i-Learner Newsletter - Burns Term 2022 - Leadership Skills

Christmas Workshops

Message from Ms Pun

Is leadership inborn or nurtured? I believe good leadership is nurtured. With careful nurturing, a child will grow into a confident and inspiring leader with a strong vision and strategy.

What makes it difficult for a child to grow into a leader? An emphasis on exam performance and results. Comments such as: ‘Only 80 marks?’ and ‘You keep making careless mistakes!’ make a child more careful and alert in trickier parts of exams; however, they also hinder a child from being bold and adventurous. Instead, we should praise children for the risks they have taken, the strategies they have applied in time management and for making educated guesses. If a child doesn’t have enough time to finish their revision, we should praise their bravery for going to the exam even without proper preparation. We should believe that by learning from their experience, they will do better next time.

What helps a child to grow into a leader? To be provided with the chance to be honest, empathetic and confident. If a child is nurtured in an open environment where they can talk to adults about their worries and fears, this helps them become more articulate and communicative. If a child is forced to follow strict rules, then they do not learn to be honest with experience, and this prevents them from communicating openly. A child should also be given opportunities to befriend people from different walks of life. This nurtures their empathy, which is a key leadership skill. A leader who can understand different types of people can create enormous value by motivating and combining the efforts of different talents. This also nurtures their willingness to help the less privileged. Finally, we should inspire children with the lives of different people and their versions of good communities and happy lives. After all, each person is their own leader.

Levels 1-6 of Key to Classics are OUT NOW!

Read one of the Level 4 stories, adapted from the novel by E Nesbit.

Five Child ren and It

Chapter 4: The Last Wish

The children were excited. But in the village, the shopkeeper said they were thieves.

‘Children don’t have gold,’ he said. ‘Police!’

The children hid again.

The next day, they wished to fly. When they rested at the top of a tower, the sun set and their wings disappeared!

They wished for fun things and important things. They wished for big things and small things. But every wish brought more trouble.

‘Sand fairy,’ said Anthea, ‘what’s your wish?’

‘I want to be left alone,’ he said.

The children hugged their furry friend.

‘Done,’ they said. Then the five children went home, and the sand fairy slept.

To continue reading, get your own copy of this book from the Key to Classics Level 3-4 set in i-Learner Education Centres or buy it online!

Read another Key to Classics story in our 2023 Austen Term newsletter.

Leadership in the Classroom Leadership in the Classroom Leadership in the Classroom

We asked our tutors to share what student leadership looks like in different age groups. Read their insights and guidance below.

Leadership in Kindergarteners

In the classroom, young leaders are keen to assist their teachers and socialise with their classmates. They often make their own decisions, persevere after setbacks, express themselves creatively, work as a team and set themselves up as role models for others to follow. Leadership development is a lifelong process, and the sooner children acquire leadership skills, the better they can improve them throughout their life. Here are some suggestions on how to help your child develop these:

Modelling from adults and peers

Brenda Lo Kindergarten Tutor

Young learners learn quickly through observation. Therefore, it is important to expose them to the right role models. As a teacher or parent, we should give them guidance and advice on how to communicate and work with others.

Building confidence and problem-solving skills

Encourage young children to accept challenges and praise them when they do this. By encouraging a child to take on challenges independently, you express your trust and faith in them, allowing them to build confidence in themselves. Once they can visualise their success, they will be able to look for other ways to work independently and problem solve.

Expose your child to leadership opportunities

Teachers often give children opportunities to take on a leadership role. Mimic this at home by allowing your child to take the lead and by providing them with other leadership opportunities through joining clubs and extracurricular activities. They may end up becoming the captain of their sports team or leader of a school

Last but not least, reports show that young children with leadership skills usually do well from kindergarten through to tertiary education, and even in the workplace. It is one of the cornerstones in personal development. Therefore, we should all do our best to nurture and hone leadership skills

Leadership in Primary School Students

Primary school students in Hong Kong are no stranger to leadership roles – at the beginning of every school year, students are chosen to become class monitors, subject representatives and prefects. However, leadership is more than a title. Student leadership means students are not just passive participants, but active participants in the different contexts they are in, whether it’s at school, in extracurricular classes, or even at home. Additionally, student leaders inspire their peers. Here are some traits that student leaders possess:

Empathetic Student leaders listen to others in the group and try to understand their viewpoints and problems before offering a solution.

Practical tip: Before sharing your ideas, ask others what they think first.

Team-player

Instead of doing everything themselves or giving others all the work, student leaders work with others as a team.

Practical tip: When you have a group project, delegate the work according to each person’s strengths.

Leadership in Secondary School Students

Proactive Student leaders will seek ways to participate or help others before they are even asked to do so.

Practical tip: Be observant of your surroundings (e.g. in the classroom) and reach out to anyone who needs help.

Hong Kong students often prioritise high grades as the most important criterion for university applications. However, many institutions in the UK, US and Australia prize leadership qualities, as well as strong academic performances. Leadership is seen as an important skill that can help cultivate change, motivate peers and bring about success, not only at university but in later life. It’s celebrated as a quality that is needed for a productive career in a fastchanging world of increasing uncertainty.

Lin Primary Tutor Liliana Worth Secondary Tutor

Students at secondary school can develop leadership skills by engaging in activities that involve managing logistics, making and maintaining relationships with others, and showing creativity. One of the best areas for doing this is to join – or, better still, found – extracurricular clubs. As the president or founder of a club, students are in a position to lead their peers towards new activities or persuade them to establish a new programme for the benefit of all the members. Fundraising is another good way to strengthen one’s leadership skills, as this involves organising a campaign, such as a sponsored walk, and engaging a number of parties to support your cause. Similarly, organising an event like a school concert or dance can also provide students with opportunities to develop leadership skills. In any of these cases, leadership skills are a reflection of the student’s commitment to their passion, perseverance, and communication skills, all of which are key skills for success in the 21st century.

Rebecah

Are Leaders Born or Made?

Lianne Ho English Teacher

As parents, our roles are to foster and nurture the potential in our young. We want to help them, in the words of Maslow, the famous humanist psychologist, ‘self-actualise’, that is, develop to their maximum potential. Is leadership a quality that can be nurtured? Is there a way, if we put our saplings under the right conditions, for them to grow into visionary leaders?

Science suggests that we can help our children become leaders. A study conducted by Johnson et al., which was published in Twin Research and Human Genetics, provides clear evidence that leadership is not only an inheritable trait, but one which can be acquired. The study examined the heritability of leadership style based on self-reports. The two measures of leadership style were Transactional Leadership – an approach of leadership in which the leaders provide promises of reward in exchange for loyalty, and Transformational Leadership – an approach of leadership that inspires those led and which prioritises the long-term benefit of the group over individual interest. The results indicated that Transactional Leadership is 48% attributable to heritability (additive) and that Transformational Leadership is 59% heritable (dominance). If genetics only account for leadership abilities by a margin of approximately half, then the environment must be a critical factor to the development of this life skill. The results of this study undeniably point to the fact that yes, leadership is a skill that can be nurtured.

And if they can be made, how can we foster this important skill in our children?

So how can we help children develop their leadership abilities?

An article from The Pennsylvania State University advocates several ways through which leadership can be instilled in the next generation:

Be a model of leadership for children

Teach children to understand situations from alternative view points

Foster a child’s self-confidence through encouragement Create opportunities for problem solving

Create leadership opportunities in the classroom and outside Help children develop the habit of planning and strategising to solve a problem

Teach children how to work in teams Encourage communication and action

A recent study by Dr Sunnie Giles, a leadership development consultant and organisational scientist, involving 195 leaders across 15 countries from 30 global organisations, found that a good leader is always learning and fosters self-direction, growth and a sense of safety through ethics and empathy in those led. There is no reason why these skills, like other skills, cannot be fostered from an early age. By teaching our children how to be not only technically competent but also humanistically competent, we can enact great changes in successive generations and humanity at large.

References

Johnson, A., Vernon, P., McCarthy, J., Molson, M., Harris, J., & Jang, K. (1998). Nature vs nurture: Are leaders born or made? A behavior genetic investigation of leadership style. Twin Research, 1(4), 216-223.

PennState Extension (no date) Leadership and children. Available at: https://extension.psu.edu/programs/betterkidcare/early-care/tip-pages/all/leadership-and-children (Accessed: 20 November 2022).

Giles, S. (2016) The Most Important Leadership Competencies, According to Leaders Around the World. Available at: https://hbr.org/2016/03/the-most-important-leadership-competencies-according-to-leaders-around-the-world (Accessed: 20 November 2022).

Types of Leaders

How would you define a good leader? Someone who is charismatic and eloquent in speech? Or someone who has a clear vision of what has to be done?

Tetra Lee English Teacher

In a nutshell, leadership is about having the ability to influence and guide others to achieve a certain goal. How each person leads could differ vastly depending on the sort of team one is leading and what goals need to be achieved.

Let’s have a look at five common leadership styles:

1. Transformational leadership

This leadership style focuses on change and transformation. Leaders have a clear vision of what they want to achieve, and are able to share this vision with the team. They seek to inspire every individual on the team to reach their full potential through their enthusiasm, encouragement and a shared belief.

2. Delegative leadership

This style, also known as ‘laissez-faire’, is the most hands-off leadership approach. The leader gives the team a lot of freedom to utilise their creativity and skills in achieving the team’s goals. This style works well with self-motivated and independent individuals who are able to complete tasks on their own.

3. Authoritative leadership

This form of leadership is the opposite of delegative leadership. The leader makes all the major decisions and sets the overall direction of the team without expecting input from other members. This style allows leaders to make decisions quickly, and may be suited for teams with members who need close guidance and personalised feedback on their work.

4. Transactional leadership

This style emphasises following an established routine or procedure efficiently. Each team member knows exactly what they need to do, and there is a clear reward and punishment system. There is less flexibility due to the emphasis on order and rules, but output could be more reliable if the system is fair and accepted by everyone.

5. Participative leadership

This is a democratic leadership style which seeks to include the whole team in the decision-making process. Open and frequent communication is key in this leadership style. Leaders using this style need to exercise good judgement and fast thinking to ensure that decisions are made after the discussions.

Like most things in life, there isn’t a best or worst leadership style. You can mix and match traits from different leadership styles to lead more effectively! Which leadership style do you have?

The Importance of Leadership and How It Starts with Parents

Leadership skills are one of the important life skills needed for the growth and development of children. Leadership skills enable children to make the best decisions using their abilities and creativity. Children with leadership skills can bring out the best in others, and empower and encourage their peers in difficult situations. These skills make them independent and confident individuals with high self-esteem. Children with leadership traits do not feel threatened by other ideas or even feel the need to control mindset; instead, they encourage the sharing of opinions through well-rounded discussions.

Iqra Sultan English Teacher

Leadership skills are important for young minds, and it all starts at home. Here are some things you can do with your child to develop their leadership skills.

Work on their focus and attention span by assigning your child individual tasks which they must complete before moving on to another task.

Develop trust and responsibility in your child by giving them something to be responsible for such as small chores. Accomplishing these helps children develop a sense of responsibility, discipline and confidence in life.

Teach them love and respect. Children learn from the actions of their elders, especially their parents. When parents treat their children with love and respect, they return the same respect to their parents, and the community, which is necessary for a good leader.

Communicate with your child daily to talk about their school routines, hobbies or even worries. Engaging your child in conversations makes them open and confident speakers.

Volunteer together to offer help to the needy in the community. This is important to develop empathy in your child at a young age so they learn to show compassion.

Let them make their own decisions. Children become more comfortable with making decisions when given many opportunities to do so, and it allows them to make up their own minds.

Children spend a great deal of time with their parents, learning from them. Practise these tips with your child to see great changes in their leadership.

Books We Love about Leadership

What is this book about? How is it related to leadership?

The hobbit Frodo receives a powerful ring which can corrupt its owner. Together with other hobbits, elves, dwarfs and the wizard Gandalf, Frodo sets out to destroy the Ring. Although no one expects Frodo to lead the fellowship, he learns to become a self-sacrificing and determined leader throughout the story.

Why do I enjoy it?

I was transported to the magical world of Middle Earth from the very first page and couldn’t leave it until I finished the story! I loved reading about the friendships between different characters and seeing how they each contributed to the team in their own ways.

Who would like this book?

Students who like fantasy stories set in other worlds, epic adventures, and stories about unexpected friendships will enjoy this book.

What

is this book about? How is it related to leadership?

This is written from an uncle to his teenage nephew about the realities of being black in America. Baldwin reiterates the struggles of his own lifephysical violence, police brutality and systemic discrimination - and tells his nephew the ways he can ensure ‘your route will be different.’

Why do I enjoy it?

He doesn’t sugar-coat his traumatic upbringing, but instead uses it as a point of referenceone that can teach the fundamentals of being black, being a man, and being a leader. He highlights that racism is a disease, and therefore it is our attitude towards it that defines us as a human being.

Who would like this book?

Students who are interested in their own self-discovery, socio-cultural introspection and questioning the essence of their own morality would love to read this book.

What is this book about? How is it related to leadership?

This book tells the story of Ernest Shackleton's 1915 Antarctic voyage. When his ship became locked in sea ice. Shackleton led his crew on an 850 mile journey to safety.

Why do I enjoy it?

I'm inspired by the fact that Shackleton achieved something that seems barely possible and by his sense of duty to every one of his crew members. There were things that Shackleton was quite bad at, but he was certainly someone you would want by your side in a crisis.

Who would like this book?

Mr John likes to read books written during the Civil Rights Movement. They provide insight into one of the most iconic and pivotal moments of all time - written from the perspective of the downtrodden, who found their voice during this tumultuous era.

If you like thrilling stories of real-life adventure you will enjoy this book. You will find yourself rooting for the crew of the Endurance to succeed as they battle to find solutions to the most formidable problems.

Endurance Alfred Lansing S1 and above

Mr Rob enjoys reading biographies of people who overcome challenges and solve problems in remarkable ways.

The Lord of the Rings series J.R.R. Tolkien S4 - S6

Ms Rebecah enjoys reading fantasy novels which inspire her to create her own fictional worlds and encourages her students to do the same.

The Fire Next Time James Baldwin S1 - S3

Student Voices

Recently, I acted as an organiser for a school debate competition. I helped organise students to do different tasks and jobs during the competition. You would be surprised how many behind the scenes jobs it takes to make the competition a success.

Silas Wong, P6

I help around at home. I wash the dishes and make my bed. I am also the Putonghua subject leader. I help out during Putonghua class.

Mathis Choy, P4

I play football and volleyball. Both games require leadership skills to do well.

Ethan Choi, P4

I am a group leader at my school. I lead my classmates in projects. Mia Cheung, P2

I am the English subject leader at school and I help my teacher distribute worksheets to my classmates.

Chiara Wong, P2

I am the English prefect at school. I give out worksheets to my classmates.

Charlene Chung, P2

I am the General Studies subject leader at school. I collect my classmates' homework and hand them in to the teacher.

Maeve Cheung, P4

We wanted to hear how our students act as leaders in their daily lives. Hear how they demonstrate leadership in the classroom, at home and elsewhere:

I participated in a grade exchange programme in which grade 6 students had to demonstrate skills and activities to grade 3 students. The activities help students get to know each other and encourage older students to look after and help their younger schoolmates.

Constance Chan, P6

I help out a lot at home. I wash the dishes and take out the trash.

Curtis Wong, P4

I am the class librarian. I organise the books and tidy the bookshelf.

Tiffany Shek, P4

Most of the chores at home are done by me. I distribute work to other family members sometimes as well. I cook, wash the dishes, clean the house and do the laundry!

Maxwell Chan, P5

I am the student leader of the YWCA Joint School Volunteering Programme. I organise events to help children with ADHD.

Vian Chan, S2

I am a prefect at school. I monitor the performance of other prefects.

I am the class captain at school. I maintain order in the classroom and tidy up the classroom after lessons.

Jason Tsang, P5

During a growth class at school, I led a team in a challenge to make the best game using magnets. The rest of my group were all boys, so it was fun to take the role of leader. Our game, in which the user had to guide a magnetic frog through a fun obstacle course, won first prize.

Alexa Cheung, P6

Bookworm

The Leader in Me

Follow the instructions to be the leader you want to be.

1. Write your name in the middle. In the ovals, write words to describe you.

2. Write down what you want to be. e.g. I want to be a good writer and a kind and hard-working person.

Write down your mission statement. This is a short paragraph about who you want to be, what you want to achieve and how you will achieve this.

My mission is to be a hardworking and successful writer whose writing inspires others to be the person they want to be. I want to make others laugh a lot and help them enjoy life.

MY MISSION STATEMENT

Tsim Sha Tsui Centre

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Tel: 3611 8400 WhatsApp: 6468 8366