Educators

Students who believe in themselves perform better academically.

Imagine knowing what all of your students think and believe about their school. The My Voice™ Student Aspirations Survey brings you that knowledge. Imagine knowing how what you perceive compares to students' perspectives on education. When used in collaboration with the My Voice Student Aspirations Survey, the My Voice Staff Survey can provide you with helpful comparisons. Based on over two decades of research, the My Voice Surveys measure student, staff and parent perceptions of 8 Conditions That Make a Difference – key factors to your students' academic, personal, and social success in school. Easy to administer and 15 minutes to take online, the survey provides you with results you can use right away.

Now imagine the voices of students, staff and parents rejuvenating our country's educational agenda. By participating in the My Voice Surveys, you are contributing to a national, research-based approach to reframing each and every student's right to academic excellence. More than ever, the voice of students is a needed balance to the standards-based approach of the last decade. Your school's involvement can help reconnect school staff to the very reason they became educators in the first place – the students.

Here are a few ways that you can put the power of the My Voice Survey to work in your classroom right away.

8 Effective Ways to Foster Your Students' Aspirations

1. Treat all students as individuals

Recognize your students for their strengths and unique abilities. Incorporate specific student interests into lessons and conversations to further engage students in school. Talk with students about differences they notice locally, nationally, and internationally among people who are part of the same community. Emphasize that feeling or being different from others, even peers, is what makes the world interesting and groups more effective. Discuss how differences affect people's perspectives.

Belonging Activity 1 // Belonging Activity 2

2. Show students you respect them

Students enter school with different experiences and understandings concerning respect. Model respect as an important strategy in helping students to become more respectful toward adults and peers. Take the time to develop with your students a mutually agreed upon definition of respect. Hang it in your classroom for easy reference throughout the year. Incorporate traditions, songs, news, and concepts important to your students' backgrounds and cultures into your teaching and lessons.

Heroes Activity 1 // Heroes Activity 2 // Heroes Activity 3

3. Acknowledge effort and perseverance

Challenge all students to succeed academically by expecting all students to put forth their best effort and persevere through challenges. Create opportunities for students to assess themselves in areas of effort and perseverance. Reinforce the importance of giving your best by including specific remarks and suggestions on student report cards. Consider allowing students to submit their own comments to be used on report cards.

Sense of Accomplishment Activity

4. Encourage students to follow their passions

Discover what interests students the most, and use their interests as "hooks" to engage them in your class. Explore with students the connections between their passions and interests and what you are learning together. Take the time to understand what students find boring, and what they find interesting to learn.

Fun & Excitement Activity

5. Invite students to ask questions and wonder about answers

Make your classroom an "All Questions Welcome" zone. Promote inquiry and questioning by sharing your own curiosity. Push students to seek answers and develop original solutions. Arouse further curiosity by introducing novelty, surprise, complexity, uncertainty, or contradictions into lessons. Challenge students to think about solutions to complex issues.

Curiosity & Creativity Activity 1 // Curiosity & Creativity Activity 2

6. Provide students with challenging opportunities

Set high expectations for all students. Create different assignments ensuring that all students are challenged. Discover ways for students who have mastered a subject or an area to support those who are struggling. Help students to realize their potential by making the classroom environment safe for them to take healthy risks. Make a conscious effort to help students learn from mistakes.

Spirit of Adventure Activity

7. Allow students to make meaningful decisions

Provide students opportunities to make decisions about their education. These decisions might include what courses to take, choices in assignments, and even decisions on how to be assessed. Give students a seat at the table where meaningful decisions are made – in your classroom, your school, and your community. Actively seek student voice in your classes.

Leadership & Responsibility Activity

8. Facilitate students in making a difference

Reflect with students to help them understand how they can make a difference locally and nationally. Work with your students to help them use their strengths to benefit others. Invite students to consider how various jobs and careers affect other people. Tell your students that you believe in them and in their ability to succeed.

Confidence to Take Action Activity 1 // Confidence to Take Action Activity 2