What is the 1000 Voices Project?
The inherent nature of the school system is stressful.
Increasing awareness and acceptance of the impact this stress has on everyone: students, parents and teachers is key to improving school experience for all.
The sharing of stories has always been an important part of healing and understanding.
The 1000 Voices Project aims to share 1000 stories from students, parents, educators and professionals about their experience with the School System.
We invite stories that illuminate the light and the shadows. The moments of stress and the moments of connection.
If you are now, or have ever been, part of the school system I invite you to share a story about a moment that stands out for you. It may be small or large, but it is one that has left an impact.
Increasing awareness and acceptance of the impact this stress has on everyone: students, parents and teachers is key to improving school experience for all.
The sharing of stories has always been an important part of healing and understanding.
The 1000 Voices Project aims to share 1000 stories from students, parents, educators and professionals about their experience with the School System.
We invite stories that illuminate the light and the shadows. The moments of stress and the moments of connection.
If you are now, or have ever been, part of the school system I invite you to share a story about a moment that stands out for you. It may be small or large, but it is one that has left an impact.
HEARING THE 1000 VOICES
You will find a selection of voices below. These are stories gathered from people who gave their information anonymously
The decision to collect as few details as possible was made to give people confidence in anonymity and so that the author (me) would not be tempted to provide a context for the stories.
I wanted them to speak for themselves rather than be analysed in terms of types of school etc. It is not my job, outside a therapeutic situation. to help someone make sense of their individual experiences, or provide specific commentary. I will discuss the themes as I see them, but their stories stand alone.
In the future, these stories may also be recorded audibly and accessible on a podcast.
You are warmly invited to share your story too.
The decision to collect as few details as possible was made to give people confidence in anonymity and so that the author (me) would not be tempted to provide a context for the stories.
I wanted them to speak for themselves rather than be analysed in terms of types of school etc. It is not my job, outside a therapeutic situation. to help someone make sense of their individual experiences, or provide specific commentary. I will discuss the themes as I see them, but their stories stand alone.
In the future, these stories may also be recorded audibly and accessible on a podcast.
You are warmly invited to share your story too.
STUDENT VOICES
"I was doing an excelled unit 1/2 course and my teacher said that the year 10s (me) didn’t have to do the final exam. So I didn’t study for it at all. The day of the exam comes and she suddenly changes her mind and says that we need to do it.
I was so stressed out because I hadn’t revised.
Turns out I got 98% though anyways :)".
"When I was in grade three, I did the 40hr famine. I was proud of the funds I’d raised.
I submitted my little handbag full of donations to my teacher, confident that I’d raised the most money and that I was going to get the Golden Handshake Award from my principal.
After recess, we came back into the classroom and he was there. I was called to the front, bubbling with excitement.
This was my moment!
So when he asked me if I knew what stealing was, I was instantly confused and shaken.
Then he asked me if I knew what a liar was.
I wanted to run away.
I submitted my little handbag full of donations to my teacher, confident that I’d raised the most money and that I was going to get the Golden Handshake Award from my principal.
After recess, we came back into the classroom and he was there. I was called to the front, bubbling with excitement.
This was my moment!
So when he asked me if I knew what stealing was, I was instantly confused and shaken.
Then he asked me if I knew what a liar was.
I wanted to run away.
the whole experience was the start of my anxiety and mistrust of authority figures.
The other children were all looking at me with horrified expressions.
I denied it, cried and was sent back to my desk where I just felt my face burning.
Years later, my brother joking confessed to taking the money.
My parents were never informed by the school of what happened but the whole experience was the start of my anxiety and mistrust of authority figures.
To this day as a 49yr old woman, I’m still terrified of being accused of things I didn’t do and not being believed by important people."
PARENT VOICES
... I took a lot of time choosing my children’s primary school.
The year they commenced the principal changed and the culture of the school changed.
The ‘good’ teachers started to leave.
It was very stressful thinking about whether I should move my children.
We stayed.
It was not an easy decision and still not one I think was correct.
The year they commenced the principal changed and the culture of the school changed.
The ‘good’ teachers started to leave.
It was very stressful thinking about whether I should move my children.
We stayed.
It was not an easy decision and still not one I think was correct.