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What Asher’s been Tweeting this week 2010-01-24

  • .@joehallforluton Good job, but what's really important to find out is how they're empowering the children NOT on the school council. #
  • @luke_cb the participation you want has to have value to the participant in itself. No additional rewards, make the opportunity rewarding. in reply to luke_cb #
  • @JoeHallforLuton Good methods of communication are key, alongside structures for those not elected to get involved in action. #
  • @schoolgoverning Good luck with your interview. Do you know what they asked the school council? in reply to schoolgoverning #
  • A lot of people seem to be feeling bored in Citizenship. What should we do to make it better? @Colinmac93 @barmyblonde4eva @Emzy1791 #
  • @DaleRockell Yes. Teachers not practiced in facilitation, alongside the civics/non-practical element of the curriculum contribute to boredom in reply to DaleRockell #
  • @luke_cb not had a chance to read this yet, but could/should offer some ideas: http://bit.ly/5d8Uyk #
  • @butwait Thanks for pointing out @FreeRangeKids, she does look interesting. Risk is unavoidable and necessary for learning. in reply to butwait #
  • @butwait Thanks, will do, looks interesting. in reply to butwait #
  • @fowora Thanks for the RT. I'm running a session at the Citizenship Foundation on the 1st, are you going to be there? #studentvoice #
  • #studentvoice RT @Smichael920 Children looking at qualities of effective learners pls comment & ask students too! http://tinyurl.com/ykya6bb #
  • Great idea –> RT @TeachersTV: Get your school crafting with the Craft Club campaign http://bit.ly/4rGUjd #
  • At the Emirates for only the 2nd time this season. I wish I had more money! Here's to at least a 2 goal win. Come on you Gunners. #
  • Well this is not going to plan, but it is true to form. Last 5 mins finally picked up. #
  • Goddamn, the Gunnersaurus just fired a scarf at me, but it slipped through my fingers and into the lap of the guy behind me. I blame Almunia #
  • @fowora That's a shame, would be good to catch up. We're around Old Street now so can easily come over when you're free. Let me know. in reply to fowora #
  • RT @PennyAW: Anyone looking for voluntary work – great site for you http://www.do-it.org.uk You can search by area and type of work u are intereste #
  • @PennyAW Have now. Thanks. That's an interesting prospect. Used to run summer camps, but do I still have the energy? in reply to PennyAW #
  • @DLFresources Who said that? Thought I heard something there, but maybe it was just my imagination…. in reply to DLFresources #
  • I couldn't come up with a better one than what's on there -> RT @AIannucci: Make you own David Cameron poster. http://bit.ly/8voj3r #
  • At the Tower Hamlets Young Mayors Inauguration. I wonder if any of the young people I trained got elected? #
  • @UKYP @bohemiacademia @LouiseRidley Think that's too broad, but maybe it could be a prefix, e.g. #ypvoice #ypnews #yppolitics in reply to bohemiacademia #
  • @FreeRangeKids A seller of free-range eggs? in reply to FreeRangeKids #
  • RT @SchoolDuggery: RT @diane1859 Ofsted arrives on Mon at the pri school where I'm chair of govs – any advice out there? @schoolgoverning #
  • Chatting to the Chief Exec of Tower Hamlets. The Young Mayor will have the biggest mandate of any elected representative in the borough. #
  • Well, the new Young Mayor has been announced. He wants to reduce crime and improve GCSE results. 49.9% of eligible young people voted. #
  • @bowbrick Yes, I recently became a governor of Welbourne Primary School in Tottenham, Haringey. Great idea for a list. in reply to bowbrick #
  • RT @bowbrick: Are you school governor? Reply if you are. I'm going to make a Twitter list #
  • RT @theyouthoftoday: Become a young leader with Big Challenge! http://post.ly/JxEQ #
  • Good to hear -> RT @SharedInterest: Ethical bank Triodos reports “phenomenal” growth http://bit.ly/8L1Lpe #ethical #
  • Good thinking -> RT @envisionUK: Making plans for our 10th birthday: Googling Eclipse premiere + World Cup fixtures for potential clashes! #
  • @ModernGovernor @boidal @bowbrick Actually I'm a community governor, my daughter's oonly 2.5. Not school age yet. in reply to boidal #
  • @dughall Sounds really interesting. Can I have a look or will you be posting more info about it anywhere? in reply to dughall #
  • RT @B_GandT: Wanted: exciting, innovative and worthwhile applications of #studentvoice – Please RT using #studentvoice #
  • .@rbashforth #studentvoice Third: get students to watch videos and make an action plan for how they can improve things. #
  • @bowbrick I am a governor, just not a parent governor. in reply to bowbrick #
  • @dughall I have some experience of school council linking projects, but want to see them go further, so if I can be any help, just ask. in reply to dughall #

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involver blog

Ashley School – using school councils to teach Citizenship

Ashley School Council's great slogan
Ashley School Council's great slogan

Yesterday Greg and I went to Ashley School in Widnes to do some testing for a big project we’re doing with the Parliament Education Service (PES).

It’s such a great school to visit because they really seem to get the links between the school council, Citizenship and the happiness of everyone in the school.

How do they do this:

  • Ensure everyone who wants to participate can. There are elected councils but also groups people can volunteer for.
  • There are groups that reflect a variety of interests to engage different students, to name just a few: Sports, Eco, Anne Frank (community and human rights).
  • All staff take responsibility and get involved with groups and committees that interest them: the PE teacher runs the Sports Committee, the Science teacher runs the Eco group, etc.
  • The school council is structured with a purpose, they decided to reflect the Houses of Parliament and use this as a teaching tool to help students understand the wider political system.
  • Pride of place is given to the pupils’ various councils and groups. They have their own committee room and displays in the reception area.
  • The school council is designed to be completely inclusive. Although there are no pupils with physical disabilities as Ashley School their committee room is designed to be accessible and usable by all, it includes a whole range of assistive technologies. There is even a CCTV system to meetings can be viewed all over the school.

Anyway, here’s a little video of their council chamber. Obviously we couldn’t get the kids in because of child safety issues, but you get the idea.

This is no new thing to Ashley School, they’ve been doing this work for years as this great article in the Guardian testifies: Friends, pupils, citizens

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Twitter

What Asher’s been Tweeting this week 2010-01-17

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involver blog

2010.

Hi all,

Happy new year – hope everyone had a great festive season! I lost every snowball fight, got lots of new socks, fell over twice, and am excited about 2010.

Sorry for not blogging much recently! But here’s a wee update:

We’ve moved into our new office in Old Street – this is really helping us to focus, and we’re getting lots more work done. Which is good, because there’s lots to do. This is me:

Gregatwork

Things to note:

  • Asher is managing to keep his desk tidy (well done Asher).
  • It’s cold (see scarf).
  • Over-sized monitors.

So that’s the office, what are we actually up to:

  • We’re welcoming two teachers from the Czech republic for a week in February, and are busy planning their programme.
  • We’re working on an exciting project for Parliament.
  • We’re also thinking hard about involver’s strategy over the course of the year, and beyond. This is hard work, but very important.
  • Most importantly, we finally had our Christmas night out at the 30under30 launch party the other night. Bit late, but good fun.

So there we are…. best wishes to all for 2010. Thanks for listening!

Greg

Categories
Twitter

What Asher’s been Tweeting this week 2010-01-10

  • @gavinthomson Thanks Gavin, looks interesting. in reply to gavinthomson #
  • Speaking with the Speaker event RT @gavinthomson: @AsherJac http://www2.lse.ac.uk/publicEvents/events/2010/20100125t1830vOT.aspx #
  • Locked out of the new office already,and it's only the second day! I thought working from home was unproductive. #
  • Just bought @scyne a spill resistant keyboard. About a minute outside the shop I spilt coffee on it. #
  • RT @kdwashburn: RT @chadratliff: RT @AASAHQ: 10 Reasons School Leaders Should Pay Attention to Social Media http://bit.ly/8j8pl5 #
  • RT @MattSL RT @EstherNYA: UN declares 2010 International Year of Youth – http://bit.ly/84neD6 #
  • Just got a free incoming geographic VOIP number from http://www.sipgate.co.uk 020 3411 3294 #
  • #r4today A sensible discussion between John Hutton and his shadow. No chance the rest of this campaign will be so civil and useful. #
  • Hello to you all from our new office in Shoreditch, London! Visitors welcome! And happy new year too :o) http://bit.ly/5uZALP #
  • @jenmcnally I'd recommend at least 3. in reply to jenmcnally #
  • @HGJohn Agree with the argument, but Boots is a profit-making business, not a public service, so 'customers buy it' = good. in reply to HGJohn #
  • @HGJohn But make an argument based on profit, not science and morals, these are not the things business deals in. #ten23 in reply to HGJohn #
  • Lies, damn dies and the Tory press. @bengoldacre: If you want to be trusted more: claim less http://bit.ly/6uDz6T #
  • RT @fullonlearning: RT @The_NEN: New direction?: @mikebakered asks if the tide is turning on school tests http://bit.ly/7g86C6 #
  • Just been taught to tune a guitar by @chloedoherty, didn't think I had the ear for it. Not sure when I'll use this skill, but still happy :) #
  • Finding our website is blocked in many schools as 'chat'. Is this filtered because it is in WordPress or because comments are turned on? #
  • @boduweb Good point. I know in Buckinghamshire the reason given was that it was a blog. Haringey said it was classified as 'chat' ??? in reply to boduweb #

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Raising achievement through student voice and data

I just read this really interesting article on how schools in Colorado are finding that in the quest to raise standards and achievement that data alone is a blunt tool; student voice sharpens this.

Their recommendations are excellent, especially:

Utilize student-led outreach to capture feedback from disengaged students.

Have a read: http://blog.ednewscolorado.org/2010/01/05/in-r2t-student-voice-will-sharpen-blunt-instruments/