Think students should just “be seen and not heard”? Think again. Dr. Ruthie Payno-Simmons challenges that mindset and shows how schools can move from simply hearing students to truly co-creating learning environments with them. Drawing on her experience as a teacher and administrator, she explains how partnering with students boosts engagement, ownership, and well-being and builds safer, more connected school communities.

In this 15-minute episode, Dr. Ruthie shares practical ways schools can elevate student voice at the classroom, building, and district levels, giving educators real entry points to start embedding collaboration in their systems.