The Pupil Voice in the Context of the Czechschool Reform

The Pupil Voice in the Context of the CzechSchool Reform

Jitka Vidláková

MasarykUniversity, Faculty of Arts,Department of Educational Sciences

Paper presented at the European Conference on Educational Research, University of Ghent, 19-21 September 2007

Abstract: The objective of this paper is outlining those changes and incentives which the current curricular reform presents - those which should benefit the pupil voice. The paper also presents the results of a study carried out at a primary school situated in the city of Brno. In an interview, the principal and teachers were asked to comment on how they feel the new conditions have influenced their pedagogical work and what role the pupil voice should have in it. The aim of the study is mainly to investigate how respondents perceive the conditions and the room for pupil autonomy and their active involvement to processes of teaching and learning. Are schools interested in involving pupils to these processes? Are schools prepared to listen to the pupil voice and to work with it?

Key words: pupil voice, curricular reform, pupil involvement, primary school

Introduction

Nowadays the Czech primary schools are ina “transformation” phase, marked by contradictory opinions voiced by both the teachers and the public regarding the curricular reform. The situation in individual schools differs greatly when it comes to the advancement in developing and implementing their school education programmes (schools are required to develop their own school-based curricula and start using them by Sept. 1, 2007).

The curricular reform of the Czech primary school system is designed to reach two separate goals:to strengthen the autonomy and professional responsibility of teachers in choosing the content of the curriculum according to their students’ needs and to encourage the teachers to accept responsibility for the educational outcome.

Creating a unique curriculum enables individual schools to tailor the different educational models to their students’ needs, the school requirements, faculty potential, etc.Moreover, this permits the school to design their own compulsory as well as optional subjects.

In case we are to discuss the opportunities opening up for the teachers in connection with the reform, it is essential to first focus on the people who will undoubtedly be most affected by the launched curricular reform: the pupils themselves. Do the new conditions create new opportunities and autonomy for the student? Are the students able to actively participate in the processes of learning and teaching – i.e. planning (e.g. planning teaching content, textbook and teaching aid selection) to implementation and assessment. Are the schools interested in letting the students participate in these processes. Are they ready to listen to the “student voices” and to work with the students? Etc.

The objective of this paper is outlining those changes and incentives which the current curricular reform presents - those which should benefit the pupil voice. The paper also presents the results of a study carried out at a primary school situated in the city of Brno. In an interview, the principal and teachers were asked to comment on how they feel the new conditions have influenced their pedagogical work and what role the pupil voice should have in it. The aim of the study is mainly to investigate how respondents perceive the conditions and the room for pupil autonomy and their active involvement to processes of teaching and learning. Are schools interested in involving pupils to these processes? Are schools prepared to listen to the pupil voice and to work with it?

What is the Pupil Voice?

If we were to take a look at current – mostly foreign – literature dedicated to the various forms and aspects of pupil participation, the student/pupil voice (hlas žáků/studentů in Czech)[1] is a term common to many of these texts.It is a relatively new term referring to individual and/or collective initiative on the part of the pupils, who in this case should be able to express their opinions and attitudes concerning school life all the while expecting these opinions to be taken into account (Roberts, Nash 2006).

However, every expert seems to prefer their own definition of the term, depending on how wide a selection of items they want the term to cover.According to Rogers (2005) the “student voice is the active opportunity for students to express their opinions and make decisions regarding the planning, implementation, and evaluation of their learning experiences.”Harper (2000) similarly notes that the “student voice is giving students the ability to influence learning to include policies, programs, contexts and principles.”

However, some scholars view the term from a different angle, as representation of the students’ views and opinions, e.g. as:“any initiative which allows [the pupils] to express their views with the expectation that [the school administration] will listen” (Roberts, Nash 2006). Others view the pupil voice in a wider context, as a term covering issues as far-ranging as consultation and the pupils' real influence (e.g. Rogers, 2005).

MacBeath (2005) asserts that the pupil voice “can only be understood within the complex dynamic of beliefs, relationships, conventions and structures that characterize what has come to be known as the ‘culture’ of a school.”According to the same scholar we should broaden our understanding of this phenomenon to include new vantage points, focusing on e.g. the individual and the collective, the verbal and the non-verbal.MacBeath also claims that in a way teachers continuously listen to their pupils, whenever they ask about their understanding of the subject matter or whether they completed an assignment, etc.However, when referring to the real pupil voice, it is not common classroom communication that is the focus.The particular issues of school life essential for the students are at stake here. (MacBeath, Demetriou, Rudduck, Myers, 2003).

A certain shift in terminology concerned with pupil participation has taken place in the past few years.The original concept of pupil participation as an issue addressed primarily by pupils’ representative bodies has been replaced by scholars’ heightened interest in the pupil voice as a prerequisite for meaningful participation of students in the life of the school.Due to this shift in the entire concept of pupil participation it is not unusual to find the term student/pupil voice activities in the works of some scholars (e.g. Fielding 2004, Flutter, Rudduck 2004). This term is now being used even in contexts where pupil participation would have been used even a few years ago.

Curricular Reform and the Pupil Voice

The new curricular reform for primary and secondary education was officially launched on January 1st 2005 with the new Education Act[2] becoming effective.The particulars of the concept as well as the goals of primary education are likewise included in the newly conceived Framework curriculum for Primary Schools (Rámcový vzdělávací program pro základní školy), which prescribes an obligatory educational framework and denotes the standard educational content within the individual phases of pupil schooling.

The reform introduces substantial changes in the goals of primary education.One significant impetus bringing about the changes in the curriculum was an effective education requirement, stating that the results of schooling should be utilizable in the professional life of any individual as best and as long as possible.This is a step by means of which the CzechRepublic is reacting to general developments in European educational policy. Acquiring the so-called key competenciesis currently the main goal.These are commonly defined as a sum of knowledge, skills, abilities, attitudes and values important for personal development and application of each member of society.Their choice and interpretation stems from values generally accepted in society and universally shared opinions of what competencies pertaining to an individual contribute to one's education, a contented and successful life and strengthening the functions of a civil society.(General Educational Program 2005, 14).Instead of learning ready-made pieces of information, the preferred modes of learning are discovering, creativity and inventiveness.Among other things pupils should be able to express their ideas and opinions, make sensible decisions and if need be defend them, accept responsibility for their decisions and behavior, etc.(General Educational Program 2005, 15).

For pupils to acquire the above mentioned competencies it is vital for the schools to provide conditions enabling them to actively take part in key activities at the school – both teaching and learning undoubtedly apply here – as well as school life in general.Being able to voice their own ideas as well as opinions about the functioning of the school and discussing them constitutes the universally recognized prerequisite for real and meaningful pupil participation.

21 of the Education Act

“Pupils and students shall be entitled to express their opinions on all decisions concerning essential matters of their education; attention must be devoted to their opinions appropriate to their age and development level.”

A paragraph of the Education Act (as well as the General Educational Program specification of key competencies) only indirectly allude to the possibility of pupils being able to comment on arranging a particular school’s curriculum and even on the educational process as such.Schools are thereforeneither directly urged to listen to what the pupils have to say nor support them in voicing their opinions in hopes these will be then taken into account.

However, many scholars (e.g. Fullan 1991, Hargreaves 1967, Rudduck and Flutter 2004) point out that in case the development and efficiency of a school are to be supported, the pupils' vantage point should definitely be taken into consideration.This in turn means that it is essential to include pupils’ experience, opinions and initiative in the big picture and to treat them as active participants in their own education and active members of the school as a learning community.In other words, if indeed schools are to benefit and eventually develop, it is hardly sufficient for changes to be implemented according to the teachers’ vantage point or according to the teachers’ perception of what pupils think (Nieto 1994). It is therefore essential to determine what the pupils’ vantage point is.The teachers should consciously concentrate on eliciting answers to questions such as:What conditions are most suitable for learning, what helps the pupils learn and remember, what kinds of motivation are needed for intensive learning, which teaching modes are deemed most effective, what kind of classroom and school environments stimulate learning, etc.

Pilot Study Methodology

In connection with the current curricular reform of the Czech school system I decided to focus on only one aspect of the situation:What is the attitude of primary school headmasters and teachers to the newly created conditions for their pedagogical work with regard to a requirement calling for student autonomy but all the while keeping in mind that they are still responsible for the outcome of the educational process?

Answers to the following questions were considered most important:

• How do primary school headmasters and teachers perceive the opportunity students now have of expressing their opinions about learning and teaching(Planning, implementation, assessment).

• How and to what extent does the new curriculum create more room for the primary school teachers and headmaster to listen to the “student voices” and subsequently to actively involve the students in the learning and teaching processes?

Taking advantage of a progressing qualitative survey[3] at a primary school in the city of Brno, I decided to make use of it and carry out my pilot study.The goal was eliciting answers to questions as well as obtaining feedback on the logic of my own thinking about the whole issue, which was to be used for later assessment.

The study was carried out at a primary school in the city of Brno.The school is situated in a small city district; in the 2006/2007 school year roughly 390 pupils were enrolled.The staff was made up of 24 teachers and 4 “governesses.”

The research was carried out by means of a semi-structured interview.Five teachers of the second stage of primary education were chosen as respondents.Different age groups and specializations were chosen in the interests of obtaining the widest possible range of answers.The interviews took place on site in the school; each of them lasted around 90 minutes.Three respondents underwent a total of two interviews.

Each interview consisted of three parts mirroring the individual phases of the teaching and learning process: planning, implementation and assessment.This division is mirrored in the presentation of the obtained results.

Research Results

1 The Pupil Voice in Planning Teaching and Learning

The first part of the interview was focused on the planning stage of the teaching process and was divided into two separate parts:

1. School educational program planning and preparation
2. Planning and implementation of the teaching process

In reply to questions regarding the planning and preparation of the school educational program, none of the respondents mentioned the potential role of the pupils (regardless of the pupil’s age).When asked directly about the possibility of pupils taking part in the preparation of the school educational program all respondents unanimously declared that they had never even considered this option and do not feel there is a place for the pupil voice here.The respondents used some of the following arguments to support their claims:

• The headmaster and teachers are responsible for their pedagogical work. This was summed up by e.g. Ms Blanka: “We are responsible for what is being taught at the school and therefore it is up to us to plan it.”“We are accountable for what has been taught and what has not...”
• Lack of time was a major concern with all respondents.The headmaster who arguably carries the greatest degree of responsibility for the planning and preparation of the school educational program listed the following:“…I think that the school has very little time to prepare the school educational program. I cannot imagine asking the students to participate.”
• Pupil immaturity was mentioned by Ms Dana among others:“I can quite picture a situation where a teacher speaks to his or her pupils about the plan for the subsequent lesson – from time to time I do that myself – but the planning of the school educational program should be organized by the faculty alone.The pupils are too young to do that.”

The respondents did however engage a different standpoint when asked about the planning of a particular lesson, its content, teaching style, the means of teaching, etc. On one hand they expressed some positive views regarding the opportunities brought about by the new curriculum, on the other hand they voiced some concern about their application in practice.The teachers as well as the headmaster labeled the following issues as most significant:

• Inadequate teacher support; both the teachers and the headmaster strongly felt the absence of an information and support campaign; they also lacked motivation to listen to the pupil voice.Ms Zdena added the following:“…I feel we try to listen to the pupils in an intuitive sort of way, regardless of what the school document say, but I cannot say that I've ever heard we're supposed to ask them about their wishes or complaints… actually take them into account, not in the least.”
• Lack of any change regarding educational practice.Teachers felt unprepared for the reform as they are now expected to meet requirements they hardly know how to approach (see e.g. previous comment).
• A general lack of time for listening to the pupil voice in the school.Teachers feel they are already fully occupied with their own pedagogic and administrative duties and simply have no time to listen to the pupil voice, engage in discussion with pupils, etc.
• The pressure exerted on teachers by pupils’ parents in order to ensure their children pass entrance exams into secondary school.Respondents unanimously considered this argument one of the most important issues in connection when applying their pedagogical autonomy.The headmaster provided some interesting insight:“The General Educational Program does provide us with ample space to apply our own teaching concept, but in practice we are constrained by what the pupils' parents expect us to do. They are primarily concerned with having their child succeed at the entrance exams to secondary school and we must take this into account when setting up the curriculum.”

Among the opportunities offered by the new curriculum regarding listening to and putting the pupil voice into effect, the respondents listed the following:

• Opportunities for using the pupils’ interest in planning a particular lesson (e.g. group work, topic choice, individual pupil presentations).
• Joint collaboration with pupils on school projects.

2 The Pupil Voice in the Classroom

The respondents’ outlook on the pupils’ opportunities in voicing their wishes and requests directly in the classroom were usually connected to their views on planning the teaching and learning process.Apart from the above mentioned obstacles and arguments for or against listening to the pupil voice the responses distinctly showed that the questioned teachers and headmaster are all accustomed to their dominant roles in the school and consider overcoming this stereotype an extremely hard task indeed.Fulfilling the requirements which would eventually lead to better partnership and dialogue with the pupils is also deemed complicated as the teachers themselves – especially senior teachers – have no previous experience of their own. They have never been listened to nor have they themselves had the chance to take part in the planning, teaching and learning processes.Mr Marek explained:“It is hard to listen to pupils and take their opinions seriously since we were used to a teacher-centred classroom during our own studies.Of course we understand the fact that today the situation is quite different, but the roles we and the students play have somehow lasted to this day." This is where the "fear of the unknown” as previously described by Ms Blanka comes from:“For my part, I am afraid that if I do ask pupils what they themselves want to do in a particular lesson, I will not have time to go through the required materials.I would also be quite apprehensive about holding on to my authority and loss of control.”