Given the transient nature of international education, teachers often feel encouraged to take the road less traveled to honor the needs of their diverse, internationally-minded student body. Many accept the challenge, driven by both a professional necessity to move forward and a sense of responsibility to spark curiosity and inspire.
Then why is it that among such great initiatives to innovate and rethink education, so many traditional aspects of the school experience, such as the student council, remain practically the same?
While our students still spend the majority of their time in classrooms and traveling in similarly aged groups to the various spaces of a school, it is our responsibility to create more opportunities for learners to break the mold, demonstrate their passions, and utilize their strengths in any setting. Along the way, if properly guided, they too can become leaders, regardless of their age.
Kids can teach us. Revamping the traditional student council to widen the scope of passion learning and provide students with new possibilities to express their voice should become a priority in every school.
The presentation below is on offer at the 29th Annual CEESA Conference in Warsaw. It introduces participants to a revamped student leadership program, the why and the how, and offers resources to serve as exemplars. Feel free to reach out to me with any questions you may have!