A Message from the Deputy Principal

Valuing Every Voice: Non-Volunteer Sticks 

At St Joseph the Worker, we are trialling the use of non-volunteer sticks to increase student engagement and ensure every voice is heard during classroom discussions. Parents who attended the recent Year 5 Faith Formation Night experienced this approach, and some classroom helpers might have seen it in action. We also use them during staff meetings. 

What Are Non-Volunteer Sticks?

Non-volunteer sticks are a simple tool, usually icypole sticks with students’ names written on them, that teachers use to randomly select students to share their thinking. This helps create a classroom environment where participation is equitable and not limited to the same few students.

Why This Matters

Research shows that “Memory is the residue of thought” (Daniel T. Willingham, Why Don’t Students Like School?, 2009). In other words, students remember, or more importantly learn, what they think about. The more they engage with the intended learning, the more they understand and retain. By using non-volunteer sticks, we call all students to engage with the lesson content and to think deeply about it. It is about excellence and equity for all students. 

This approach aligns with the MACS’ Vision for Instruction, which sets high expectations for every learner and promotes evidence-based teaching practices. It supports Explicit Instruction, where teachers introduce new concepts in small, clear steps, provide guided practice, and gradually release responsibility to students. Random selection ensures that all students are actively engaged in this process.

Importantly, this is not about catching students out. Students can ask to “pass” or be revisited later. The aim is to build a supportive environment where sharing ideas, even incomplete ones, is part of learning.

Benefits include:

• Equity in participation: Removes unconscious teacher bias and ensures all voices are valued.
• Culture of error: Mistakes are treated as learning opportunities, not something to avoid.
• Deeper discussion: Diverse contributions lead to richer classroom conversations.

Ask Your Child

If your child has experienced the use of non-volunteer sticks at school, ask them:

• How do you feel about it?
• Does it help you think more deeply?

• Does it make class discussions more interesting?

   

We believe this approach will help students see that everyone’s ideas matter and that thinking, whether right or wrong, is central to learning.

Warm regards,

Sarah Goulding

Deputy Principal