WANT TO BE A LEADER? ASK MS.SOKOLA SEPTEMBER 3RD, 2012
INTERVIEW&ARTICLE BY CELINE, JENNY KIM, YOHAN
As Jenny Kim, Celine, and Yohan entered Ms.Sokola’s room, she greeted us with a smile, beautiful shoes, and we were really happy to interview her. We walked to the Teacher’s lounge, and she was busy working on other stuff. However, when we started the interview, she participated as best as she could considering her strong school involvement. She seemed happy to interview with us, and she greeted us with a smile. We were really comfortable during the interview with Ms. Sokola, and she was really happy to participate in the interview with us.
MS.SOKOLA’S BEAUTIFUL SHOES
Jenny Kim : How can we be friends with new students? Ms. Sokola : Okay, I understand. I think that the best way to build the friendship starts off with a smile. Having a friendly face is easier for both sides to approach. Right? Why would you want to go and talk to somebody if they look mad all the time? Okay so having a smile, saying hello, and then doing what you do with all of your friends because remember, just a year ago, nobody knew anybody. How did you make friends then? You smiled, you sat down by somebody, and you started talking. And I know that it might seem difficult because now there’s only a few new students but they are in the same situation that EVERY single one of you was in a year ago, so just think back to what you did back then. And I think that you can make them feel welcomed and wanted. Celine : How can we earn merits? Ms.Sokola : How can you earn merits? Well, the generic saying would be to demonstrate level 5 leadership. But, if you want more what teachers are looking for, I think that they are looking for students that are consistently and continuously demonstrating high examples on the leadership ladder. Respect and responsibility are my biggest ones. When I see a student who is consistently going out of their way to respect others, respect adults and their peers or who is consistently going out of their way to make sure their responsibilities are taken care of, not just on the occasion or not just when a teacher is looking, but when no one is looking. Those are the students who I want to give merits to.
9
MS.SOKOLA
Jenny Kim : How do we become a leader? Ms.Sokola : I think that in order to become a great leader, you have to understand who you are as a person first, and build up your strength. Find confidence in yourself, because if you don’t feel good about yourself it’s going to be really hard for you to encourage other people and make them feel good about themselves and make them want to lead. And in order to be a good leader I believe that you should motivate others to become leaders. Jenny Kim : What is the best way of leading other classmates? Ms.Sokola: You might not like this answer... I think this is something that I did when I was in high school. Your friends like you. They’re going to support you, and they are going to encourage you, and if you are trying to lead an initiative, they are going to follow you, right? But if the people who are not your close friends, those are the people who are going to influence in order to lead them. Those are the people that you are going to have to motivate in order to lead them. Those are the people you are going to have to encourage in order to lead them. I think the best way to lead other students, is to step out of your comfort zone, step out of your friendship bubble, and talk to people that you don’t know very well. Listen to people that you don’t know very well, and I think they will then respect you and when it is time for you to lead, then I think that they will probably follow you.
Celine : What is the effective way to make every students to cooperate? Ms.Sokola : Well in my classroom, as you all are aware, I often times make you work with people who I don’t see you talking with. Right? So I put you with somebody different. Somebody you normally wouldn’t be walking down the hallways with, that way I am hoping that you will forage a new friendship, as well as learn the skills that it takes to cope and cooperate with other people. I think that you all will probably be better able to be answer that question than me though, so, you tell me, how do you think it is easiest to make students cooperate together? Celine : To be friends with others and listen to what say … Just cooperate and listen to what other says...? Ms. Sokola : I like what you say Celine, with the listen. Listening is really important. So all you want to do is talk talk talk talk talk..., and have others listen to you, then you are not cooperating. Right? You’re kind of running the show. But if everybody takes time to listen, and to speak, and can share their opinions well. Then you are gonna automatically cooperate because your hearing other people, - hearing and listening are two different things. When you listen to other people you try to understand where they are coming from, and I think that people will try to where others are coming from. They are able to cooperate with them.
September 7th, 2012