Student action teams: Implementing productive practices in primary and secondary school classrooms
Compiled and edited by Roger Holdsworth, Connect, Northcote, VIC, 2006
This review, by Kate Gross, first appeared in Youth Studies Australia, v.25, n.3, p.59.
One of the goals articulated by the Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs in its 1999 Adelaide Declaration on National Goals for Schooling in the Twenty-first Century was to enable students to become ‘active and informed citizens’ (MCEETYA 1999).
The transformation of disinterested, apathetic students (or the mobilisation of engaged, idealistic students) into active and informed citizens is the goal of many a battle-weary teacher. It is always a delight when a student has a ‘lightbulb moment’; when a teacher knows that at least one student in the class will take the information they have learned and apply it to their everyday lives and future learning. What wouldn’t every teacher give for a practical teaching program that encourages students to take an active interest in their learning and in their community? One that engages all students, not just those who are ‘traditionally successful’? One that has been developed, trialed and reviewed by educational experts, teachers and students?
Never fear, teachers: Student Action Teams are here.
Student Action Teams (SATs) are ‘teams of students who, as part of their school curriculum, adopt a community issue that they care passionately about, research it, decide what needs to be changed or improved and take action to achieve that’. Student action teams: Implementing productive practices in primary and secondary school classrooms outlines the theoretical framework underpinning the SAT approach and its development and implementation in a number of Victorian schools. Through the first-hand stories of teachers involved in the practical application of SATs, we learn valuable lessons about the benefits and challenges the approach offers participating students, teachers, schools and communities.
SATs began as a student participation project in Victorian schools from 1999–2002, in which primary and secondary schools were asked to form SATs to tackle a chosen community issue. This project was evaluated by the University of Melbourne’s Australian Youth Research Centre, who compiled a ‘how-to’ manual on the establishment of SATs. In 2003, the SAT approach was adopted by schools in the Darebin Schools Network, a cluster of 10–15 primary and secondary schools in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, as a vehicle for delivering traffic safety and environmental education
SATs are grounded in research showing that ‘student engagement and wellbeing’ are ‘vital components of program requirements in the middle years of schooling,’ promoting learning through ‘purposeful, authentic learning activities’. The ‘purposeful, productive and practical nature’ of the SAT approach encourages student engagement by offering students a sense of control over their learning, providing them with opportunities to bond with their peers and their community, giving ‘real life’ meaning to their learning by engaging them in decision-making and action on issues valued by themselves and their community, and giving them opportunities to engage in higher-order thinking and learning.
This book outlines the various organisational approaches to SATs taken by participating schools in the Darebin Schools Network, while also providing step-by-step guidelines for creating a generic SAT. It also contains information on how SATs can be used to develop partnerships between schools and community groups, describing the positive impact that successful SATs can have on students, teachers, schools and the wider community. The final chapter outlines some practicalities involved in organising and implementing successful SATs. The book’s appendices contain sample forms and worksheets developed by schools for use in the SAT process.
Student action teams: Implementing productive practices in primary and secondary school classrooms was compiled and edited by Roger Holdsworth, editor and publisher of Connect, the long-running magazine promoting active student participation in Australian schools. SATs offer a dynamic approach to teaching and learning and are linked strongly with current studentcentered curriculum initiatives. The pedagogically sound principles and practical wisdom contained in this teacher-friendly book make it a valuable resource for all teachers interested in encouraging students to be active and informed citizens.
Reference
MCEETYA (Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs) 1999, Adelaide Declaration on National Goals for Schooling in the Twenty-first Century, MCEETYA, viewed 17 July 2006, <http://www.mceetya.edu.au/mceetya/nationalgoals/natgoals.htm>
Price and availability:
Student Action Teams: Implementing productive practices in primary and secondary school classrooms.
Roger Holdsworth, Connect, Melbourne, April 2006. 90p.
Contact: Roger Holdsworth, editor, Connect, Supporting student participation, 12 Brooke St, Northcote VIC 3070; ph: (03) 9489 9052; fax: (03) 8344 9632