Once we revisited our school statement about 'care' (we care about ourselves, we care about each other, and we care about this place), we decided that we needed to gather more of a student voice.

At a staff meeting, we discussed what the key questions might be and what the best way to address them would be. Surveys can be honourous to teachers, and students may need to speak less truth fully to avoid offending their teacher. With this in mind, the Speakers Corner was born. An idea to share student voices without involving the teachers. 

The Speakers Corner was set up at lunch over three days. Students could come and share their responses on an iPad behind the chalkboards so they felt it was private. We used a wicker chair and a stool, and we even had a plant to create a sense of calm. After the first few visitors, it became clear that we needed someone to ask the questions (read them) to the students who couldn't read. This removed the educator's influence from the scenario and relieved students from feeling pressure to respond in a specific way. 

A student volunteered to demonstrate how to manage the recording on the iPad to capture responses and asked the questions when needed. We wanted to eliminate as many barriers as possible. 

We asked students to share their responses to the following questions: 

Where do you feel care at McNeely? 

Do you feel part of the McNeely Community?

How do you show care at McNeely?

These were some responses: 

Where do you feel care at McNeely? 

• "With my friends".
• "In my classroom."
• "I have lots of friends."
• "I feel like they care about me at the library."
• "A safe room somewhere."
• "My classroom."
• "When I'm at the playground, people give me turns on the swings."
• "My teacher shows care. They are caring and nice. They solve situations, problems and stuff like that."
• "I feel care everywhere because it's a beautiful school. I feel like the people around me are very nice, so I show respect back."
• "When all the people around you can be there when you need them."
• "I care about my friends, and I care about this place."
• "I  feel care at McNeely when people check up on me and when the teachers help with stuff I'm confused with."
• "When my teacher asks me how I feel or when my friends ask me. Because then I don't feel like I'm just a ghost. I actually feel like I'm someone."
• "I think someone told me I was."                                                                                                                                                                                                    Do you feel a part of the McNeely Community?
• Yes, because (teacher) always talks to me.  
•  I don't get ignored that much.
• I feel care when there are protective adults around. 
• I feel like I feel part of the community by showing the things I do. I help and stuff. 
• "When people ask me for help or when they need help."
• "I love McNeely because it's very caring towards me and just great towards the rest of the school."
• "Yes, because I've been here for so long, it feels like a second home for me."
• Yes, I do have friends."
• "yes, because I've been at McNeely since Kindergarten and I feel like it's a safe place for me."
• I really feel people are nice.
• Yes, I've been here for eight years and it's been an amazing year and I'm really sad to leave, honestly it feels really sad to leave. I don't want to leave."
• "I feel care in my classroom because they all care for me and all care how I feel, it just feels really nice to have a caring classroom."                              

How do you show care at McNeely?

• "I help my friends."
• "By not doing bad stuff at McNeely."
• "I pick up litter and throw it in the garbage."
• "I care about the school, the trees, and the planet."
• "I care about McNeely when I'm at the playground."
• "I don't do serious damage to the playground or other school things."
• "I show care by helping, throwing trash and mental support... ya ya."
• "I show care because I show care by helping here at McNeely. Anything they need help ...on their math, sometimes I might play with younger people, teach them how to play basketball and get better."
• "I ask how people feel and how everyone is?"
• "Trying to include more people and helping others when they need help."
• "Show people how to do art."
• "Picking up garbage."
• "You help people. If they are hurt, you can help them. If something bad happens, you can help them."
• "I show care by complimenting them, helping when they need help, and making them feel welcome."
• "Well, if you share care, they show care. When they share interest and it's very nice to have people care about you." 
• "I can show care by sharing things with my friends."
• "Helping others. Sharing stuff." 

Next Steps: 

Our next steps is to consider:

- What is missing from these responses?

- What have students communicated?

- Which spaces bring a feeling of safety?

- Which spaces were missing in the responses?

- How might we foster a community of care at McNeely?