Confessions of a childhood Stutterer

I was privileged today to hear Judge Andrew Becroft speak and emphasise the need for us to ensure that we listen to the voices of our tamariki. Of course we think we do that in classrooms but are we truly actively listening and engaging with our kids? Are we really hearing or are we waiting to hear the response that we have intended to illicit from them?

He emphasised the  need to ensure that we have kids who can participate and communicate, so that no child is left behind.

"Are we getting it right?" Being child-centred and hearing children’s voices.

He went on to say "First we must help them find that voice then we must add it to what we are doing."

So how can we add children's voice to what we are doing? How can and do we gather voices/views/perspectives of the kids.

Perhaps from a schooling perspective there are more questions than answers but what a great challenge to think about how we can better work to capture our kids voices and really listen and include them as drivers of change and development.