Students need to have a say in their education

Raquel Gonzalez  | 

14-year-old student Raquel Gonzalez

“I believe the best way that educators, education officials and leaders can provide effective change is by creating systems of accountability,” Raquel shares. (Courtesy of Raquel Gonzalez)

14-year-old student Raquel Gonzalez writes about why educators need to listen to students’ opinions on how and what they want to learn.

Out of all the sayings engraved in my head, what my mother says about education has to be my favorite. 

“Raquel, la única herencia que tendrás en tu vida es tu educación, algo que nadie te puede quitar.” Let me translate this for you all: “Raquel, the only inheritance that you will ever have in your life is your education, something no one can take away from you.” 

In every challenging moment in my academic career, in every test, question, misunderstanding and misspelled word, these words come back to me. I don’t think I can fathom what my life would look like right now without my desire to make my mother proud. In striving for it, I recognized just how much she worked hard for my future and how the least I could do was fight for it myself. 

In prioritizing my education, I lost focus on whether or not it was fulfilling me. 

As a student, over time you become used to following curriculums already planned out for you and answering questions that you have basically memorized. Eventually you lose a lot of interest.
— Raquel Gonzalez

I have always pushed myself to my limits academically, enjoying the thrill that comes with learning new things and getting ahead of my studies. But I never felt like I had any say in my education. I don’t remember my teachers ever asking me what I thought or for feedback if the lessons were helpful to me. 

As a student, over time you become used to following curriculums already planned out for you and answering questions that you have basically memorized. Eventually you lose a lot of interest. Going through this routine without any input, I found myself less motivated to participate in my classes. This loss of motivation started an endless cycle of procrastination. Learning started to feel like a chore. 

14-year-old student Raquel Gonzalez

“After joining and learning about how [the NYC Junior Ambassador Program] was connected to the United Nations, my mind was blown. I was learning so much about topics that interested me and seemed so real and necessary,” Raquel shares. (Courtesy of Raquel Gonzalez)

When I entered 7th grade, the class that captured my attention the most was my history class, which focused on American history and how the past influenced the present. My teacher had made it such a wonderful environment where I felt free to express my ideas. I loved how open-minded my teacher was. Even with so much going on in the world at the time, whatever we had to communicate with the class was important. The way he organized the material for our history class kept me engaged. At the end of the semester, he mentioned a program called the NYC Junior Ambassador Program that would expand on what we did in class to engage students in the United Nations and its mission of addressing the world’s most pressing challenges.

Although the program sounded exciting and intriguing, I was extremely anxious about it and worried about whether or not I could contribute. But my teacher’s constant encouragement made it easier to believe in myself. After joining and learning about how it was connected to the United Nations, my mind was blown. I was learning so much about topics that interested me and seemed so real and necessary. It made me question everything — my political views, my opinions, whether I wanted to be heard or be on the sidelines and whether my current schooling was the correct way to learn. 

I started questioning my education system after recognizing how little students are involved in shaping it.
— Raquel Gonzalez

I started questioning my education system after recognizing how little students are involved in shaping it. The Junior Ambassador program was completely run by students. Our voices and opinions were the priority and we were the ones making the decisions. The program stressed that our “teachers” were more mentors than anything else and they were there as sources of support and guidance. I felt like my concept of education flourished after experiencing what hands-on learning can look like. When you are able to learn about the topics and lessons that your peers and you are passionate about, you are so much more engaged and excited.

The very first thing that we discussed as part of the program was what our Sustainable Development Goals should be. The three teachers and mentors in charge of the program in my school presented these goals to us as issues that the United Nations is trying to solve, and we were allowed to vote as a team for the Sustainable Development Goal we would focus on. This level of input and control shocked me. It made the learning environment so much more easygoing and encouraging. It got me thinking about how schools should actually run and how successful they could be if they included students in decision-making practices. Not only would there be more representation and diversity but there would be more accepting educational communities that could help students grow.   

My concept of education flourished after experiencing what hands-on learning can look like. When you are able to learn about the topics and lessons that your peers and you are passionate about, you are so much more engaged and excited.
— Raquel Gonzalez

Due to my experiences and my observations of current day school systems, I believe the best way that educators, education officials and leaders can provide effective change is by creating systems of accountability. What I mean by this is if systems or people are at fault they need to have actions that follow through from those mistakes. In my education system, there is so much that needs to be changed but firstly and most importantly it is the way in which that system can learn from its mistakes. If students come together to argue that something is unfortunately incorrect about the system then it needs to be able to take accountability for any of the damage that error may cause but also be open-minded enough to take in that criticism. 

I also think we should find ways to have active student involvement when considering policies and being more mindful of how students might interact with them. If we allow for more freedom of expression in the classroom there would be such an incredible amount of comfortably active students. Educators need to make clear that the classroom is a space to learn and that no question is a bad question. The most important thing is to ask students their opinion on lessons and provide them with options so there is some sort of engagement. 

There is so much that proves current systems need change. In 2022 the World’s Largest Lesson carried out a huge survey of 37,000 children and teenagers in 150 countries – including me! The survey report shows that students don’t feel that their education is giving them the skills they need for their future, and that they want to be active in making change at school. The survey shows the power of giving young people a voice in our own education. We have the ideas and the insights to help to transform education for the future. Our right to proper education is something we should fight for!

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Meet the Author
Meet the Author
Raquel Gonzalez

(she/her) is a 14-year-old Dominican student living in East Brooklyn, New York. Her favourite people start and end with those that are closest and most dear to her heart. Raquel aspires to pursue a career in medicine while also continuing to advocate in politics. She wholeheartedly supports the principle of treating people the way you would like to be treated.