Aiming for school improvement: taking students on board

Key question: Why, and how, can students be enabled to participate in school development?

Introduction

This essay is being written in an effort to explore the possibility of involving students in the school development process of a private school that is part of a school network in Pakistan.

The rationale for choosing this topic emerges from my own curiosity as the school principal, of involving students in the school development process as key participants. I have chosen to study the above to find out why this notion has never been explored in my school and the likely constraints which may occur in its implemention.

The essay commences by explaining the context of my school so that the reader is familiarised with the background. It proceeds by establishing the need for incorporating student voice in school development and defining what it actually means. The following section traces the relationship between student participation and school improvement. It further explores the possible challenges Aga Khan School, Kharadhar (AKS KDR) may face in implementing it. Finally it ends by concluding the answers to the key question, as noted in the title of this paper.

Context

Aga Khan School, Kharadhar (a unit of Aga Khan Education Service, Pakistan) was established in 1926 and is the oldest school in the Aga Khan Education Service network of private educational institutions in Pakistan. The school caters to numerous diverse communities belonging to the low socio-economic strata of society. Presently, the school is providing education to over 1300 students amongst whom 50% are females, through 80 qualified and committed teachers. The school comprises of three sections, which is in accordance with the following distinct developmental periods:

Early Childhood and Development Section (ECD): ECD I to ECD IV Early and mid-childhood (ages: 3-7)
Junior Section: Jr.I- Jr.V Late Childhood (ages: 8-11) 
Senior Section: Sr.I-Sr. III Adolescence Period (ages: 12-15)

Each section is facilitated by a head teacher and a separate set of staff, while the principal is the overall unit supervisor. The school offers courses leading to secondary school certificate.

Although, Aga Khan Education Service, Pakistan (AKES, P) is a centralised system, its Karachi schools are currently undergoing a decentralisation and systemic reform effort that has allowed the board of governors, regional offices and the central office to work closely with each other to reach a shared understanding on what AKES, P is and what its vision is for the future. This entails the schools becoming autonomous units of change in most of their endeavours. In order to be self-sufficient and yet moving ahead, the process of school self-evaluation leading to the drafting of extensive school development plans has been initiated. The school self-evaluation cycle is carried out by taking input from stakeholders such as the students, teachers, parents and the management.

Situational analysis

At Aga Khan School, Kharadhar, student participation in the school improvement process is quite limited, in fact negligible. The notion of student voice or the concept of incorporating it for improving the school is unknown and unexplored in its truest sense. All school improvement efforts to date, whether affecting the students directly or indirectly, have hardly ever concentrated on involving students and utilising their potential in assisting the school to improve it. The mode of student participation at the school is restricted to the fourth and fifth ladder of what Hart (1997) calls the Continuum of Children’s Participation (refer to Appendix#1).

A deep situational analysis of my school and comparison with other AKES, P schools of Karachi reveals that life outside the school for many young people is in complete contrast to what they experience or what is expected of them at school. Beyond the limitations of school, life offers opportunities and circumstances where young people develop and engage in many voluntary and involuntary relationships in the society. They are required to shoulder various roles and responsibilities where they experience tough decision-making and conflict resolution at times. On the contrary, the school structures and boundaries hardly offer any such roles where students can exercise their skills of decision-making and exhibit their independence, which is an integral part of their lives outside school. Along with this, schooling does not offer many chances for sharing their hopes and apprehensions, which at times remain unexplored and pent-up.

Capturing this, Rudduck and Flutter (2004:1), aptly highlight ‘that some pupils disengage because the conditions of learning in school today do not always support the development of all young people as learners. Indeed, schools have changed less in their deep structures in the last 20 or 30 years than young people have changed’.

However, in the foreseeable future, it is going to take quite some time before developing countries like Pakistan consider this an area to be improved in their schools. In which case there is a fear that the gap between the schools and the pupils will keep on increasing instead of bridging, leading to partial school improvement instead of holistic. It is this concern, and the will to do something about it, that underlies this assignment.

Why involve students in school improvement?

For the past two decades, education reforms at all levels have continually been focusing on results and performance-based accountability. Hence, educators have been trying to improve schools and raise student achievement. Despite the fact that student performance is at the core of all such endeavours, the irony is that the students themselves have had very little say in this regard, that is, the educational practices and school improvement efforts.

According to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), children have been given the right to be part of all kinds of matters that concern them. This development has led to a growing international emphasis for incorporating student’s view point in academic processes.

The developed countries have particularly realised and have become quite aware that students are valuable stakeholders who can contribute a lot to improving their schools if they are asked about their own teaching and learning. The student voice is increasingly being considered to be a powerful tool for improving student performance and closing the achievement gap. Since performance accountability ultimately lies with students, research in the Western countries shows that education reform cannot be successful and should not  be undertaken without the complete involvement of students at all the stages.

Understanding student voice

The term, ‘student voice’ refers to a range of contributions from the students. This may vary from expressing personal opinion in the classroom situation, ‘to feedback to educators on instructional issues, to involvement in school governance and decision-making, to participation on state- level boards of education’ (Research summary,2004:3).Whatever form student voice may take, whether it is self-expression, feedback, opinion, choice, self-determination, representation, and empowerment, it stands for a certain degree of participation and involvement that determine the consequences for students’ commitment in school and in learning.

Flutter and Rudduck (2004:5) use the term ‘consultation’ and define it ‘as the action of taking counsel together; deliberation or conference’. The concept is based on the premise that whoever participates in this process is included because their pertinent and significant contribution is considered worthwhile. Hence, ‘pupil consultation’ refers to the belief that pupils are capable of sharing relevant information about their school. Flutter and Rudduck (2004:5) also opine that ‘Pupil consultation is within the broader principle of pupil participation’.

What does pupil participation actually mean? The notion of pupil participation rests on the belief that schools should actively include pupils in matters concerning them in school at a certain level (Flutter and Rudduck, 2004).Participation here doesn’t refer to it in the ‘basic sense’ like taking part in the everyday routines of school, but implies to the induction of the pupils within the school community where they have a say which is honoured and appreciated. For Flutter and Rudduck (2004:5), ‘The principle of democracy and citizenship are also linked with the notion of pupil participation’.
The idea of involving students in the school improvement effort is quite appealing and sounds quite autonomous in spirit. Raising concerns, doing research, finding resources and coming up with solutions are some of the processes which this notion entails. After all isn’t this what young people will do all their lives once they leave school? But is this something easy, that is, creating democratic schools? Specially so for schools in the developing countries, where institutions still haven’t come out of the shadows of deep-rooted hierarchical structures and controlled environments. These schools are still struggling to come out of the shackles of colonial thinking and the mind sets of the powerful few at the top. Apple and Beane (2007:9) endorse this when they suggest, ‘Democratic schools, like democracy itself, do not happen by chance. They result from explicit attempts by educators to put in place arrangements and opportunities that will bring democracy to life’. This is, however, quite complex when people do not have enough faith and the courage to exercise democracy. ‘Simply put, many people believe that democracy is nothing more than a form of government and thus does not apply to schools and other social institutions. Many also believe that democracy is a right of adults, not of young people. And some believe that democracy simply cannot work in schools’ (Apple and Beane, 2007:7/8).
On the other hand, advocates of democratic schools believe that schools can promote the democratic experience of life through giving opportunities to all the young people by creating a culture and incorporating the same values in the curriculum. They are of the view that democratic way of life is an ongoing experience and not restricted to life after school. For them, a healthy and fair democracy is the right of all people, which includes the young. It is their firm belief that democracy can easily work in societies as well as in schools and should not be considered unmanageable or risky. ‘Surely it is an obligation of education in a democracy to empower the young to become members of the public, to participate, and play articulate roles in the public space’ (Greene cited in Apple and Beane, 2007:8).

Student involvement and school improvement

‘Student involvement is an idea whose time appears to have come. But it is a problematic idea’ (Lodge, 2005:125). Despite the structural inhibitions in school educators realise that student voice cannot be ignored anymore. The trend further gains strength from advocates such as the children’s rights movement, the school improvement and citizenship education (Rudduck and Flutter, 2004). It is encouraging to note that in the domain of school improvement there has been a relentless argument for giving an ear to the students’ voice. ‘In this view, the young people are the “expert witnesses” with something to tell us about their experiences of schooling’ (Lodge, 2005:129).

It is increasingly becoming evident that purposeful student participation can be a dominant and valuable strength for school improvement, escalating students’ dedication to their own attainment as well as to school aims and converting schools to become more receptive to the needs of their students. Student participation which is meaningful and purposeful respects and empowers the needs of all students in the school and involves them in, moulding their own educational experiences. ‘It is characterised and distinguished from tokenism by students’ engagement with learning, student-adult partnership in the process of schooling, equity and excellence for all, infusion throughout systems and attitudes, quality of learning activities and experiences, and evidence of effectiveness’ (Fletcher cited in Research summary, 2004:4). By asking and taking into account the view point and experience of each individual student, meaningful participation can be a means of eliminating bias and prejudice in schools and ‘bridge the engagement gap between minority, low-income, and underserved students and mainstream student populations’  (Fletcher cited in Research summary, 2004:4).

Applying the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM)

School improvement process involves the element of change. Being the Principal, I realise that my conviction in the concept of student involvement would have to be conveyed positively and advocated convincingly to the relevant people in school, because it is something new that I would be proposing. In order to successfully launch the idea for further implementation, I would need to apply the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM) presented by Loucks and Hall (1979).
According to this model, any new change for improving the school undergoes a couple of procedures. The foremost are the personal feelings of the individual people involved in the change process which may include the teachers and the management staff during the following stages, when they:

• begin to gain knowledge
• get ready for
• implement
• review and improve the new system.

According to the CBAM, in the beginning there are apprehensions for one’s own self. These include queries like: What is the new practice? How will it affect me?
Upon resolution of these apprehensions, the next level of concerns about managing the new practice takes over, which leads to questions like: How do I do it? How can I keep it from taking so much time? When will I be able to anticipate all the surprises that seem to occur everyday? Lastly, after all the management tasks have been accomplished, the apprehensions are focused towards the impact of the practice on students: Are they learning? What can I do better?
The CBAM is based on seven stages of concern. In general, they begin from a focus on self, to task, to impact (Hall and Loucks, 1978). In order to see how this model can be linked with school improvement, it is necessary to consider this series of concerns. ‘First, research has shown that plans designed to address peoples’ concerns as they emerge heighten the potential for success. This includes the ways people are involved in decision making, the training and follow-up help they receive, the expectations set and voiced by people with “clout”, the assignment of support roles, and the project’s timeline’ (Loucks and Hergert,1985:X).

Since school improvement is all about involving people, it is imperative to keep their concerns in mind so that their satisfaction leads to the broader improvement. All stakeholders, including teachers, administrators, parents, and students, have contributions to make, and these contributions can be optimised if we organise a school improvement effort by giving priority to their concerns and reservations. Hence, in the context of Aga Khan School, Kharadhar, too, this aspect would need to be very well thought-out and taken care of.

Possible avenues for student involvement

Since student involvement in school improvement is a notion unfamiliar in the schools of the developing countries, especially in Pakistan. A lot of reading and sharing would be required to bring about awareness at the school level. Moreover, looking at the contextual reality of AKS KDR, its structures and practices, need-based student involvement would have to be initiated.

Flutter and Rudduck (2004) suggest that approaches for student involvement can be different on the basis of the following important considerations:

• the magnitude of the programme, for example, number of students involved, whether it is school-wide, certain classes or just a few students.
•  the scale, for example, whether the nature of concerns is narrowly focused or broad.
• the span of time, for example, whether the initiative would be a short, medium or long-term project.
• the extent to which the programme could be assimilated into the school culture and structure, for example, whether it is a part of the school-wide system, restricted to certain sections or limited to an individually motivated teacher.

Lodge (2005) cautions us to think how all this can be carried out in schools and what shape it can take. ‘An approach to student voice can be analysed along two dimensions: the role of the student, and the purposes for which participation is being sought’ (Lodge, 2005:132). She suggests that, on the basis of the combination of these two dimensions, the following matrix can be constructed which can determine four ideal types of student involvement.

Approaches to student involvement in school improvement

(Lodge, 2005:132)

• quality control
• students as a source of information
• compliance and control
• dialogue

1. Quality control.This approach refers to utilising student voice as the basis for managing the standards of the school. Though the student remains an inactive participant, the information he provides is considered to be the response from a client. This approach aims to benefit the school.

2. Students as a source of information.According to this approach the status of the student remains the same, that is, a passive information source but the aim is to bring about a change for the better. In this approach, at the highest level, the information provided by the students is used by teachers for bringing improvement in the school. ‘This approach has a limited value in school improvement as it does not engage the young people. They may receive no feedback, and are not involved in dialogue to develop shared understandings of the issues raised’ (Lodge, 2005:133).

3. Compliance and control.This approach seeks to actively involve students by valuing their capability and feedback. This approach recognises that young people may have their own ideas and should be involved in decision-making but voice of the students is only utilised where the institution deems it fit.

4. Dialogue. This approach takes into consideration that students should be actively involved in decisions regarding their learning. According to this approach young people have valuable experiences and ideas to share with their peers and teachers in school.‘Dialogue is used here with a particular meaning. It is more than a conversation, it is the building of shared narrative. Dialogue is about engagement with others through talk to arrive at a point one would not get to alone’ (Lodge, 2005:134).

Contemplating what it would be like to initiate the process of actively involving students in the teaching-learning affairs of Aga Khan School Kharadhar, does seem quite challenging to me. Although the idea promises to open a lot of opportunities, yet I foresee certain threats, too.

Challenges

Some of the constraints in relation to different stakeholders which may make it difficult to apply this strategy in my school are given below.

Students. Until now, young people have not been used to sharing their hopes, fears and ideas at Aga Khan School, Kharadhar, and therefore, may not open up so easily considering this as an invasion into their privacy. They may also be cautious in voicing their opinions, since they are not used to the fact that people are ready to listen and value their contributions. They would also be looking out for a certain degree of rapport and level of trust before they are able to share. There is also a possibility that students whose opinions, views and ideas are ignored may be disillusioned and discouraged to do so in future. 

Teachers.The foremost fear for the teachers regarding student involvement would be the sense of losing control. They have been in charge of making decisions for the students for so long that this notion may not be welcomed by many, especially those who do not consider young people capable or mature enough to share their thinking.

Teachers may feel threatened with the issues that pupil participation can unearth and also may not have answers for all of them. The initiative may cause a barrier between students and staff and may not be easily acceptable or owned by them. Issues of time and resources may be used as excuses to discourage the practice by people with old mind-sets who are not ready to change and do not trust that the initiative can be used as a resource to bring about school improvement. It is also expected that senior teachers who have ‘seen it all’ in their careers may influence and discourage the new and motivated teachers showing enthusiasm for the innovation.

Management. As far as the school management is concerned, this comprises of the principal, head teachers and academic coordinators, that is, the School Management Team (SMT). Unless the whole SMT is committed to the cause and believes in the essence of the initiative, it will be very difficult to convince the teachers and advocate the concept with the level of passion I myself possess.

I agree with Rudduck and Flutter (2004:23) when they say that, ‘Clearly, it is essential to plan very carefully before embarking on pupil consultation, taking into consideration factors such as the readiness of the school as well as practical issues of time management and resource availability’. Planning, not only in terms of getting ready to implement the initiative; but also in terms of reviewing and aligning the whole structure of the school, this would need to be much more flexible and accommodating to incorporate this concept.

This aspect worries me because challenging the status quo and introducing something so radical in the context of a developing country like Pakistan would itself be a challenge. Unless it is accompanied with the required understanding, will and ownership of the leading SMT, it will never trickle down to the teachers and will soon fizzle out. It is this team that then needs to assess how and when it will be done, and who will take it forward. Moreover, issues such as the capacity of the leaders, measures for accountability and monitoring of such an initiative also seem to be an uphill task at the moment.

Considering all the above apprehensions, the introduction of the student consultation concept at AKS KDR would entail thorough thinking and preparation, the likes of which Flutter and Rudduck (2004:24) have discussed below:

Preparing for consultation: some questions for schools to think about
Readiness

Is this school ready to:

• Introduce pupil strategies?
• Are teachers and pupils comfortable with the idea of consultation?

Preparation

• How should we set about consulting pupils?
• What kinds of issues should we look at?
• Do we need external support?

Practical issues

• Will the whole school or some year groups, departments or sub-groups of pupils be involved?
• What is the most appropriate time scale?

Data gathering and analysis

• How should data be gathered?
• Who will analyse the data?

Using the findings

• How can we use this information to improve teaching and learning?
• Is there a need for further information before new strategies are considered?

Feeding back and communicating findings

• How are the findings to be fed back to staff and pupils?
• Should the key findings be disseminated more widely?

Monitoring and evaluation

• What are the most effective ways of monitoring and evaluating strategies introduced through pupil consultation? Has the process achieved its main objectives?’

Asking the above questions can form the basis of developing a framework for Aga Khan School Kharadhar and establish whether the school is ready or not to take up this initiative.

Conclusion

In this essay I have tried to explore the possibility of involving students in the school development process of my own school which is part of a school network in Pakistan. While the essay has attempted to find out why and how students can be involved in the school improvement process, effort has also been made to consider all the possible constraints that may be faced in this regard.

My belief in the concept that students are the primary stakeholders, yet have the least say in the school affairs, motivated me to research this notion. In my opinion, students have a lot to say and can be a rich resource for the school in finding out its strengths and challenges, as well as engaging them in solving some of the issues they face in the teaching and learning process.

At the end of this paper, I have come to the conclusion that the notion of student involvement with respect to their active participation in the school improvement process, is a very effective strategy. Tapping the potential of young people and giving value to their ideas and contribution is increasingly being recognised by the developed nations as a means of bringing about meaningful improvement in their schools. Going through literature on this topic has generated an interest in me, as a principal, to introduce this concept in my school. However, since involving students in the school improvement process is a new concept in Pakistan, where schools are not yet aware and ready to introduce such a democratic process, it may become quite challenging. I have tried my best to think of all the possible constraints that may be faced while bringing such a change at the school level. This will enable the SMT to think of workable and long-term solutions to counter these constraints according to the school’s priorities.

References

Apple, M and Beane, J (1999). Democratic schools: lessons from the chalk face. Buckingham: Open University Press.
Flutter, J and Rudduck, J (2004). Consulting pupils: what’s in it for schools? London: Routledge Falmer.
Hart, R (1997). Children’s participation: the theory and practice of involving young citizens in community development and environmental care. London: Earthscan Publications Ltd with UNICEF.
Lodge, C (2005). ‘From hearing voices to engaging in dialogue: problematising student participation in school improvement’. In Journal of Educational Change. 6. 125-146.
Loucks-Horsley, SF and Hergert, LF (1985). An action guide to school improvement. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development and the NETWORK.
Rudduck, J and Flutter, J (2004). How to improve your school: giving pupils a voice. London: Routledge Falmer.
(2004) A summary of research on using student voice in school improving planning. Online. Available: http://www.educationalliance.org (accessed 12 April 2008).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ms Saira Nizam is Principal of Aga Khan School, in Kharadhar, Karachi, Pakistan.

 

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