ASKAIDS/How to consult pupils

How to Consult Pupils

The following pages will provide you with the tools you need to consult pupils effectively.

In the section 'Tools for Consultation with Young People' a basket of tools is provided with instructions on their use.

Under 'How We Used These Activities in Our Research' you can see how some of the tools were used in the ASKAIDS research. This is followed by some examples of how you might use some of the tools to answer specific questions.

Why Consult Pupils

There are various reasons as to why we should consult pupils when it comes to HIV/AIDS education.

Firstly, we know HIV/AIDS education works, and that it requires a participatory teaching and learning method to develop understanding among teachers, parents, and their children. That is why we have created this toolkit for teachers use. For example, in Zimbabwe, a recent study showed that HIV prevalence rates were much lower among 15-19-year-olds who were attending school. This tells us that formal education may have a protective role. Similar results were found in 15–24-year-olds in southern Africa, especially among girls who typically have 5 times the infection rate as similar aged boys. We believe formal education can work as a social vaccine. Education is very powerful in helping to reduce rates of HIV/AIDS, but unfortunately many HIV/AIDS education programmes have been biological (fact based) and has lacked connections to the young people’s social experiences. When young people cannot relate school based HIV/AIDS education to their lives and experiences, the impact is limited.

Secondly, young people have often asked for recognition, saying there is a big gap between the education they need and what is being provided by their parents and educators. They want the opportunity, within open dialogue, to learn about the emotional implications of relationships as well as the biology of sex and sexual health promotion. They want a chance to talk about the problem and the disease. Research has found pupils have much to say about their teaching and learning. When their perspectives are taken seriously they feel more positive about themselves as learners, can understand and manage their own progress better, and feel more included in the school’s purposes. They believe that what they say makes a difference. The teachers involved in consulting with pupils also find it beneficial; it helps them understand how to support pupil engagement and build more open, collaborative and communicative relationships with their pupils. To achieve this, it would be helpful if teachers consulted their pupils on their knowledges and needs.Research suggests (see additional readings below) that it is productive for teachers to consult with pupils and talk with them about things that really matter. This may involve:

• conversations about teaching and learning;
• seeking advice from pupils about new initiatives;
• inviting comments on ways of solving problems that are affecting the teacher’s right to teach and the pupil’s right to learn;
• inviting evaluative comments on recent developments in school or classroom policy and practice.

Consultation must be genuine on the part of the teachers and provide the opportunity to hear from silent or silenced pupils. This would help in understanding why some disengage, and what would help them get back on track (see the guidelines for consultation on the next page).

Honest consultation is not easy because it challenges traditional power relationships. Some teachers feel that pupils are too young and inexperienced to voice anything worthy. Teachers may also feel that there is little time to consult pupils or they may be uncertain about the process of consultation.However, researchers note that perhaps the most important principle for teachers to follow is to help pupils to feel

• they really have a voice
• they are listened to
• and they matter.

Teachers are potentially one of the most important tools in HIV/AIDS education. Research tells us teachers can become these important tools when they engage in consultative learning and teaching. Not only does this approach enhance sustainability of positive teacher-pupil relationships, but it also builds capacity among the teachers to support pupil learning.

E. Additional Readings

• Click here to view
• Click here to view on Consulting pupils about teaching and learning 1
• lick here to view on Consulting pupils about teaching and learning 2

Preparing to Consult Pupils

Reflection on pupils' lives and contexts activity.

Before you use this Toolkit or commence any activities with your pupils, you need to think carefully about your school setting and the pupils in your care. Consider these questions and talk with your colleagues and your head teacher to gain an understanding of where you work and what goes on there. This exercise will help you understand better your pupils' context and thus you will more likely teach and help your pupils from a point of knowledge.

1. Poverty levels: Do children come to school hungry, do they travel far distances to get to school?
2. Attendance: Do children come to school regularly; for the whole day or part?
3. What is the atmosphere in the classroom like?
4. What methods of teaching and learning are used?
5. What is play time like?
6. What is the relationship between pupils and teachers like?
7. How does the situation above affect children's learning?
8. What are the prevailing views on HIV/AIDS and sexuality in the community?
9. How do people in the community spend their time?
10. Is there ubuntu, ujamaa, collectivism, neighbourliness?
11. Is there sex education in the community?
12. What are the recreational practices of the children?
13. What are the streets like during the day; at night?
14. How would you describe young people's lives in your community?

Guidelines for Consultation

Once you have understood the pupils' contexts, you can now explore how to make use of the activities in this toolkit for effective participatory teaching in your HIV/AIDS education lessons. Below are a few basic rules that we suggest you and your pupils follow. Before sharing these rules with your pupils, spend some time letting the pupils suggest some rules. Let them generate as many of these tips as they can. Write these down on the blackboard, manila or flip chart. When they have exhausted their ideas, share with them guidelines from the list below. No need repeating those already mentioned by the pupils.

1. Explain to your pupils that they will all be involved in the consultation.
2. Explain to them that 'many heads' are better than one. In other words - one finger cannot kill a louse any more than one stone can hold a cooking pot. That's the basic idea behind consultation - all of are smarter than one of us alone.
3. Remind them that every idea should be respected - no laughing at other's ideas and be respectful when presenting your idea so you don't offend others.
4. Remind your pupils that they must be courteous if they want to become respected members in the consultation.
5. Remember, not everyone feels immediately comfortable working with others - trust comes from experience - it is earned not expected.
6. Remind pupils that what is said in the class, stays in the class. Then, if the class agrees, their statements could be shared in the larger community - no individual names get used.
7. All contributions to the class discussion should be consultative.
8. Every member of the class must make an active contribution to the discussion. No one should get a 'free ride'.
9. Whenever possible, class members should find evidence to add to the discussion. Facts rather than rumours strengthen the contributions.
10. Make sure the class understands how much time there is available for the activity.
11. Make sure the class knows what you hope the outcome will be and why their involvement in the consultative process is important.

For more advice about how to work ethically with pupils please see

Tools for Consultation with Young People

The first step is to ensure that you are following the Guidelines for Consultation that we have presented in the previous page. The next step is to decide what you what to consult on and how. The following pages provide a basket of tools that can be used for consultation. Click on the tool names (e.g focus group) in the menu to the left to look at the different tools.

After the tools have been presented, the next section 'How we used these in our research' describes how we used some of the tools. Suggestions are then given for how some of the tools can be used for different purposes under the following headings:

• Tool 1: Consulting pupils on the sources of their sexual knowledge
• Tool 2: Consulting pupils about the sex education they want.
• Tool 3: Working with community members.
• Tool 4: Working with fellow teachers.

Click on the tool numbers in the menu to skip to these sections

Focus Group

Focus Group Focus groups are a way of getting a group of young people to share their ideas together and to help them build on each others ideas.

Please refer to the suggestions offered in Guidelines for Consultation for more information.

Materials Needed:

• Paper with questions to guide each groups' discussion
• Pencil and paper to record significant discussion points

Instructions:

• It might be better to have single sex groups i.e. all girls together or all boys together.
• Decide what key questions you want to ask before hand.
• Ask the questions and let the group talk about them. You can use general statements below to get the discussion started. Or you could make up your own questions.
  • We know all we need to know about HIV/Aids, or,
  • We would like a different sort of HIV/AIDS education in our school
• Decide how you will record the answers. Will you tape record them or take notes?
• If you are taking notes ask the group if your notes are correct by checking the main points with them.

We have suggested some more questions which you can use in this activity in the section 'Tool 1: Finding out Young People’s Sources of Knowledge '

Suggestion Box

Suggestion box Pupils may be embarrassed to ask some personal or sensitive questions, or may fear repercussions if they give critical feedback. A suggestion box is a safe way for them to drop in any questions or comments or share their concerns. It is anonymous and confidential and thus may encourage pupils to ask about anything at any convenient time.

Materials Needed:

• A suggestion box. This could use local resources or recycled material like a sealed wooden box, old suitcase, sealed carton box etc – all with a slot where the pupils drop their comments
• Pencil and paper

Instructions:

• Get the suggestion box and label it
• Put the suggestion box at a corner in the classroom. You can negotiate with the pupils where’s best to place it.
• Explain that they are welcome to give any feedback or ask questions about HIV/AIDS related issues
• Instruct them not to write their names, but that they are welcome to indicate their age and sex
• Allow them to use the language that they are most comfortable with
• Agree on when they would like their questions to be answered and by whom (depending on whether there’s another appropriate person available)

We have suggested some questions which you can use in this activity in the section 'Tool 2: The HIV/AIDS education that pupils want'.

Group Survey

Group Survey A survey can be used to ascertain what the pupils know or to rate the quality of a HIV/AIDS lesson. A survey can be done at the beginning, middle and end of the term to monitor change in knowledges and lesson quality.

Materials Needed:

• A questionnaire, either closed or open ended
• Pen and pencils

Instructions:

• Distribute the questionnaires to the pupils and give them time to answer the questions
• You can either tally the responses yourself or allow the pupils to exchange questionnaires amongst themselves so as mark and tally themselves. You will have to read out the answers to them. The pupils then report back to the class.

We have suggested some questions which you can use in this activity in the section 'Tool 1: Finding out Young People’s Sources of Knowledge’.

Spot Check

Spot Check A spot check activity can give the teacher instant feedback on the efficacy of his/her approach. It helps you evaluate pupils' motivation, concentration, understanding and engagement with the lesson.

Materials Needed:

• A paper
• Pen and pencils

Instructions:

• List the attributes you want to spot check e.g. concentrating, interested, relevant to me, not relevant to me, wanting to ask a question or not
• Do the spot check
• Rate the observation from 1-3, with 3 being the best rating.
• Feedback to the pupils and discuss the situation e.g. if the pupils are tired and sleepy, is it because they are hungry? If they are silent, is it because the lesson is too abstract?

Drawing

Drawing Pupils can draw pictures of what they want or of what they know. Each group should create a poster on the manila paper provided for this activity.

Please refer to the suggestions offered in Guidelines for Consultation for more information.

Materials needed:

• pencils
• paintbrushes
• paint
• manila paper
• tape
• containers (recycled tin, etc) for the paint and water

We have suggested some questions which you can use in the activity in the section 'Tool 1': Finding out Young People's Sources of Knowledge'.

Role Play

Role Play Role plays are effective in finding out what young people know and want. You could ask them to role play a typical pupil or role play what sort of HIV/AIDS education they want and have now. Please refer to the suggestions offered in Guidelines for Consultation for more information.

Instructions:

• Organise the pupils in to groups.
• Discuss the theme of the play with the pupils.
• Brainstorm the various roles they might play, and how these roles illustrate the theme of the play.
• Tell the pupils how long they have to create the play, organise themselves and be ready to perform.
• Leave the pupils to come up with the storyline and share out the roles.
• When they are ready (and within the allocated time) the pupils should present the role play to the rest of the class.
• After watching the role play, the class can ask the group questions and this is entry point to a class' discussion.
• You, the teacher, should debrief the role play activity using the debriefing activity below.

Debriefing Activity for the Role Play

• How realistic was this role play?
• What features does this role play highlight?
• Is there anything with which you disagree?
• What has been left out?

See the videos in Section C. 'Pupils' suggestions of the HIV/AIDS education they want to receive'. They are examples of role plays done by the pupils in our study.

Pupil to Pupil Interview

Pupil to pupil Interviews

Pupils become their own researchers. This activity should be done after extensive group work. For this activity to be successful, a high level of trust must be established among the pupils.

Please refer to the suggestions offered in Guidelines for Consultation for more information.

Materials Needed:

• Paper with questions to guide each groups' discussion
• Pencil and paper to record significant discussion points

Instructions:

• Organise the pupils in pairs
• Assign one to be the interviewer and the other to be the interviewee
• Eventually the pupils should swap roles so that each asks the same questions
• Record the responses
• Present the findings to the class

We have suggested some questions which you can use in this activity in the section 'Tool 2: The HIV/AIDS education that pupils want'

Voting Sticks or Cards

Voting Sticks or Cards

Teachers can also get the pupils to vote and rate the quality of the class. Give the pupils paper or cards and ask them to rate the quality of the lesson e.g. did they enjoy it? Did they find it relevant? They can score from 1-5, with 5 being the highest vote. The results can be used as an entry point to discuss about how to improve the lesson further.

Materials Needed:

• A paper
• Pen and pencils

Instructions:

• Distribute papers/cards to pupils
• Ask them to rate the lesson from 1-5, with 5 being the best rate
• Ask them to
  • hold up their cards and you will see the votes
  • drop them in a ‘ballot box’
  • hand them over to one pupil who will tally the votes for you and feedback the results to the class

Working Group with Student Representatives and Stakeholders

Working Group with Student Representatives and Stakeholders

Set up a group made up of pupils and stakeholders to dialogue about HIV/AIDS education and other related issues in the school and community. This will sensitise the relevant adults on what the children know about HIV/AIDS and also how they want the HIV/AIDS education to be improved. Dialogue within this group would then focus on how to develop the current HIV/AIDS education offered with the aim to make it more indigenous and relevant to the pupils.

We have suggested some questions which you can use in this activity in the section 'Tool 3: Working with community members' and 'Tool 4: Working with fellow teachers'.

Photography

Photography This activity can be done by the teacher and pupils. If you have a camera, you can take photos of the pupils doing the activities mentioned above, or examples of interactive learning or something new and different happening in your HIV/AIDS education lesson. The pupils too can have access to the camera and can be tasked to take pictures on themes related to HIV/AIDS e.g. their sources of sexual knowledges. The photos can be discussed in the classroom with the pupils. With pupils' permission, the photos may be discussed with other relevant stakeholders.

Materials needed

• Camera
• Batteries
• Memory cards

Instructions:

• For teachers - take photos of new practices in your new HIV/AIDS lessons.
• For pupils - take photos of a theme discussed with the teacher.
• The teachers and pupils photos will be entry points to discussions.

We have suggested some questions which you can use in this activity in the section 'Tool 1: Finding out Young People's Sources of Knowledge'

How We Used These Activities in Our Research

After presenting suggestions for activities and guidelines, we would like to share how we used some of these activities to consult pupils about the sources and content of their sexual knowledges.

A. Sources of sexual Knowledges

Children get their sexual knowledges from various sources. Both the formal and informal settings of their lives. The video you are going to see presents some insights to these sources. The school as a formal source of knowledge has wall paintings encouraging pupils to avoid drug abuse and abstain from sex, including intergenerational sex. They also get similar information from teachers, peers, books and speakers among others. However, the pupils are exposed to these very things in their home environments. They see sex, prostitution and drug abuse. For example, in our research, Juma, a 12 year boy from School A in Tanzania, explained how smoking marijuana had made youth in his village ‘get euphoric effects which lead them into doing sex’. Binti (12 years old) and Pambo (12 years old), two girls from School C in Kenya had seen sexual intercourse live in the public spaces of their neighbourhood as a result of drug intoxication.

Binti: When they inhale these substances... they don't wait to get a room, they get any man and start having sex in public... there and then, at the point of contact. Researcher: Have you seen this? Binti: I see them... outside our house... in the football field. Especially on Saturday and Sunday the field is packed. The prostitutes, the drunkards... Researcher: It means that children have already seen sex? Binti: Children know what sex is because they see it. Dalila: It is the norm to make love in the open... even as cars pass by. They do it there and then. They do not go to hidden places, they do not fear... they have drunk and used drugs, they will not care who sees them.

Naledi, a 13 year old girl from South Africa said that children already knew about sex, ‘we see it on TV; and some of us are already doing it'. Everyday habits such as shaving and washing also pose a risk as pupils in poor communities may share razor blades, tooth brushes, and wash sponges. As you watch the video, think about

1. What information is represented in these photos? For example, correct or incorrect knowledge, formal or informal knowledge?
2. Which forms of information might be more powerful to boys or to girls?
3. How can they (in-school and out-of-school knowledges) work together?

Reflection

Take some time to reflect on what you have just learned. With a colleague discuss the following questions:

1. What are the different sources of sexual knowledges in your community?
2. Which sources seem more powerful?

In your journal, describe what you think of the children's images of their sexual worlds. What are the challenges they face in sorting out the different and often competing forms of knowledge they encounter?

Click on 'Tool 1' in the menu to the left to see the tools we used to consult pupils about their sources of sexual knowledge.

B. Pupils' perception of the HIV/AIDS related education they receive

In many schools, HIV/AIDS education is offered through formal instructional programmes that provide young people with information on human development, emotions and relationships, self esteem, sexual health, sexual behaviour and sexual violence. Pupils are very clear about the kind of information they want and need. Please watch the video below and listen closely to what the children are saying. Watch the video below and think about what pupils think about the HIV/AIDS related education they receive.

        <embed type="video/quicktime" width="300" height="300" autoplay="false" scale="tofit" src="[view-source:file:////AskAIDS-Toolkit/resources/Sexual_know-Medium.m4v Sexual_know-Medium.m4v]"></embed>

C. Pupils' suggestions of the HIV/AIDS related education they want to receive

In contrast to the often practiced didactic teaching method as shown in the video above, young people have expressed that they want a comprehensive approach to HIV/AIDS education, and for their parents and teachers to talk to them about sex issues without feeling embarrassed. This approach recognises young people as worthy decision makers especially if given the opportunity to access good information. Though abstinence is desirable, the comprehensive approach to HIV/AIDS related education recognises young people's sexuality, and therefore what is imperative is to provide open knowledge and skills about sexuality issues. HIV/AIDS related education does not increase sexual activity. Pupils want the pedagogy for HIV/AIDS related education to be more active and interactive through; role plays and games, videos, opportunities to explore dilemmas, practising communication, discussions that are open and multi-ethnic, talks from outside visitors such as an AIDS patient or teenage mother, comments and suggestion boxes allowing pupils who would otherwise feel embarrassed to ask questions and give them a chance to say what they want to know. They also want to learn more about puberty and body changes, sex and relationships, peer pressure problems, same sex relationships, contraception, STI’s, HIV, pros and cons about sex, when is the right time to have sex, and where to get advice. Just from the views given above by the pupils in our study, it is possible to see that if given a chance they too can give worthwhile contribution to what HIV/AIDS education should be.

i. Please watch the video below to see the importance of role playing to make teaching more active and children more engaged in their learning

        <embed type="video/quicktime" width="300" height="300" autoplay="false" scale="tofit" src="[view-source:file:////AskAIDS-Toolkit/resources/role_play_work.mov role_play_work.mov]"></embed>

ii. Please watch the video below to see the importance of facilitating class discussion and how this supports quality group work.

<embed type="video/quicktime" autoplay="false" scale="tofit" src="facilitate_discussion.mov" height="300" width="300">

D. Reflection

In your journal, reflect on your own teaching practice.

1. To what degree does it actively involve the students?
2. Are your lessons participatory?
3. What are the children doing with the information you give them?
4. How are the children demonstrating to you that they have learned the information?
5. what do you find hard to discuss in class?
6. How might you use indirect methods e.g. case studies or fictional young people to help stimulate discussions where participants do not feel exposed?

Find a colleague who is interested in working with you to improve your teaching practice and your classroom environment.

1. Ask your colleague to watch you teach.
2. Use the journal prompts above as a way of analysing your teaching practice.
3. Trade places with your colleague, and watch her or him teach.
4. Discuss what you have seen and what you would like to improve on.

Click on 'Tool 2' in the menu to the left to see the tools that were used to consult pupils about the sex education they want.

TOOL 1: FINDING OUT YOUNG PEOPLE’S SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE

Q. How can you (the teacher) find out from the children their sources of sexual knowledges?

Suggested activities and guiding questions - refer to the topic 'Activities for Consultation' for further guidance and choose from them as well as choosing from some of these below.

1. Focus group discussions

i. Is there anything in your neighbourhood that has given you information on or reminded you of HIV/AIDS, drugs, and sex? If yes, please explain. o If a person or people; who are they, what did they do or say? o If an object, picture or book; what is it and what was its message?

ii. Is there anything in your school that has given you information on or reminded you of HIV/AIDS, drugs, and sex? If yes, please explain.

• If a person, people; who are they, what did they do or say?
• If an object, picture or book; what is it and what was its message?

iii. Of the sources you have mentioned,

• Which is the most common source? You can rank the top 5.
• Which source has been most influential to you? You can rank the top 5.

1. Pupil to pupil interviews – You can use the Focus Group Discussion questions above.
2. Drawing

i. Is there anything in your neighbourhood that has given you informationon or reminded you of HIV/AIDS, drugs, and sex? It could be a person, people, or an object. If yes, please draw it.

ii. Is there anything in your school that has given you information on or reminded you of HIV/AIDS, drugs, and sex? It could be a person, people, or an object. If yes, please draw it.

1. Photography

i. With a camera, please take pictures of where you get information on HIV/AIDS, drugs, and sex in (1) your school (2) your home/neighbourhood.

1. Group Survey

i. In addition to doing the activities above, make a list of all the sources of sexual knowledges that the children have suggested. Ask them to rate this by writing numbers in ascending order the most influential source of sexual knowledge.

TOOL 2: THE HIV/AIDS EDUCATION THAT PUPILS WANT

Q. How can you (the teacher) find out from the children what sort of HIV/AIDS related education they want?

Suggested activities and guiding questions - refer to the topic 'Activities for Consultation' for further guidance and choose from them as well as choosing from some of these below.

1. Pupil to pupil interviews

i. Tell me about the AIDS education you receive at school i.e.

1. What are you taught (content)?

2. How are you taught (teaching style/pedagogy)?

ii. Can you give us an example of something you learned at school that you implemented in your life?

iii. Can you give us an example where something you learned at school clashed with what someone else told you about sex, AIDS or relationships?

iv. What can be done to improve the HIV/AIDS related education that you receive at your school?

v. What are the characteristics of AIDS education that you’d like to see in school?

2. Role plays

i. Please role play how you would like to be taught in a HIV/AIDS education class.

3. Suggestion Box

i. Please drop in the suggestion box, any comments or suggestions you may have on how the HIV/AIDS education lessons can be improved. Please do not write you name, but write your gender and age.

ii. Please drop in the suggestion box, any personal questions that you may have about HIV/AIDS, sex, puberty and body changes, relationships, conception and pregnancy, contraceptives or anything else that you may wish to know.

TOOL 3: WORKING WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS

Q. How can you (the teacher) find out from community members their perception of HIV/AIDS related education?

Suggested activities and guiding questions - refer to the topic 'Activities for Consultation' for further guidance and choose from them as well as choosing from some of these below.

Working Group with Pupil Representatives and Stakeholders Start by sharing with the community members one or more of the products from the children's activity from Tool 1 and 2 e.g. the children could act out one of the role plays, or you could read out to the parents some quotes from the children's Focus Group Discussion and Pupil-to-pupil interviews. The following questions can guide the ensuing discussion:

1. What is the message from the activity?
2. What are the children saying?
3. What do they want?
4. What is our role in meeting the children's needs?
5. How can we improve our participation in our role?

TOOL 4: WORKING WITH FELLOW TEACHERS

Q. How can you (the teacher) find out from your fellow teachers their perception of HIV/AIDS related education?

Suggested activities and guiding questions - refer to the topic 'Activities for Consultation' for further guidance and choose from them as well as choosing from some of these below.

Working Group with Pupil Representatives and Stakeholders Start by sharing with the teachers one or more of the products from the children’s activity from Tool 1 and 2 e.g. the children could act out one of the role plays, or you could read out to the teachers some quotes from the children’s Focus Group Discussion and Pupil-to-pupil interviews. The following questions can guide the ensuing discussion:

1. What is the message from the activity?
2. What are children saying
3. What do they want?
4. How can teachers effectively respond to what the children want/need?