Their : s r e h c a s Link Te School y r a m i Pr Role in
The Link Teacher This is the only roles that requires a substantial amount of time on the part of a teacher. The link teacher will need to be present at council meetings, be prepared (in the early stages at least) to follow up issues raised at meetings, and generally keep an overview of the council’s progress and direction. In deciding who should be the link teacher, the qualities and skills needed and the time required, should all be taken into account.
Status The person who takes on the role of the link teacher needs to have status within the school in the eyes of the pupils. This immediately signals to them that the council is being taken seriously. Although in many primary schools the role of the link teacher for the school council is taken by the Headteacher (especially as the council gets started), it should not automatically be assumed that this is the case. This role is sometimes taken on by a class teacher, and occasionally by a governor who is closely involved with the school on a day-to-day basis and is known to the children.
Facilitating Leadership The link teacher should act as a facilitator; they should enable pupils to lead council meetings and run discussions - not lead the discussions themselves. Training school council members in committee skills at the beginning of the year, and supporting them as they put these skills into practice, provides these pupils with important learning opportunities. They will gain more from making mistakes than from having responsibilities taken out of their hands. So the link teacher must not dominate the council, however tempting it might sometimes be to simply go ahead and get something done.
Time The issue of time will be a factor in deciding on the link teacher. Some schools incorporate a 15 minute playtime into a half-hour meeting. Others use lunchtime for half-hour meetings. It is strongly recommended that meetings are held during normal school hours. Non-teaching heads will obviously be better placed to attend meetings when they occur in lesson time, or could cover for a class teacher.
ŠSchool Councils UK 2010 Please feel free to reproduce this resource with acknowledgement (non-commercial use only)
School Councils UK, The Old Dairy Victoria Street Felixstowe IP11 7EW Tel: 0845 456 9428 Fax: 0845 456 9429 Web: www.schoolcouncils.org
: Their achers e T k in L Schools Primary in e l o R
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Commitment The link teacher must attend all meetings. They should raise the profile of the council in as many ways as possible - giving feedback on the school council at staff meetings, keeping parents informed about the council, sending a report to the governors’ meetings about school council business and generally keeping the council on the current school agenda. As the council becomes more effective, its members will take on many of these duties themselves. The better the link teacher does their job in the initial stages, the less they will eventually have to do. To make sure that the school council’s requests and ideas are both appropriate and relevant, the link teacher will need to give the council guidance on the school decisions it can influence.
Communication At times, the link teacher will have to act as arbitrator between the pupils and the staff. Listening skills are important so that the teacher hears accurately and understands the views of both sides and is then able to communicate them effectively to each party. For example, if senior managers reject a proposal made by the school council, the link teacher will need to give the council a clear explanation of the reasons, and make sure that the children understand those reasons. Similarly, the link teacher must be sure that the staff and/or senior management fully understand the issue from the children’s point of view. The link teacher may sometimes need to remind colleagues about giving the class representatives time to report back to the class after each meeting, especially if the children raise this as an issue.
Evaluation The • • • • • • • •
link teacher will need time to reflect on: How the council is progressing What steps might need to be taken to raise its profile Whether the issues being discussed are broadening and developing in content Whether the children are seeing results from the concerns and proposals they have voiced Whether the school council is continuing to be central to the way the school is run Whether any members of staff are having difficulty with class council meetings Whether or not the school council requires any professional training to help them be more effective in any or all areas Whether he/she needs any personal training to carry out their role effectively
©School Councils UK 2010 Please feel free to reproduce this resource with acknowledgement (non-commercial use only)