Conditions That Promote Shared Leadership, Student Voice, and Democratic Schooling: Lessons From Scotland and the United States

• In Event: Strengthening Student and Teacher Voice and Agency in Improvement Efforts

Abstract

John Dewey viewed schools as that which should mirror life in a democratic society and prepare students for further leadership once adults. Moreover, research shows that including students in school improvement efforts is key to real and lasting change. However, student voice requires more than relying on government inducements (Scotland) or professional standards (USA) alone; rather, educators must view students as a collective of citizens. Furthermore, school leaders must actively create the conditions for change which requires mirroring voice and agency in their professional lives. In this session, we, a group of interdisciplinary scholars across two continents, propose a new school improvement framework, The Mirror Effect, based on our combined 100+ years of research and practitioner experiences.

Authors

• Katherine Cumings Mansfield, University of North Texas

• Kate Wall, University of Strathclyde

• Nova Lauder Scott, University of Strathclyde

• Alison Weatherston, University of Strathclyde

• Anjalé D. Welton, University of Wisconsin - Madison