Leadership Conference

GRIP Leadership Conference

At 7.40am on March 4th, Conor and I met 11 very excited Grade 6 Community Leaders outside the Wingrove Street Campus, ready for a big day of learning about leadership.

Many of the students exclaimed that they were normally still in bed at this time, some felt like they were still waking up, and some had been awake for hours.

We caught the train into Southern Cross station and then walked down to the Melbourne Convention centre. I think we went the long way;it was a lovely morning for a walk.

When we arrived, we discovered that there were more than 3,000 other school students there – some in smaller groups like ours, and some where they seemed to have brought along the whole school.

All of the leadership learning activities were interspersed with fun games and interactive times, so it was easy to keep paying attention.

For adults in the room, there were three sessions in the day that were hard. They were called ‘Make it Loud’ and it was LOUD. Can you imagine more than 3000 over-excited primary school students doing their best to be loud?

GRIP stands for Generosity, Responsibility, Integrity and People. Our leaders learnt a lot about all of these words, and about how, as leaders, they need to keep them in mind as part of showing leadership skills.

This conference gave our Community Leaders the opportunity to think about how they can show leadership every day, asked them to give examples of how they can help others and promote change at their school and how to prioritise their ideas to help others the most. This learning will support our leaders to actively participate in the Student Voice Team, which will start in term two.

Conor and I were so proud of our students – they exhibited all of the values of Fairfield Primary School and leaders in the way they worked together as a community, were creative in their responses to questions, showed excellence in their behaviour and respect towards the venue, each other, their teachers and the many, many other commuters we travelled with on the day.

Each of the students has written a short reflection on a highlight or standout learning from the day.

Although it only took a day, it changed a lifestyle and hopefully a school. 

~ Annabel, S 6C

I learned to prioritise the best or more helpful idea, and to work in realistic stages. 

~ Harry V, 6A

We learnt about four of the responsibilities of a student leader. The four we learnt were:

1. Being an example to others - make sure you’re doing what you want others to do.

2. Being a helper to others – try to help others, especially younger kids.

3. Being a voice for others – help others to find their words.

4. Being willing to do what the school needs – doing what’s needed, not just what you want. 

~ Lily R, 6C

Many leaders don’t achieve what they intend because time goes by quickly and the year has ended. I learnt that if you want to achieve a goal you always have to be realistic from the start. So, for example, I can't want to raise one million dollars from one fundraiser. If I was realistic then maybe I could get a new drink tap but if you’re not realistic (like the one million dollars) your dreams might be too big. 

~ Maddie K, 6A

Conversations are more effective than instructions. I learnt at the leadership conference that talking to people about doing stuff like wearing hats would be far more effective than, say, putting up posters to do it. 

~ Eddy W, 6C

I learnt that as a leader sometimes I have to do things I don’t want to do to help people. 

~ Leni T, 6C

Being an example is always more important than the rule: wearing a hat. We put up signs – not many people wear them. We wear hats and encourage others verbally – more people wear hats. 

~ Lucien W, 6B

We learnt that fun is more effective than feeling forced. For example, we can encourage people to do the right thing by making it fun rather than making it a rule. 

~ Rosie V, 6A

What I like best may not match the rest: Putting others’ choices before yours. Accepting that others may not like the same things as you. Going with what most people want to do even if it’s not your first choice. 

~ Georgie B, 6A

Conversations are more effective than instructions – talking to people is more efficient than instructing them. 

~ Bea M-L, 6B

It was really fun, and I learnt lots of stuff, like how to achieve an idea by the end of the year. 

~ Tilly C, 6C

~ Cathy Turner, Disability Inclusion & Wellbeing Teacher