where, in the sun's hot eye,
With heads bend o'er their toil, they languidly
Their lives to some unmeaning taskwork give,
Dreaming of nought beyond their prison wall…

A world above man's head, to let him see

How boundless might his soul's horizons be,
How vast, yet of what clear transparency!
How it were good to abide there, and breathe free;
How fair a lot to fill
Is left to each man still!

The poem seemed to make a link between education and an improved quality of life. So much so that it lead into the
first inspections by an educational regulation, 1867, lead by Matthew Arnold.

1867- “Free play for the teacher.”, 2/3 schools dependant upon government grants demanding mechanical education
around testing, leading to mechanical schooling.

Arnold called for:

Strong central philosophy, beyond standard models
Sharing between communities (Networking)
Learning to address needs of cultural change
Co construction of change between all parties (Pupil)
A spreading of the word.

In 1867.
 The 90th percentile.
My Role? Arnold’s co-construction from 1867.

2008 2009
87% 2b and above, reading.
48% level 3 maths
(50% achieving level 3 ICT.) One class. (30
children.) 45% level 3 reading
85% 2b and above, writing.
34% Level 3 writing
26% , level 3 writing.
99% 2b and above, science. 98% + 2b +
48% , level 3 science.
98% 2b and above, Speaking and listening. (Figures currently going
39% level 3 speaking and listening. through moderation, should
Boys, 13%, Higher than national average. have been completed this
Girls, 9%. morning.)

Students with a high performing teacher will achieve

the 90th percentile, as apposed to 37th
53percentiles difference, most significant in all
current research into success. D. Wiliam.
 BUT.

“Teachers faced with the challenge of helping children master conventional school-valued literacy
practices despite the varied literacy resources and identities children bring. Utilising the cultural
resources that children bring entails recognising and valuing diverse resources grounded in childhood
culture, media culture and divergent literacy practices that are often considered unworthy of school
attention.”
Cathrine Compton-Lilly
And
How could I have forgot Karen!
This is my most treasured definition of pupil voice and the impact it can have on adult thinking.
Outnumbered, BBC, produced and directed by Guy Jenkin and Andy Hamilton. improvisation was put in place in
order to get more believable performances from the child actors and keep the adult actors' reactions more believable
too. Hugh Dennis says: "In most sitcoms all the lines for children are written by adults. So they are speaking the words
of people 30 years older. And you really want kids to have their own voices, and say their own things."
Denis, as Dad: Everything is made from atoms.
Karen, as child; Even dreams.
Dad: Yes, dreams are electric impulses so yes.
Karen: What about shadows?
Dad: Shadows are an absence of light, so…