@MickLandmann Yes, but I think that's the state of play at the moment: ethos of the school is the main barrier to greater participation. in reply to MickLandmann#
RT @EstherNYA: Does your school have an interest or passion in student voice and youth leadership? Apply for the… http://bit.ly/6t1Mbx#
#blowingowntrumpet Chuffed by more great feedback on our training: inspired the students, and council meetings have improved. Invaluable. #
@PennyAW Thanks Penny. Now we need to make sure we're following up with these schools and that it has a long-term effect. in reply to PennyAW#
RT @tsdtel: RSC Wales Events: Learner Voice, Learner Choice Personalisation Roadshow (South West Wales): RSC Wales http://bit.ly/6Jl88T#
@iThinkup Ah, you'll need to work on another marketing plan then. We're using Sketch Rockwell too, think it's becoming very popular. in reply to iThinkup#
@iMrsF @peoplegogy 1. Be in an environment where various skills are valued equally. 2. Be open to trying and not being good at lots of stuff in reply to iMrsF#
RT @iMrsF: Good question! RT @peoplegogy: how does someone go abt discovering what they can be the best at? #
RT @TheTeacherPage: Intute: the best web resources for education and research – http://www.intute.ac.uk#
RT @chickensaltash: Saltash becomes a Cool School – Part 1 (A guest blog by my Year 10 students) Pls check it out! http://bit.ly/Yerca#
RT @Larryferlazzo: RT @teachtechie: Messing around with Twiducate.com with my students – a Twitter like environment… http://bit.ly/6mGYrS#
This is our new front door. Check out the number plate of the Beamer too ('G6EKS') wonder if it belongs to one of the web designers we're sharing with?
So, I’ve just been in to Shoreditch to sign the contract for our new office space, well desks in an office. We’re going to be based at Sustain (www.wearesustain.com) which is an eco office space. We’re very happy about that as it fits in with the way we want to work.
If I’m honest we’re also a bit excited about this place because it’s pretty ‘scene’ (as Greg would say). We’re sharing with graffiti artists, charities, eco social enterprises , ‘experience designers’ and all kinds of other cool people. This place even has a club in the basement, where Hadouken filmed their latest video.
These are some of the people based at Sustain, hopefully we’ll be able to share experiences and a drink with them soon:
Once we actually move in in the New Year we’ll be inviting you all over for mince pies and meetings round the massive table, leave a comment if you want an invitation!
The corner of our building. Scrutton Street/Curtain RoadWe are too now.
We just emailed out a message of thanks to all the everyone who’s helped us over the last few months, and I wanted to make sure that our blog and twitter friends can share in the love:
We wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you for your advice and support in helping us get involver off the ground. It’s been a bit of hectic few months for us and we’re really looking forward to a break over Christmas, we imagine you are too.
We’ve knocked up a little pre-holiday present, well treat, actually maybe it’s just a gimmick, but it’s from us to you with love anyway. Print it out, fold it up and throw it at the grumpiest person in range*, an offer of a mince pie cheers most people up!
Have a good break and we’ll be speaking to you in 2010 (maybe even to share a late mince pie).
Warm regards,
Asher and Greg
*involver cannot be held responsible for any damage to eyes, property or careers.
Thinking about communication, it's not just assemblies and noticeboards.
The Albion High School in Salford (Manchester) had a problem with its school council, as in many schools it was seen as ineffective and so became very unpopular with students. Staff and governors set improving pupil voice as a key priority for the school. With help from Creative Partnerships they have rebranded and reconstituted the school council, which is now known as REGENERATE. It has a significant budget (£30,000) and members of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) provide direct support.
Having trained a number of Salford school council co-ordinators the other week I was invited to help run REGENERATE’s training yesterday – I was even billed as “Asher Jacobsberg: National Leader on Student Voice and Involvement” which was a bit of an ego massage! The day was opened by the Chair of Governors and the Headteacher, which I feel was really important for them and the students, really creating a link between the key decision-making bodies in the school. My role for the day, as well as running ice-breakers and rounding the day off, was to help the students decide on a strategy for getting the whole-school involved with REGENERATE. For me this always comes down to communication. The best way to start to pique people’s interest is to tell them about what you’re already doing, and encourage them to tell you what they think. Once that’s working, then they’re much more likely to want to move in to taking an active role.
As well as training, the day was used for making some structural decisions and voting in the Chair.
So this is the session I ran with them, and we came up with a really solid communication plan at the end of it. Very importantly each element had someone who would be responsible for it, and a regular date on which it would happen. Some of the ideas that the students came up with and will be taking forward:
Visit primary schools to tell them about REGENERATE, show they will be listened to at The Albion and find out what they want The Albion to be like when they get there.
Use social networking sites to spread the word about what REGENERATE is up to.
Create a REGENERATE jingle for the radio show that they will be recording.
Make sure that the REGENERATE noticeboards are updated after every meeting, that they are in places where everyone in the school will see them and that they are funny and interesting to look at!
