The+Action+Phase

We're now entering into the second major phase of the Student Action Team process: the **Action Phase.**

Here are some ideas about ways we could proceed - but please innovate and //**SHARE**// ideas about what works. Sorry this is a bit of a long document. Maybe run it off (or save it until you can relax and read it on-screen) and read it when you can.

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 * 1) As with all of this work, the first thing that should happen is **reporting back**; the student team who were at the forum could share and lead all the other students through some of the activities. In particular, if they haven't reported their research results to the school, this could happen now.
 * 1) We also challenged the students at the Forum as to whether they **//should//** develop their **Vision** **//alone//** - and to think about **why** (and //how//) other students should also contribute to that school vision for a sustainable future. I think it would be worth going through some sort of exercise to get both ideas and also some agreement (commitment) on what this vision might be.
 * 1) In turn, this could lead to agreement on the '**Changes**' and '**Actions**' statements. The action list might start as a brainstorm, but it should then be narrowed down by some decisions about what action/s you will take.
 * 1) Here, development of some //**criteria**// might be handy. I would particularly be interested to emphasise ideas of //causality// and //evidence// (without necessarily using those words with students). In other words, we'd hope that students would make a connection between the evidence they have gathered and the action that they plan to take. They should be able to say: "We are doing this, because we found out that..." Similarly, other criteria might have to do with **relevance** (as above: that it addresses the matter of concern), **effectiveness** (that it is likely to make a difference to that matter) and **practicality** (that it is going to be possible to do it). As we talked towards the end of the Forum, we should also encourage actions to be considered in various domains: **school**, **families/homes**, **wider community** etc.
 * 1) Somewhere in here, I suspect, Michael's Drama students will be presenting to each school, so we need to consider how this is best integrated into this action planning process.
 * 1) Once a decision has been made about **action areas** (//and the number of actions will depend on your topic, the size and complexity of it, and the time and capacity of the group; it may be better to do a small number of effective things well, than to scatter efforts - but equally, it would be great to be bold and aim for something significant//), I think I'd probably ask students to develop **action plans** and have these discussed and **signed off** before they start doing their action. In other words: use the forms here to think through what the action will entail and write up a plan.
 * 1) In the Forum Booklet, there are two **Action Planners**, which can be used separately (one or the other) or perhaps in tandem (adapt them - they're //Word// documents after all) - they're after the **4Es** rubric in the booklet. The first is a fairly general **Action Planner**: 'what do we want to achieve?'; 'Arguments for?'; 'Possible arguments against'; 'Action steps' etc. The second goes back a small step to summarise the current situation within a particular action area, then sets a goal, talks about the changes needed, identifies who needs to be convinced and only then talks about the action steps. Use what you feel comfortable with - or develop your own.
 * 1) In association with this, there are some materials next about getting the **Planning Steps** in order. The idea of the activity is that a lot of separate steps could be brainstormed (some ideas are provided) and then put into order: "this comes before that ..." This creates a sort of flow chart of the action planning - and can be formalised into the **Time Line**, which is the final tool provided.
 * 1) But be creative about how these could be used in the planning process.
 * 1) And once the action is planned, students teams should **implement** their steps. This might mean, however, that they collect some specific information before they start, about what the situation is like now and then later - in order to be able to show what **IMPACT** they have had.
 * 1) We'll be meeting as teachers part way through this process (**Thursday June 16th: 4.00 pm at St Mary's, Greensborough**) to review how this stage is going, to share ideas and to start planning the final Student Forum (//**Thursday July 21st 9.30-12.30 at St Mary's**// - next term).
 * 1) In general terms, looking forward to this Forum, it will again probably start with a presentation of what schools have done, then, if possible, a challenge about **IMPACT**: what difference have you made already and how do you know? It is probable that impact will be small in the short time, so maybe the further question is: how do you plan to keep initiatives going? How will you know what impact you have had in the longer term? How will you tell us all?

Whew ... that's crystal ball gazing at this stage. Or maybe another (un-)guided visualisation!

Good luck - please ask ... comment ... share ... let us know what's happening... More coming on this soon...