Student's Perspectives on Schooling

"Students' Perspectives on Schooling" explores how schools might be transformed for the better, by giving greater weight to the views of students. Osler explores various arguments for involving learners in decision-making processes, including: the potential benefits to schools and the wider community; moral and legal reasons based on human rights principles; and, gaining fresh insights into the processes of teaching and learning. Firmly grounded in research, it analyses data collected from young people living in both the UK and US. Almost 2000 students reported on their current education provision and the degree to which they felt it met their needs. In keeping with the spirit of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, "Students' Perspectives on Schooling" engages with the voices of these young people to consider how they might inform educational policy making. It argues that consulting young people is not only beneficial to the everyday life of schools, but that the future health of democratic societies demands that we re-think relationships between adults and young people.
It is a must read for teachers, school leaders, educational researchers, and anyone involved with educational policy-making and planning.