UNDERSTANDING WHAT STUDENTS SAY:

INTERPRETING MY VOICE SURVEY RESULTS

Belonging Heroes Sense of Accomplishment Fun & Excitement Curiosity & Creativity Spirit of Adventure Leadership & Responsibility Confidence to Take Action

8 Conditions of Student Aspirations

HeroesTotal in

Agreement

Gender GradeMale Female 9 10 11 12

Students respect teachers 41% 38% 43% 40

%34%

45%

25%

I have a teacher who is a positive role model for me

68% 62% 77% 62%

75%

74%

67%

What is “Total in Agreement”?

Total in Agreement = Sum of all responses marked “strongly agree” and “agree” divided by all those who responded to the question.

Avoid “Sampling Error” and survey all students.

The My Voice Survey is an opinion Survey

The results reflect respondents’ perceptions of reality

Belonging

2010 Montana Data

Questions to ask during focus groups:

•What does a welcoming school look like to students? •How do boys and girls define bullying differently?

Heroes

2010 Montana Data

Questions to ask during focus groups:

•What does respect look like? •How do boys and girls view teachers as role models differently?

Sense of Accomplishments

2010 Montana Data

Questions to ask during focus groups:•Why do 15% give up when schoolwork is difficult; yet, 75% say they put forth their best effort at school?

Fun and Excitement

2010 Montana Data

Questions to ask during focus groups:•What is fun about school? •How do teachers make learning fun?

Curiosity & Creativity

2010 Montana Data

Questions to ask during focus groups:•How are you encouraged to be creative at school?•What does curiosity and creativity look like?

Spirit of Adventure

2010 Montana Data

Questions to ask during focus groups:•If you push yourself to do better in school, why do most students not like challenging assignments?•Why do more girls than boys get excited to share good grades?

Leadership & Responsibility

2010 Montana Data

Questions to ask during focus groups:•Why is there such a large gap between “I see myself as a leader” and “other students see me as a leader”?

Confidence to Take Action

2010 Montana Data

Questions to ask during focus groups:•In what ways do you think you can make a difference in the World?•Why the gender gap in “going to college is important to my future”?

"Students should not only be trained to live in a democracy when they grow up; they should have the chance to live in one today."  - Alfie Kohn