Grade 6 Leadership Program

Years ago one of my sons came home from school and informed me that he’d been voted in as a school leader. Swallowing my surprise at this announcement I managed a ‘Wow, that’s great! Well done!’ You’ll have to forgive my (hidden) reaction, although I still haven’t quite forgiven myself for questioning that my quiet, non-sporty, non-assuming child would attract the attention and admiration of his peers.

In the ensuing years, I have watched with interest as new grade 6 leaders are voted in. It’s really apparent that there is no one-size-fits-all leader! Extroverts, introverts, tall, short, arty, sporty, academic, loud, quiet, shy, confident – none of these attributes guarantee or exclude the chance of admission to the leadership cohort. But, with or without a badge, our diverse grade six students are all leaders. As the oldest students in the school they are looked up to by, and are role models for, our younger students. And they are as individual as it is possible to get.

It seems to me that Frances Hesselbein hit the nail on the head with the words "Leadership is a matter of how to be, not how to do it." By extension, we can all learn to be better at leading.

In this spirit, this term all our Year 6 Students have been introduced to a new leadership program which aims at developing leadership skills and providing authentic opportunities to practise them. As our school captains continue, under the care of Jemmah Kelly, to work towards fulfilling their roles as prescribed by their role description, the large majority of our grade 6 cohort are embracing the opportunity to explore leadership in more detail.

Please read the following article by Tara Marefat in 6JK, for more information on this program from a student’s perspective. 

- Cat Fleming | Grade 6 Teacher

What is a leader?

Someone with honesty? Someone who is selfless? Someone who has integrity? Or personal connection? Someone who does what they believe in? Someone who listens. What is a leader?

A person with a fancy badge? No, so... What is a leader? This is what the 2020 leadership program is being taught about, every week on a Friday! We learn about how we can be better leaders and people we believe are leaders. This is an amazing adventure for us! I, myself, really want this to continue on so I can learn more, not as a grade 6 student but as a kid who dreams to be a future leader.

But does a badge or a role define who you are? NEVER! But it does raise expectations, expectations any leader should be ready for, or will be able to fulfil. At the very start or with a bit of practice! And this program shows and teaches this. It teaches not all leaders are at centre stage, it may be the kid in the back throwing stones waiting to shine! Teaching them how a role model can be grown from the most damage seed. They teach us a role model isn't the hardcover it's the pure heart in the middle. We learn about integrity, personal connections, and more...

So, What is a Leader? A Leader is someone we grow to be and learn to be on the long road -  this is what so many kids have learnt from this program, the kids who will be future leaders...

-Tara.M 6JK