Part 2: Putting Students In The Center, Disrupting Institution-Centered Solutions
Working with a school in August 2023 to create “student-centered solutions” that benefit the whole community.
A few months back I wrote a blog about creating “Student-Centered Solutions.” Helping schools and organizations create solutions that are fundamentally student-centered drives my passion and practice in the K-12 space, so I was thrilled that my blog prompted several conversations with colleagues about “student-centered solutions” and broader “human-centered solutions” (schools also must center educators and/or families to get to the solution that works for them). These conversations led us towards unpacking the process of cultivating community to create such solutions … cultivating community towards disrupting the two big elephants in every room I enter. More on that in a bit.
During these conversations, I decided to blog about Part 2 to this conversation, which is as essential to “student-centered solutions” as engaging and including the student voice. Back to the elephants in the room. In order to intentionally, accurately, and successfully create and implement “student-centered solutions,” we must also address and disrupt the two elephants in the room that block our view – I’m talking about institutional bias and adultism. Institutional bias? Yep! In traditional education systems, it’s easy for the needs of the institution to be advocated above the needs of the student (policies, bureaucratic processes, administrative priorities, union rules, etc.), overshadowing the very reason they exist – to help every student thrive to learn. Adultism? In schools?! Yes, when the needs and desires of young learners are discounted or ignored by adults and their infinite wisdom (J/K, not really), then we’re guilty of adultism in our schools, again, the very places where we instead should focus on ensuring schools are places where students can thrive to learn.
“Student-centered solutions” that incorporate student voices into educational policies and practices are absolutely a step in the right direction, but they’re not enough. Ultimately, we must fundamentally restructure the educational landscape in order to disrupt institution-centered solutions that do not lead to “student-centered solutions.” So - wow. That’s a lot. This is NOT easy stuff, and while the process can be difficult and time-consuming, it’s well worth the effort for your students. But where do we start? Here are a few things to consider when beginning your journey toward a “student-centered solution.”
The decision-making process in K-12 schools is in the hands of administrators, policymakers, and educators, which leaves students with limited agency over their own education. This imbalance perpetuates a culture of adultism, which can stifle student innovation and fail to address the diverse needs of students for learning, belonging, and thriving.
To disrupt these structures, creating opportunities for meaningful student participation at every level of the educational system is essential. This goes beyond mere consultation or feedback sessions; it requires genuine partnership and opportunities for shared governance, where students can have a direct hand in shaping policies, curricula, and practices that affect their lives. During the pandemic, educators were confronted with the reality that students are not passive recipients of education but active participants with valuable insights and perspectives. As schools transitioned to remote and hybrid learning (and back again), students were given greater autonomy and agency in their learning. When rethinking the power dynamics within your school, capitalize on this opportunity and use it to empower students to take ownership in their learning and education.
It also means that when we seek to create policies, programs and practices for our students, we must put their needs at the center of our decision-making. And when we work collectively with our leadership teams, educators, and students, we slow way down to fully understand what our students need to learn, belong and thrive, and we interrupt ourselves when the needs of the institution or adultist behaviors appear during the process. I don’t mean that we discard the needs of the institution or the value that adult family members, administrators and educators bring to the table, but I do mean that we right-size them, so that our decisions effectively address, advocate and achieve real change that secures “student-centered solutions.”