Leading by Example
In PE we’ve been thinking a lot about leadership. What does it mean to be a leader? How many leaders can a classroom have? Our fifth grade students found out through four weeks of teamwork sampling many of the middle school athletics offerings. Through sun and rain and plenty of leaves they have competed and cooperated in soccer, flag football, field hockey, and badminton. In fourth grade, we have been working on team challenges and recently completed leadership reflections, leading to insightful conversations about the various modes of leadership.
Meanwhile, our lower grades have been learning about leading by example and finding ways to make an impact without necessarily making a lot of noise. They’ve also been ending class with shout-outs and partner compliments, honoring the efforts of others with thoughtful comments that highlight different ways people add to the classroom dynamic.
After a few weeks of asking for shout-outs, we’ve found that there are often more hands up at the end of class than we have time to call on. When there is that much to celebrate, you know there are plenty of leaders in our midst!
