Building Student Leadership

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Building Student Leadership

• GEOFF BARTON

King Edward VI School
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(No Transcript)
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Building Leadership ...
What do we know about young people? What do we
know about schools? What do we know about
students IN schools? How can we improve schools
for students?
2 starting-points
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Building Leadership ...
Nowadays all the children behave like adults and
all the adults behave like children (Terry Waite)
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Building Leadership ...
Schools are places where children go to watch the
adults working (John West-Burnham)
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What do we know about young people?
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• Childhood obesity fuelled by cartoons
• Teenage pregnancy rates out of control
• UK teenage girls seriously depressed
• Boy stabbed to death for his 30 baseball cap
• Violent TV harms children
• Locals attack binge-drinking and yob behaviour
• 40 of teens want plastic surgery

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Being an individual isnt just about how you dress
Self-esteem, not just self-confidence
Doing something for others isnt an optional extra
Only dead fish go with the river
Sense of pride
Judge me by who I am, not the number of
qualifications I have
Its our choices, Harry, that show who we really
are
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What do we know about schools?
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Going to school is compulsory but learning is
optional (Louise Stoll, et al) Schools teach
a 19th century curriculum in 20th century
buildings to 21st century students (John West
Burnham)
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What do we know about young people and schools?
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• NFER survey of 14 year olds
• 50 say most of the time they dont want to go
  to school
• 25 think teachers are too easily satisfied
• 20 deny being happy at school

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Involvement in extra-curricular activities is one
of their most positive experiences 40 of all
young people in schools the disappointed
(Michael Barber)
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Work is too easy in Year 7 then as it gets
harder in Year 8 they lose support of parents and
less praise from teachers. Only in Year 11
does the curve begin to rise again
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What students tell me
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1 Think of people in music, media, sport,
politics. Who do you see as positive role-models?
Michael Jordan Johnny Wilkinson Richard
Branson Marcus Trescothick Gary Lineker David
Beckham Paul Merton Tiger Woods Slash Thierry
Henry Bob Geldof Rolling Stones
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2 Think of teachers who motivate you most
successfully. What do they do?
Mr G - funny tells us what we need to know
knows his stuff Mr W - teaches well encouraging
takes no rubbish from anyone Mr W - honest
encourages everyone, not just the best Mr P -
energetic makes lessons active Mrs C - lively
fun Mrs W - explains clearly not patronising.
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3 How could we encourage you to take on
leadership responsibilities around school?

• Give everyone in Year 11 someone to look after in
  Year 9
• Give us more responsibility
• Get us teaching younger students - eg how to play
  the guitar
• Better rewards policy
• Extra privileges
• Give us more say
• Rewards - eg non-uniform
• Let us run clubs.

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• 4 Put these in rank order
• Lessons
• Breaks / lunchtimes
• Extra-curricular activities
• Weekends

100 like weekends best 79 like lessons least
(98 in bottom two) 5050 split between breaks /
extra-curricular
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5 ways of developing a leadership culture through
increased participation
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Create a non-schooly environment

• The look of a school is not superficial
• Images
• Plants
• Spotlights
• Cheesy motivators
• Humane toilets and toilet checks
• Opening up rooms
• Assembly roles
• School coat achievement assembly suits
• Duty team approach / Barton Breakfasts
• Power quotations.

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The ultimate measure of a man is not where he
stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but
where he stands at times of challenge and
controversy.." (Martin Luther King)
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Its our choices, Harry, that show who we really
are" (Albus Dumbledore)
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"I've missed over 9,000 shots in my career.  I've
lost almost 300 games.  26 times I've been
trusted to take the game-winning shot . . . and
missed.  I've failed over and over and over again
in my life. And that is why I succeed."
(Michael Jordan)
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Give School Council teeth

• Terms of reference
• Budget
• Direct access to the Kingmakers
• Sexy, feisty, action-driven (not a talking-shop)
• Action groups
• Involve in LT, curriculum planning, evaluation
• Report small successes
• Give it quick hits
• Power breakfasts.

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FOCUS ON LEARNING

• Develop house-style on behaviour language
• Spell out expectations, but as few rules as
  possible
• Get teachers talking less
• Learning sessions, not lessons
• Blur the distinction between in / out of class
• Use assessment for learning / starters
• Expect leadership in lessons
• Re-model the curriculum
• Keep getting student feedback
• Develop an all-embracing accreditation system.

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ACTIVELY BUILD PARTICIPATION

• Stop playing Government Opposition
• Survey needs and preferred timings
• Broaden your thinking - martial arts, yoga, boys
  dance
• Achievement assemblies celebrate out-of-school
  achievements
• Review days go beyond the academic
• Use accelerated learning days / conferences
  activities
• Seize every opportunity for contests - eg
  debating,
• magistrates
• Set targets
• Create perks for participation - eg fast-track
• lunches.

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ENDLESSLY FOCUS ON THE STUDENT PERSPECTIVE

• Quote students views on learning and
  environment
• Use surveys for facts and attitudes
• Think Would I be happy for my child to be
  taught in this lesson?
• Challenge media stereotypes through charity
  events,
• concerts, technical team
• Student news in assemblies and notices
• Be tough on expectations give clarity
• Provide role-models.

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Do not confine your children to your own
learning, for they were born in another time
(Hebrew Proverb)
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Building Student Leadership

• GEOFF BARTON

King Edward VI School