Open Microphone

Anonymous Student Voice Boxes

  • Daugavpils (Latvia)
  • Duration: One school week (collection phase) + 30 min follow-up discussion
  • Participants age: High school (grades 10–12, 15–18 y.)
  • Subjects: Cross-curricular (Citizenship • Ethics • Language • School climate)
  • The activity contributes to:
    • Stress management
    • Mental well-being awareness
    • Putting feelings into words
    • Building positive relationships
    • Value education
    • Promoting positive interaction and collaboration between students
    • Promoting pro-social teacher–student interaction
    • Creating within-school organisational prerequisites for social well-being
    • Focus on inclusive education
  • Well-being area: Mental, Social
  • Student participation: High
  • Feasibility for teachers: Easy
  • Materials:
    • 3 cardboard boxes (labelled)
    • Coloured paper slips and pens
    • Poster explaining the purpose
    • Large wall display for later categorising answers

Description

  1. Place three labelled boxes in the assembly hall all week:
    • ① “What I want to thank the school for”
    • ② “School shortcomings”
    • ③ “Suggestions for the school”
  2. Students drop anonymous notes during breaks.
  3. At the end of the week, the student council sorts and themes the responses.
  4. Hold a 30-minute class-level feedback session to celebrate thanks, clarify misunderstandings, and commit to three feasible suggestions.

Key points

Guarantee anonymity, respond visibly within one week, avoid any punitive reactions.

Experience from the testing

100 responses were collected; common themes were lack of quiet study rooms and praise for supportive teachers. Students felt heard: “Finally we can say what we think without consequences.” Management immediately opened two extra study rooms and published a “You said – We did” board. Follow-up survey showed 18 % drop in “I feel unheard” agreement.

See how the activity has been replicated and adapted by other schools

  • Reggio Emilia (Italy)
  • Duration: school year
  • Participants age: 11 - 13 years old
  • Subjects: All subjects
  • Well-being area: Mental, Social
  • The activity contributes to:
    • Stress management
    • Putting feelings into words
    • Value education
    • Promoting positive interaction and collaboration between students
    • Promoting pro-social teacher–student interaction
    • Creating within-school organisational prerequisites for social well-being
    • Focus on inclusive education
  • Student participation: Medium
  • Feasibility for teachers: Easy
  • Materials:
    • Cardboard boxes
    • Paper
    • Pens

Description

Step 1: decide with the students/teachers the issue to be investigated

Step 2: decide the questions to be asked

Step 3: place the cardboard box in the school hall/classroom

Step 4: provide the students paper and pens

Step 5: set the time

Step 6: focus that the activity is anonymous and that they can freely express themselves and clarify that they can also propose some positive suggestions

Step 7: decide with the students how to collect and evaluate the results.

Experience from the testing

Students participated actively and felt more involved in school life. Their motivation to improve the school environment increased. 
The initiative strengthened the sense of belonging and involved the whole school community, including caretakers and parents. The students became more and more aware and engaged and appreciated having the opportunity to express their opinions freely and anonymously, feeling listened to and valued. 
They realized that sharing ideas and communicating with teachers can lead to real changes in the school. 
In the future, the activity could be introduced gradually, class by class, rather than involving the whole school from the beginning.  The strategy is highly recommended because it promotes wellbeing, active participation, and dialogue among students, teachers, and families. 
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