Being inspired by my students is not a new thing; it’s happened often enough that it doesn’t surprise me. But each time it happens, it still thrills me. To observe students synthesising ideas, information, and experiences and then refining and expressing their own beliefs is a miraculous thing. So many pieces fall into place, and, as a teacher, you imagine these nooks and crannies in the brain knitting together while sparks fly in a frenzy of neural activity.
And so it went with Meg, Antonio, and Pierce. As they start a new school year, I thought it was a good time to say something about how they ended the last one (especially since it left such a big impression on me).
Each year we tie all that we study together in a Constitutional Convention. Thematically it works like this…
Adaptation (our first unit) highlights our species’s amazing ability to change and adapt to changing conditions.
Innovation focuses on our ability, derived in part from incredible adaptability, to create solutions to problems that range from situational to societal.
Urbanisation ties the previous two units together as we examine the ways in which human society has changed (and the problems we face) as a result of our massive move to cities since the rise of agriculture. We have changed the ways in which we live and developed new technologies and new solutions to allow millions of people to live in one place.
In Governance we link all of it together to study how humans have chosen to govern themselves. More than anything, we look at the idea that we make choices in how we run our societies to solve problems, ensure people have a voice (or not), and protect (or not) people’s rights. As the very last culminating activity, students write competing constitutional proposals in groups. Each one reflects their personal beliefs and, of course, some of the things we study. We look at all kinds of things like autocracy (which some students see as a way to fix problems), communism (which some see as a way to guarantee equality), and rights.
In June, when Meg, Antonio, and Pierce took the stage to present their ideas, they began by explaining the difference between a boss and a leader as they argued for their constitutional proposal. They drew on examples from novels they had read (including George Orwell) and explained that, “A leader doesn’t command, a leader doesn’t order you or boss you around, a leader listens to you. A leader listens to good ideas and works with people to make a good society. A leader gets people to work together.”
Wow.
Meg, Antonio, and Pierce nailed it. Their description zeroed in not just on what makes a good leader in society but what makes a good leader anywhere. In companies, offices, and schools, this is the type of leader we need. This is the type of leader who actually successfully makes change.
In schools, real leaders create a culture of dialogue and discussion. Conformity of belief is not seen as a good thing. Instead, disagreement is opportunity to innovate and create, to do things better and differently. Good schools create opportunities for teachers and students to share ideas, to find common ground, and to move forward. They do not rely on a heavy hand to implement a plan; they rely on collaboration to move learning forward. Whether you’re in the classroom or in the office, Pierce, Antonio, and Meg’s words apply. Classrooms and schools are miniature societies, and society thrives - it innovates and adapts - when people work together.
So this is the M.(eg)A.(ntonio).P(ierce) post because when three kids at the end of their Grade 6 year can see and speak the truth, it’s a beautiful thing. It inspires me to remember what kind of teacher-leader I want to be, and it gives me hope that some people I know (hint, hint) will be just that kind of leader themselves.
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