Update

Students are beginning to keep lesson diaries where thoughts about their lessons are recorded. This has raised some important issues among some members of staff. In general, teaching staff have been supportive of the idea, but they have also raised concerns about the way in which it is done. It is a difficult balancing act, to encourage students to have a voice and to be open to what that voice is.

The group have tried to lay down some clear guidelines about what can be recorded in diaries:

No references made to individuals
Personality conflicts have no place
What worked well in a lesson and why
What did not work so well and why?

The next step is to widen the participation by encouraging each of the original SPLAT members to ‘manage’ two or three more student researchers. This will begin to move the project towards a situation where student researchers are a real presence in the school, with a real voice about their learning and this can then, hopefully begin to have an impact on school improvement.

The challenge continues to be how best to give students voice, and how that voice is listened to.

A deadly flirtation with self-destruction?

The ‘Test Site Slides’ at Tate Modern were the destination for a group of Hillcrest Students. Members of the Student Project for Learning and Teaching (SPLAT) visited the London gallery as part of an ongoing collaboration with Creative Partnerships, researching student voice and attitudes to listening. The visit to the gallery was to look at approaches to artistic and creative expression and was an inspiration for all who attended. The 5 slides (all different sizes) are the most recent installation at the gallery by Carsten Holler. Students had to queue to ride the slides and had to wear elbow pads and a protective hat, but the ride was worth the wait and unflattering clothing! The artist asks ‘Is the slide an expression of overcoming fear, or rather the deadly flirtation with self destruction’. SPLAT students reply, “They are a good laugh!”
Students took the opportunity to have a look at many famous pieces of work in the gallery and particular favorites were Liechtenstein's ‘Wham’, Monet’s ‘Water-lilies’ and ‘Summertime’ by Jackson Pollock.