The danger of subverting students’ views in schools

Abstract

This paper is firmly grounded in the position that engaging with students' voices in schools is central to the development of inclusive practices. It explores the tensions that can be created when efforts are made to engage with students' voices in relation to their experiences of learning and teaching. An example from a three-year research and development project, which worked alongside teachers to use students' voices as a way of developing inclusive practices, is used to illustrate these tensions. This project, though showing that students' voices can be a powerful means for understanding learning and teaching in schools, also encountered challenges with these processes. This paper focuses on the experiences of one secondary school which (possibly inadvertently) subverted and undermined students' voice initiatives and explores the potential negative impacts of this on individual students, on students as a whole, and on teacher development. By doing this, suggestions as to how such tensions can be avoided in schools are offered, with the aim being to allow a genuine engagement with the views of students.

Collaborative action research: facilitating inclusion in schools

“…However, all the above steps were followed by each of the schools in the different countries. More details about the project and its findings, including the model of teacher professional development that has emerged from it, as well as the challenges involved in using such approaches in schools, can be found in other publications (Messiou and Ainscow, 2015;Messiou and Hope, 2015;Messiou et al, 2016). The question to be addressed in this article is: -In what ways do collaborative action research processes promote inclusive practices in schools?…”

“…As it is documented in a number of studies (e.g. Ainscow and Kaplan, 2005;Bland & Atwah, 2007;Fielding, 2001Fielding, , 2004Leitch et al 2007, Messiou andHope, 2015), such processes can be challenging and care needs to be taken in order to avoid tokenistic student involvement. Adopting the above definitions of inclusive education then, where everyone is valued and enabled to participate, it seems that students' voices should be at the centre of the process and being given due weight.…”

Mapping cultural diversity through children's voices: From confusion to clear understandings

“…Nevertheless, despite the benefits of student voice, Messiou and Hope () raise concerns about the tensions that might be experienced by both teachers and students. On the one hand, teachers might feel intimidated by their colleagues’ reactions when sharing their students’ views.…”

“…In this field, Messiou has conducted substantial research on enhancing inclusion in schools by listening to and encompassing student voice (e.g. Messiou, , , , , ; see also Messiou & Ainscow, ; Messiou & Hope, ). What she argues in her research is that students hold unique knowledge and perspectives about social justice, since they are capable of detecting both segregating practices that enhance marginalisation as well as identifying the factors that inhibit inclusion in their schools.…”

Students negotiating the borders between general and special education classes: an ethnographic and participatory research study

“…Often studies on student exclusion and marginalisation bypass students' views owing to time constraints (Messiou, 2006;Messiou and Hope, 2015). The idea of marginalisation and belonging was posed to the school community by the researchers but its contents, meanings and aspirations for changes came from the students.…”