Building Student Leadership

Building Student Leadership

GEOFF BARTON

King Edward VI School

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 …


Nowadays all the children behave like adults and all the adults behave like children

(Terry Waite)


Schools are places where children go to watch the adults working

(John West-Burnham)

What do we know about young people?

• 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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Self-esteem, not just self-confidence

Sense of pride

Doing something for others isn’t an optional extra

Being an individual isn’t just about how

you dress

“Only dead fish go with the river”

Judge me by who I am, not the number

of qualifications I have

“It’s our choices, Harry, that show who

we really are”

What do we know about schools?

“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)

What do we know about young people and schools?

NFER survey of 14 year olds:

• 50% say most of the time they don’t want to go to school• 25% think teachers are too easily satisfied• 20% deny being happy at school



Involvement in extra-curricular activities is one of their most positive experiences

40% of all young people in schools = “the disappointed” (Michael Barber)



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



What students tell me …

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

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.

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.

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)

50:50 split between breaks / extra-curricular

5 ways of developing a leadership culture through increased participation …

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. 1

“ 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)

“It’s our choices, Harry, that

show who we really are"

(Albus Dumbledore)

"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)

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 L&T, curriculum planning, evaluation

• Report small successes

• Give it quick hits

• Power breakfasts. 2

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. 3

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. 4

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. 5

“Do not confine your children to your own learning, for they were born in another time”

(Hebrew Proverb)

Building Student Leadership

GEOFF BARTON

King Edward VI School

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Building Student Leadership