Tag Archives: middle school

Memorable Moments, My Reflections, reflections, Uncategorized

Making a Larger Impact; Achieving a Long-Term Goal

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I originally created Leaders UNITE with two goals in mind: 1.) showing students that leadership can be fun and 2.) showing students that anyone can be a leader. Zooming in on the second goal, it was very important to me that students understood that they did not have to fit a stereotypical leadership mold or personality in order to become successful leaders. Therefore, this goal took on a role not only encompassing activities and discussions, but also encompassing ways of helping students become more confident in their own abilities and personalities. This year especially, I have had the opportunity to not only share Leaders UNITE with students and teachers, but also with students’ parents. I have recently had the opportunity to talk with quite a few students’ parents and guardians, and was very happy with the feedback I have received about Leaders UNITE on the students’ confidence and demeanors.

Some parents have recently told me that Leaders UNITE has helped their children to come out of their shell- at school and even at home. As a club, we always want students to feel comfortable with their own personalities, showing students that they can become successful leaders even if they aren’t the most talkative or “stereotypical” types of leaders. To hear that some students felt more comfortable being themselves at school and at home because of this club just makes me so happy to hear.

Some parents have also recently told me that Leaders UNITE has helped their children to feel more comfortable interacting with their peers. One thing we often highlight in Leaders UNITE is teamwork, and that it is important to know your teammates on a personal level to know their strengths/interests/how they can best contribute to the team. A huge part of this is making sure that students become comfortable interacting with their peers and being themselves around their peers. Therefore, to see some students go from rarely interacting with their peers to then becoming comfortable enough to openly interact with their peers makes me very happy.

This feedback from parents is particularly meaningful to me because although I can often see changes in students’ confidence over the months, I only get to see them during Leaders UNITE. Of course, I definitely can see improvements in students’ participation, leadership, etc. throughout our sessions, but I don’t often get indication as to how this club affects students in their daily lives. Therefore, it is so nice to hear that there are meaningful differences in students’ confidence levels that are noticeable each and every day. This is the kind of impact we want to have on students- not just making them more comfortable with me or the idea of leadership, but helping to create a positive image of themselves and their abilities that lasts much longer than their time at Leaders UNITE.

I am so proud of the environment we have created, and by the fact that Leaders UNITE was able to make a meaningful impact on these students’ lives. I surely hope that the club can continue to do this for many years to come.

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North Library, Uncategorized

Using creativity in activities and communication at North Regional Library

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This week at North Regional Library, students did the new activity Marketing a New (Old) Product, where they had to create a new consumer product based on an object in the room that I selected for them. But there was a catch– their product’s function could not be the actual function of the object! In other words, if I gave the group a pencil as their object, the function of the consumer product could not be to write. Therefore, students had to get very creative with their objects, in order to create a brand new function for them!

In our group, the students who participated worked very well together. They did a wonderful job of bouncing ideas off of one another and using their time very effectively. They were also natural public speakers– they did not even need to rehearse or write down their commercial, and they were even able to improvise new, func aspects of the commercials by themselves. They were completely in sync as well, improvising and adding features of their commercial together. Here’s an insight into how these students tackled the activity:

The students were given three different objects one at a time, and the third time around, there was a little twist on their instructions. Their first object was a styrofoam cup. The students created a product that could be decorated and customized. Their product was one where you could carry cereal around, and use with heated water as a foot bath (how creative!). The students came up with a commercial that highlighted all the important features of this object, including that it won’t break when you drop it, and that it is environmentally friendly and reusable. It was nice to see them comparing this function to other things, in order to emphasize why their product was unique/better (such as saying it won’t break when you drop it.)

The students’ second object was a pair of children’s fairy wings in the classroom (probably for Halloween). The students stuck with a theme of decoration, highlighting that these wings could be things children use to decorate. However, this was only an addition to the function of their product, which was to actually make children fly! They made their product include moving sensors to make the wings move along with a person’s hand motions, and included a metal portion of the wings to be heavy enough to lift a child up. It was very interesting to see their take on this product, since they were able to take the actual function to a new level by making this a product that could make children actually fly. I also didn’t even know about the motion sensor thing, so it was very interesting to see the students pull from other objects they had seen about on tv.

The third object for the students was a hairbrush. The students were getting very good at this activity, so now it was time to add the twist. This time, only one of the students could talk/write, and the other student could not use their words or write. The students were very good at communicating with each other, so I wanted to see how this would play out if students were not able to communicate in conventional ways. I made the person who was originally writing down the ideas unable to write or verbally communicate, and she had to result to acting things out and using hand gestures to get her ideas across. I could automatically see a difference in communication when this came into play. At first, the students found it hard to get on the same page, with them both expressing different ideas. But then, the person who was able to talk began guessing instead of just assuming what the non-verbal communicator was saying, and this create a much more positive dialogue, with both of the students making sure they were on the same page with their ideas. The non-verbal communicator did a great job of acting out sequences to think of the product ideas, and also pointing to me to emphasize other features of the product. Interestingly enough, the non-verbal communicator was the one who came up with the overall idea, and the student who could talk was confirming these ideas through her use of words. I think this had to do with the fact that the student who was talking had to spend extra time to make sure she was correctly understanding the non-verbal communicator’s actions, and this took up extra time and effort. But once I asked them to review what they had so far, the student who could talk began adding important features as well. Once it was time for the presentation (where both students could talk again), it was clear that they were indeed on the same page about their idea. Their hairbrush would shoot moisturizing agent out to help with dry or brittle hair, or would also be in a hair store to provide wigs for people.

Although we did not have time for the reflection period, I was very impressed with the communication I saw in the group. Both of these students are very talented and creative. Of course, the twist in the third situation made things more difficult and maybe even shifted the dynamic a bit about how the students were coming up with the ideas, but the students were quickly able to adapt to this and find ways to constructively work together to get on the same page. If we had more time in our session, it would have been interesting to do one more product, but this time switching who was talking and who was not, so that we could see how the dynamic shifted again. I often enjoy adding this twist to activities, so that students can practice the idea of working with different types of people, or people who have different methods of communication. Especially in this situation, where the two students were already friends and knew they worked well together before we even started our session. Therefore, it was very interesting to see how this played out in this week’s session!

I am excited to continue working with these students, and seeing how their participation and reflections continue to impress me throughout the school year!

Why Leaders UNITE?

Why Leaders UNITE?

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Preface:

There are many different strategies for leadership development. Although each strategy has different methods, they all have a common goal- to create more effective leaders. So why should you use Leaders UNITE? What is so special about this program that should make you invest the time and effort in our program? In this article, we will explain Leaders UNITE methods and the reason for our madness.

Goals:

Leaders UNITE was founded to break two stereotypes: leadership is boring and only certain types of people can become leaders. To break the stereotype that leadership is boring, Leaders UNITE consists of multiple hands-on activities in which students can work in groups and foster their own creativity in fun, engaging ways. To break the stereotype that only certain types of people can become leaders, we incorporate assigned leaders, reflection time, and individualized meetings/activities. To give you a better idea of how these concepts work, let us break down some of these examples.

Hands-on activities:

What they are:

A full list of Leaders UNITE activities can be found on the “Activities” page, but the majority of the activities relate to public speaking, presenting in front of a group, creating curriculums in leadership, etc. Some of the activities can be done in different ways, for example, assigned leaders can be used in the process or restrictions can be placed on the students in order to foster creative development. Many of the activities are done in small groups, and they all require some sort of presentation at the end of the session.

Why they work:

First, utilizing hands-on activities allows students to put themselves in a group environment and in scenarios that mimic real life. Then, when students get put in real-life situations that involve leadership, they will already be in the habit of using their leadership abilities from this hands-on activities. Also, hands-on activities allow teachers and facilitators to directly see the students’ improvement in their leadership abilities without relying on papers or hear-says. Also, hands-on activities are a prime opportunity for students to interact with one another and also to signal out people’s individual leadership tendencies when they interact in a group environment.

Discussions:

What they are:

These are just regular, group discussion questions. Students speak about issues related to leadership development, leadership in a school environment, and leadership on a larger scale. Many of the discussions start off broad and move into more focused, in depth topics related to leadership, personal biases, and beliefs. Everyone is encouraged to participate. The discussions at the beginning of the year are more focused around beliefs and leadership as a whole. Then, they move into leadership hierarchies, leadership in a group environment, and different roles of individuals within the group. However, the majority of the discussions centralize around leadership in the classroom, how certain aspects can hinder/help individuals, and how to improve this aspect.

Why they work:

The discussions allow people to discover their own beliefs and to stand by them. This is an integral part of leadership development which allows people to allow discover their tendencies as leaders. Also, students are more likely to speak out when there are general questions about beliefs or other topics that they have general knowledge and opinions about. Going from individual leadership to group leadership to classroom leadership allows students to develop a strong framework about their own leadership tendencies and the “ideal” methods of leadership before applying this knowledge to the classroom. Also, discussions help others, including teachers, develop an understanding of the way individuals think and what they believe with regards to leadership.

Show and Learn:

What it is:

Show and Learn allows students to demonstrate their creative abilities. This year-long activity allows students to present one of their talents to the group and then teach the group a short routine related to their talent. Examples include singing for the group and then teaching the class some basics about singing, dancing and then teaching the students a basic dance, reading poetry and then walking students through writing a poem, etc. It does not matter what your talent is; we want a variety! Be creative and enjoy doing and teaching something you are passionate about.

Why it works:

This activity works well for two reasons: building confidence and working on communication skills. This activity helps students build confidence because they get to do something that they do confidence in. For example, some people are very timid in small group discussions, but they feel natural and confident while singing on stage. Giving those students the opportunity to sing and do something they feel comfortable doing, then they will begin to feel more comfortable with their group in general.

This activity also gives students the opportunity to work on their communication skills. Although it may be easy for a professional dancer to perform in front of a group, teaching others how to dance is completely different and requires a new way of thinking about dance. Also, it can be very difficult to explain and communicate information and instructions to other people. Giving students the opportunity to do so allows them to practice speaking to others and conveying information in different ways so they are able to understand the information. Sometimes, people are able to explain information in a way that makes sense to them, but it does not make sense to other people. In order to grow as a leader, speaker, and group member, you need to be able to  find different, effective ways of communicating information within a group so that everyone is able to understand the information.

Community Activities:

What they are:

There are many community activities, such as Compliment Cards, YAS (You are Special), and putting together programs at a local retirement home. While these are just few of the activities that students can partake in (a full list of preliminary suggestions can be found under the “Community Activities” page), all of them have common goals: to help others and to work together as a group. These activities can be done within the school community or also in the larger community. The number of people for each activity can also vary, and other people within the community are welcome to join.

Why they work:

Activities such as Compliment Cards and YAS are important because they foster encouragement within the group. Many students who go through this program may not be 100% confident about some aspects of their leadership, and it is always important for people to know that their talents are appreciated in the group. It is just as important for students to hear these positive words of encouragement from their fellow peers. While it is nice to let others know that their hard work is appreciated, it is also important to give others compliments in other aspects of their lives.

Community activities such as retirement home performances, food drives, etc. help students work on their planning skills. Giving the students complete freedom to organize when, where, and what activity will take place within the community is a prime opportunity for students to take charge and work towards a common goal. It also gives students a chance to work with one another outside of a school/Leaders UNITE environment. These also give students a perception of what occurs in their larger community.

The website:

What it is:

All of the information regarding the club is on the website. Everything is easy to access, and many branches of the club just get everything off of the website regarding discussions, activities, and other opportunities. Some useful pages involved are Activities, Discussions, Community Activities, etc.

Students are also encouraged to make a WordPress account so that they can comment on discussion posts and then discuss with students from other schools. Instructions to make an account are listed under FAQs and under the “How to make a WordPress account” on the Resources page.

Why it works:

The website allows students to have flexible schedules regarding the club. Different schools can work around their own schedules with regards to choosing activities and discussions that they feel are the most relevant to their students’ leadership development. This allows teachers to merge Leaders UNITE into some of their other leadership-related programs at school or within the community.

 

Making a WordPress account and communicating with other schools gives students exposure to various school systems and various approaches to leadership. Different schools have different approaches to leadership development, and it is always beneficial to gain knowledge about other schools’ programs. Also, discussing with other students, brings about new perspectives and opinions. It gives students a big-picture idea and exposes them to experiences they have not previously discovered.

Leadership Conference (04/02/15), Memorable Moments, News, Year-Round Opportunities

Working Around Their Handicaps

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The first activity in the first Leaders UNITE conference tuned out to be a bigger success than I expected. Well, that is partially because we altered the activity right before the students arrived. We were planning on just doing “A Leader Is… (Creativity Project)”, but one of my student ambassadors, Jonathan, had a better idea. “Why don’t we give each group a restriction? Like one group won’t be able to talk in their presentation, one group can only have two people talk, and the other needs everyone to talk.” I paused for a second. That was genius! The activity was so broad, and while that would be good in some situations, we would have already finished three discussions and lunch before the first activity. Being broad did not need to be a restriction. So we did it. We made Jonathan’s group unable to talk during their presentation (they could talk during the planning period, just not while presenting the final product), my group restricted to two students talking and everyone else participating in a non-verbal form, and Miriam and Julia’s group restricted so that every member of their group had to speak during the presentation. And I had to admit, I did not expect the results that were formed. They were even more creative than I could have imagined. Here were some of the highlights:

In Julia and Miriam’s group, the students wrote a poem together. The poem reflected qualities of a leader and how people can depend on the leader of a group. The final product was what astounded me. The students lined up in order, and each student recited one line from the poem. The poem was exactly long enough for each of them to recite a line. The finished product was beautiful, and well- executed. And did they work around their handicap and still produce an adequate product? Yes.

In Jonathan’s group, the students took the route that I expected- a skit. However, the skit they put together was simple, yet it got the message across more deliberately than a complex play. Some students, the bullies, began by throwing crumpled papers at one girl in the middle. However, two students came in from outside the classroom, dispersed the crowd, and helped the poor girl. The skit was short, yet it got the point across. Did they work around their handicap? Yes.

In my group, the students also went the route I expected- they performed a skit with two narrators and everyone else as actors. The narrators explained the scene as two math teachers taught the students how to multiply numbers together. The most extraordinary part of this presentation was that both of the students that volunteered to be narrators had not spoken once (unless directly called up) during the whole session. Both students said they felt more comfortable speaking than acting, and they quickly volunteered to speak during the presentation. Did this group work around their handicap? Yes.

All of the groups were astounding. Seeing 6th and 7th grade students use their creative abilities to push forward in the presence of an obstacle was quite a sight to see. The students were all proud of their final products, and all of them played an active role in its creation. This is one of the reasons I love these activities. They give everyone the opportunity to participate in some way, and the handicaps allowed students to use their creative abilities to make more than just a generic product.

Leadership Conference (04/02/15), News, Year-Round Opportunities

First Conference- huge success!

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The first Leaders UNITE Conference was a huge success! We thank everyone who attended the event for a day filled with fun, laughs, and leadership development. We would especially like to thank Benson Middle School for attending with students from their 6th and 7th grade class. During the event, students were placed in one of three groups, each with one student facilitator. Ivana moved from group to group during the discussions. The student facilitators did not lead the discussion, but instead helped guide the students to speak and to stay on topic. At the end of each discussion, students created a summary board with some of their key points of discussion and presented it to the whole class. Different students stood in front of the class and presented for each discussion. After the discussions, the students ate lunch and were assigned in new groups of three for the activities following lunch. Due to time constraints, students were only able to finish two of the three activities. However, the students enthusiastically completed the activities and performed the final products in front of the whole class. The results were amazing! Stay tuned for another post on the reflections/memorable moments from the conference!

We encourage everyone to attend future Leaders UNITE conferences and to contact us if you are interested in participating in another upcoming event.