What young people want from school

There has been a switch in emphasis in recent years to schools asking their students what they like/don't like about school, their lessons and their teachers.

The answers are universally the same. Focus groups on four continents show children are generally bored by their teachers’ lectures and are fearful of closed questions because they are used as a behavior control method. They especially loathe sarcasm and put downs. They regard copying from the blackboard or making notes from lectures as time wasting. They would much prefer to have discussions, use technology and engage in hands-on activities.

Most want to go to school. It's important for their social life. Its a place to do what human's do really well...interact, converse and play together. So the idea of no-school or home school for many is a non-starter.

But sadly not all schools are listening to their "student voices". What began as laws in 1844 to provide British children working in mines and factories with some education and which was made mandatory in 1890 and free in 1891 for 5 to 12 year olds has become a millstone around their necks. The laws which govern education historically put power in the hands of teachers, parents and administrators rather than students.

On the other hand, marketers see children as knowledgeable and capable of making their own decisions about who they are through what they buy, making choices or being influencers from an early age for both family and personal purchases of food, books, clothes, entertainment and sophisticated technologies such as computers. They learn brand loyalty before they can read and make specific requests for brand name products. By age eight, children have acquired the necessary skills from parents, peers and TV to become independent consumers, have their own money to spend and have a say in the purchase of household items. Many cook for themselves, buy food for their families or participate in family shopping.

This is the most technology and information savvy generation ever. Most are plugged directly into the giant newsroom, library, supermarket and entertainment center the web has become. Many have their own mobile phones, televisions, computers and even their own debit cards.

So what do they want? Most students said they would like school to be more “fun” or "fun, fun, fun" and have access to “more technology” more often. Students said they use computers “at home lots” and “at school never” or "rarely" and would like this to change. They want more “interesting teachers”, to “sit where you want” and more “class discussions” so that “everyone is involved” resulting in “better relationships with other people". Schools should “make the classes more interactive” and employ “better teacher techniques” to suit “different types of learners". "Smaller classes" would ensure people were “more comfortable and confident to say what they want within reason". Students should be allowed “to take more control over their own learning” and “have their own opinions” even if their teachers do not agree with them.#

So, what if we regard the learner as our customer? What if we acknowledge that many children know what they want but are afraid to give voice to their opinions? Here's a "student voice" workshop to start the process:

1. What do you like about your lessons?
2. What could be improved about your lessons?
3. Describe the most boring lesson you have ever had. What happened?
4. Describe the most exciting lesson you have ever had. What happened?
5. Which of these learning activities do your really like and why? Problem solving, teamwork, using technology, internet research, library research, discussion, making things, answering the teachers questions, listening to the teacher, copying from the blackboard, text book exercises.
6. Which of these learning activities do your really dislike and why? Problem solving, teamwork, using technology, internet research, library research, discussion, making things, answering the teachers' questions, listening to the teacher, copying from the blackboard, text book exercises.
7. What are the rules for your classroom? What is expected of you?
8. If you could invent some new rules for your classroom what would they be?
9. What does your teacher do to teach you? e.g. ask you questions.
10. If you could change the way school is organized what would you do?
11. In what ways is your home life different from your school life?
12. What kinds of tools/things do you use at school as part of your learning e.g. books, computers and how do you use them?
13. What kinds of tools/things do you use at home as part of your life e.g. books, computers and how do you use them?
14. How much opportunity is there in school to use the tools that you use in your home life? e.g. phone, computer, internet, chat rooms etc.
15. Describe some ways that you might use some of these tools in how you learn within the school?
16. How much time do you spend at school using computers in your learning and how much time at home?
17. What is your preferred way of learning and why?
18. What way of learning do you least prefer and why?
19. Describe the kinds of activities in which you feel really excited and engaged, so that time passes quickly.
20. What are your hobbies, sports, interests?
21. What do you do really well?
22. What kind of career do you think you will pursue?

# Findlay, J., Fitzgerald, R.N. & Hobby, R. (2004). Learners as customers. Proceedings of the International Conference on Educational Technology (ICET), Singapore, September 9-10, 2004.