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A BRIEF BACKGROUND
SoundOut was formed in 2001 as the
Campaign for Meaningful Student Involvement. After creating a
partnership with the Washington State-based HumanLinks Foundation, the
Campaign was renamed SoundOut. Since then, SoundOut has transformed
from an online resource center to a national training and consultation
program of CommonAction, a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization.
OUR BELIEFS
Students Belong At The Table
On average, students comprise 92% of
the population of any school building. Yet the majority of significant
decisions about learning, teaching, and leading in schools are
consistently made by the other 8%. In a democratic society the
education system is ethically obligated to engage students at
least as members; in a progressive school students should be nothing
less than partners with equal authority and responsibility as adults.
Learn
about meaningful student involvement
Every Student Counts
Traditional models of student leadership
have centered on particular students who meet a particular mold;
consequently "leadership student" is now a typology in schools. We
believe every student's voice counts: educators have the
responsibility to engage student voice throughout their classrooms;
administrators have the responsibility of engaging student voice
throughout their decision-making.
Student Voice Is Not Enough
The charge to "Speak by listening" is a
starting point for engaging students as partners; however, listening
to student voice is not enough. Students must be actively engaged in
identifying challenges, analyzing situations, creating responses,
acting with authority, and examining outcomes. More than simply
"student voice," this requires the meaningful involvement of students
throughout education.
Involvement Must Matter
Simply assigning students a job isn't enough; worse still, it can
actually deter student voice. Students should have the authority and
responsibility required to make significant decisions throughout
education. Involvement must matter to students, too. By connecting
student involvement with grade-level expectations, educators can
create constructivist experiences that substantially enhance student
learning.
Ladder of student
involvement
Students Learn through Service
Involvement throughout schools should be an opportunity to experience
democracy in action. Every citizen in a democracy has the
responsibility to serve the public good; in a similar fashion, every
students in a school should be expected to serve the school body.
Meaningful student involvement fosters democratic learning.
Learn about
service learning
Students Are Responsible, Too
Simply being compelled by society to attend school does not inherently
render students powerless to affect change within schools. Students
can no longer be seen as the "subject" or "consumer" of schools,
either. Presenting grievances, challenging inadequacies, and
compelling authorities to change is the democratic commitment of
students. When schools are not responsive, students have the
obligation to organize outside the school environment.
Learn about student
organizing
OUR ACTIVITIES
SoundOut Programs
Hands-on,
constructivist opportunities for students and adults to work as
partners and create sustainable change in K-12 schools.
Learn about SoundOut's
programs
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