At UVEI, we have long discussed the importance of voice and democracy. As we near the conclusion of our strategic planning for the next five years, these ideas will feature more prominently in our mission and values and, more importantly, in our actions and our policies. We are not starting from scratch; we lean on the expertise of the faculty and our network, listening to diverse voices as we promote this work at UVEI and in schools. Here are four ways that this is playing out for us this year. 

1. Using gradients of agreement in our organizational decision making.

Gradients of agreement, adapted from Facilitator’s Guide to Participatory Decision Making, is a process for gauging and increasing consensus. We use gradients of agreement for critical decisions that need broad commitment, including setting our goals for the upcoming years. It’s not for every decision, but it’s a way to ensure that everyone has a voice when big decisions are made, and that critical stakeholders share a commitment to the decision. Marie McCormick, our registrar, notes that she “appreciates the chance to give an honest opinion in a constructive way,” and has been “pleasantly surprised at how the process can add concrete improvements to an original proposal in the effort to increase consensus.” Marie also wonders what politics would look like if, for example, state legislative committees used this protocol in good faith on every bill that was to the house/senate floor. While we are unable to influence what happens in state politics, we are seeing the benefits in our own work: all voices working together to improve the final product.

2. Candidate council: examining our policies.

As we engage in an organizational self study, part of our NECHE accreditation process this year, UVEI has formed a candidate advisory council to assist us. This council is open to any active candidate who is interested in having a say about the direction of UVEI. There will be some flexibility in the topics of their meetings, including the first meeting on November 4th. However, one specific activity we have planned is to look at our policies and procedures through the lens of our mission and values. To use an example, one of our core values states that “We believe that educators should strive to keep our commitments, maintain honesty and transparency, and to acknowledge when we fall short. When harm occurs, we believe people should have the opportunity and expectation to make things right.” When looking at our disciplinary action policies, do we see evidence of opportunities for restorative justice? What changes might be made that could elevate and prioritize this value? Chris Ward, our academic dean who convenes the advisory council, explains that “Candidates have a valuable and unique perspective on how UVEI puts into practice the values it espouses. They let us know which values they see and feel in their program, and can see alignment or misalignment between what we say in some of our policies and what they experience.”

3. Seeking ongoing feedback through “Pluses and Deltas.”

The last item on our list is one that is deeply ingrained in our culture. Every seminar and every meeting includes an invitation to every participant to share “pluses and deltas” as part of its conclusion. Positive aspects of the session (pluses), and things that participants would like to see changed (deltas) are shared by the group and recorded by the facilitator. Faculty member Monica Nachemja-Bunton, who leads seminars in the Teaching, School Leadership, and Literacy programs, says “I look at plus/delts both from the current cohort and from last year’s cohort about a particular seminar in order to determine what improvements I can make, or what I should ensure I keep doing, or do more of. They allow me to identify shifts in teaching or topics candidates are interested in, and also what questions might be good to address during one to one coaching. Elijah Hawkes, Director of our School Leadership Programs, adds that this “helps me know how well people’s needs are being met, both individually and as a group.” Adam Norwood, who coaches teacher and principal candidates, sees this as part of a larger picture of action and impact – at UVEI and at schools. “We are constantly asking candidates to identify and reflect on their actionable space as a way to help them understand their ability (and even responsibility) to make an equitable impact within their spheres of influence.”

4. Facilitating conversation and resource sharing.

When we look outward to school communities across VT and NH, we are guided by our belief that “great teachers and leaders are the heart of great schools.” How can we help teachers and leaders in their important work of honoring individual student voices, particularly in today’s reality when painful divisions are often brought to the school? UVEI has worked, over the past few years, to bring educators together to learn from each other’s successes, provide support in the face of shared challenges, and share resources with each other. In 2022, Elijah Hawkes facilitated a “Strong Schools Dialogue Series” in which educators joined together and produced three recommendations for schools looking to promote respectful dialogue. In the years since, we have shared stories of educators bringing democracy to their schools, and convened discussions and resource-sharing about politics in the classroom and other challenging topics. Our next event, an online conversation about school climate after the 2024 election, is coming up on November 12 and it is not too late to register to join us.

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Continuous improvement is part of our work each day at UVEI, and voice and democracy is an area where we are often taking stock of what we do and asking what more we can do. We’d love to hear from others in our network: how are you elevating voice and democratic principles in your schools? What needs do you see in this area? Please reach out to me anytime at ptompkins@uvei.edu.

Page Tompkins is the President of UVEI and is a faculty member in our teaching, school leadership, and literacy programs.