Conseil de Classe (Pt. 3)

Last Thursday I talked with two high school students, both in their final year, about the conseil de classe. Since we spoke in English, one of the students didn’t contribute much because he’s usually reluctant to speak. The other student has a good level of English and likes to practice her conversation skills. She also served as a delegate for the conseil de classe, so she had a fair amount to say.

Her first point matched my now graduated friend’s, saying that the conseil de classe can work as a great medium for solving problems when they arrive. She differed, however, in her view of the relationship between the teachers and students. When I asked her what one thing she would change about the meetings, she quickly responded with “teachers’ attitudes.” She believes the meeting should serve as an opportunity to hear from students. To her, student delegates are considered non-objective, with no authority to criticize teachers’ pedagogy, and, because they aren’t encouraged to speak, the meeting is useless.

When I asked both students if they think the system should remain, they both said yes. Their reasoning was that in general the system works and can help some students. But they added that it isn’t an ideal system because it’s indirect. Especially for students, it requires working through representatives to hear and be heard. Each class meets before the conseil de classe to ask and discuss things for the delegate to bring up at the meeting. Yet when the delegates feel their voice isn’t heard, the entire student body can be left frustrated and disenchanted with the system.