A plan we need. Yes, a plan, indeed !
One of the great jobs I have at my school is to be the staff advisor to the Student Leadership Council. Student Leadership has always been, and still is, a passion of mine. (I could easily write a whole separate post about how I got into it and the work I have done over many years)
This Tuesday, I had the Student Leadership Council present their action plans to our principal team for their feedback and approval. This gave them a real audience to present in front of and a purpose in getting their plans completed.
These plans have been almost a month in the making. They commenced work on them at our Training Day earlier this year and they have worked on them during our subsequent meetings back at school.
I had organised catering in recognition of the lunchtimes they were giving up. I discussed their their plans with them. I asked them questions about how the event would unfold and what it would look like. I was critical in an attempt to get them to think clearly about what their event or proposed action would look like and ensure they had all bases covered. So, I informed them that next week both our principal and assistant principal would be present at our next meeting. Their plans would need to be completed in their own time.
I informed them of times I was available to provide assistance and answer questions....despite doing all this, I knew that none of them would have their plans ready for the following week.
And so - a week goes by. All of the students in our student council are in Grade 5 &6. As one of the 5\6 teachers, we meet together with our students at the beginning of the school day to address them as a section. I reminded them of today's meeting and how they would be required to present their plans.
The expressions on most of their faces confirmed my earlier prediction.
I cross paths with some of the students throughout the day and observe them frantically working away at their plans during recess. Another 5/6 teacher tells me how two students raced through their work in order to get time in class to finish off their plans.
Lunchtime arrives and our meeting is called to order. I inform them that both the Principal and Assistant Principal are running late and recommended that they use the time to practice the presentations in front of the other students. And so, each group fumbled their way through their presentations.
And at the end of each presentation, I ask the question:
"You weren't prepared to present today, were you ?"
"No"
After all teams have presented, I discuss their plans and their lack of preparation with them. We talked about how if I as a teacher arrived at a class unprepared how that would impact on others. I let them in on my secret. I tell them that the Prin and the AP aren't coming and that they have an extra week to prepare.
I have also asked them to reflect on their experience at presenting their plans at our next meeting. I hope they will learn from experience and arrive prepared. :)