Kathy Jones, Principal Bremore ETSS, Hazel Gannon, Teacher Bremore ETSS, Daniel Mullen and Jenna Dempsey, 5th Year Prefects Bremore ETSS.
In Bremore ETSS Spotlite is about implementing a programme that really promotes meaningful student voice and participation in partnership with teachers. Last year we were invited to the Children’s Rights Symposium in Queens University to share our students’ experiences producing child-friendly documents for our school. While we were there, we saw St Aiden’s Community Schools presentation, we thought it was a great idea and we felt it would fit well in our school. The programme facilitates students and teachers working together to gather and promote the student perspective on the best practices observed in teaching and learning. Spotlite is designed to foster a culture of open dialogue between students and teachers about effective teaching strategies, for these strategies to be shared with all teachers and then become embedded across all classrooms. Thus, empowering students to play an active role in shaping their educational experiences. There is no element of evaluation or problem finding with Spotlite, it is about focusing on what good practices are observed by students and sharing these with all teachers, ensuring effective student voice in teaching and learning.
At the Prefect interviews in May 2024 students were asked which area of school development they would like to be involved in. A number of students gave very reflective answers, especially in relation to what classroom strategies they find helpful to support their learning, the reason why they enjoy specific subjects and what they are trying to do differently to improve on their Junior Cycle results. Their answers showed reflection and an awareness of how different teaching and learning methodologies supported their learning. After the interviews, Our Principal, Kathy, proposed introducing Spotlite and asking two of the prefects did they like the idea and would they like to work in this area. Two of our new 5th year prefects, Daniel, and Jenna, agreed to be involved and after we met a couple of times, they were ready to present the programme to staff. In our October staff meeting Jenna and Daniel explained the programme to staff and asked for 3-4 teachers to be involved. Over 20 staff volunteered and in order to ensure a variety of subjects and levels were supported to engage in the programme we managed to draw up a list of 4 teachers who we would ask this year. The teachers involved come from practical, language, humanities and science subjects and teach both junior and senior students. In November, Daniel, Jenna, Hazel and the fourteachers met and agreed on the next steps. Both students were to observe two classes of two teachers and identify 5-6 teaching strategies in the class they thought were engaging and supportive of learning.
The students involved have made a presentation to our whole staff and the board of management. Both of these presentations were effective in getting key stakeholders to support the programme and in highlighting our commitment to enhancing Student Voice in teaching and learning. We were hoping to get 3-4 teachers involved and were delighted that so many teachers volunteered to be part of the programme. This underlined our teacher’s willingness to reflect and share effective practice and their continued commitment to fostering a culture of meaningful Student Voice. The development of Spotlite has encouraged the greater role of Student Voice in teaching and learning and the willingness of teachers to recognise effective teaching strategies and to develop these practices for their own classes. An effective form of in-house CPD arising from Student’s Voice. As the students observe the classes, several good practices measures used are being identified, and we look forward to discussing the most effective at our next meeting.
The main challenge faced is time. A couple of weeks pass quickly in a busy secondary school like Bremore ETSS so we have agreed that our review of student observations will take place on the 13th of February and then the agreed good practice will be brought back to staff at our staff meeting in March. Having a few deadlines is great, as the students help keep us on task!
It is envisaged that the good practice observed and fed back by Jenna and Daniel will be incorporated into teachers’ lessons, department planning and support our achievement of our current School Self Evaluation plan. Each year we hope to run a new cycle of Spotlite and constantly build on what students identify as good teaching and learning practices in a variety of classes. Good practices in different subject areas can be tried in all subjects, and this will help teachers to adapt to the demands of the new curriculum like the new Leaving Cert.
Spotlite matters because it invites Student Voice directly into supporting and encouraging the use of student identified effective teaching and learning methodologies. It also promotes the sharing of good practice amongst colleagues and a culture of open-door teaching, anyone is welcome to come and observe effective practice and adapt it for their classroom.
