Students Need a Say

Blogging equates influence is the topic of Bill Ferriter's post on why teachers should blog. As a springboard from Do I really need to Blog? at Wizards Teaching Blog, Bill hits a homeroom with his statement that...

"Decisions made without us are unintentionally underinformed!"

Daily I am frustrated at the fact that policy and practices are put into place without any input from the soldiers on the front line. Just yesterday I asked, "Do they not see the hand in front of their faces? Why can't administrators see what is so obvious to teachers?"

Blogging does provide a platform for our voices and a medium for change, but we are not the only ones who need to be heard. The same catalyst should be available for students. How often do we as educators make decisions about their future without feedback from them? Would students not benefit from the same opportunity?

Providing our students with the training and access needed to blog is a powerful tool in the Quality Schools initiative inspired by Williams Glasper. The concept of allowing students an opportunity to provide teachers with feedback and to assess instruction is a hard pill to swallow, but a necessary one. Movements such as Students 2.0, with writers similar to Morgante Pell, is a start on the right track. (Great to have you back Arthus!)
As stated by Kurtsn, with blogging,

"Your ideas are challenged, and refined. Possibly changed."

So... here is your chance students to challenge my thinking. Share your thoughts, your concerns, your aspirations, but be gentle, you know teachers are born with a big ego!

This is a cross blog with my student site at Carveraig.