Action Research Action Research ProjectProject

John Quirk – CrCrCT693John Quirk – CrCrCT693

Work In-Progress PresentationWork In-Progress Presentation

The TopicThe Topic

To evolve an approach for To evolve an approach for developing effective developing effective student leadership.student leadership.

WhoWho cares about this? cares about this?

The SchoolThe School, which identifies it as a core , which identifies it as a core learning element.learning element.

StudentsStudents, who express deep appreciation for , who express deep appreciation for successful leadership opportunities AND successful leadership opportunities AND intense frustration for failed or unproductive intense frustration for failed or unproductive experiences.experiences.

The FacultyThe Faculty, which consistently identifies , which consistently identifies successful examples of student leadership as successful examples of student leadership as personally satisfying (mentoring) and even personally satisfying (mentoring) and even prize-worthy.prize-worthy.

I DO!!I DO!!

BUT…BUT…

There is a sense of under-achievement There is a sense of under-achievement in this area, and occasionally a feeling in this area, and occasionally a feeling that there is success mostly with that there is success mostly with students who are “just good at it.”students who are “just good at it.”

Seniors often perceive this under-Seniors often perceive this under-achievement as they prepare for achievement as they prepare for graduation.graduation.

Evaluation and InquiryEvaluation and Inquiry

► Illuminating the background and Illuminating the background and getting to know something about past getting to know something about past or current relevant actions through or current relevant actions through focused engagement in the topic:focused engagement in the topic:

SurveySurvey of recent, current, and potential of recent, current, and potential student leaders, and of significant student leaders, and of significant portion of the faculty.portion of the faculty.

Goal: To determine levels of success Goal: To determine levels of success and/or failure within current system of and/or failure within current system of student leadership at school; To better student leadership at school; To better understand the culture of student understand the culture of student leadership, its goals within the school, leadership, its goals within the school, and the level of motivation of the and the level of motivation of the faculty.faculty.

Evaluation and InquiryEvaluation and Inquiry

► Illuminating the background and Illuminating the background and getting to know something about past getting to know something about past or current relevant actions through or current relevant actions through focused engagement in the topic:focused engagement in the topic:

ResearchResearch other environments other environments (educational or otherwise) that feel (educational or otherwise) that feel they have been effective in this area.they have been effective in this area.

Goal: To understand the variety of Goal: To understand the variety of systems of leadership and to get a systems of leadership and to get a handle on approaches and methods of handle on approaches and methods of assessment; To measure a variety of assessment; To measure a variety of options in a variety of environments.options in a variety of environments.

Evaluation and InquiryEvaluation and Inquiry

► Illuminating the background and Illuminating the background and getting to know something about past getting to know something about past or current relevant actions through or current relevant actions through focused engagement in the topic:focused engagement in the topic:

ConductConduct discussion or dialogue groups discussion or dialogue groups with interested students (current and with interested students (current and potential leaders) and interested potential leaders) and interested faculty members.faculty members.

Goal: To evolve through consensus a Goal: To evolve through consensus a workable (within the school workable (within the school environment) definition of student environment) definition of student leadership; To begin to build engaged leadership; To begin to build engaged and invested constituent groups; To and invested constituent groups; To promote a spirit of collaboration promote a spirit of collaboration between faculty and students; To between faculty and students; To establish and build upon collaborative establish and build upon collaborative motivation.motivation.

Evaluation and InquiryEvaluation and Inquiry

► Illuminating the background and Illuminating the background and getting to know something about past getting to know something about past or current relevant actions through or current relevant actions through focused engagement in the topic:focused engagement in the topic:

ResearchResearch developmental and developmental and sociological aspects of adolescents sociological aspects of adolescents and leadership.and leadership.

Goal: To understand developmental or Goal: To understand developmental or social forces that may be at work in social forces that may be at work in the area of student leadership, both as the area of student leadership, both as potential impediments and possible potential impediments and possible enhancers of an approach.enhancers of an approach.

Evaluation and InquiryEvaluation and Inquiry

► Illuminating the background and Illuminating the background and getting to know something about past getting to know something about past or current relevant actions through or current relevant actions through focused engagement in the topic:focused engagement in the topic:

ExamineExamine internal school programs not internal school programs not specifically related to student specifically related to student leadership.leadership.

Goal: To seek sensible overlaps between Goal: To seek sensible overlaps between a proposed leadership initiative and a proposed leadership initiative and other programs, in order to minimize other programs, in order to minimize competition for resources; To build competition for resources; To build constituents and/or support from constituents and/or support from disparate parts of the school; To lay a disparate parts of the school; To lay a foundation for a cultural or foundation for a cultural or atmospheric approach towards atmospheric approach towards character learning.character learning.

Evaluation and InquiryEvaluation and Inquiry

Where the rubber began to hit the road Where the rubber began to hit the road (or…where I have made the most (or…where I have made the most progress thus far):progress thus far):

ResearchResearch other environments other environments (educational or otherwise) that feel (educational or otherwise) that feel they have been effective in this area.they have been effective in this area.

Interesting and Thought-Interesting and Thought-Provoking ApproachesProvoking Approaches

Fountain Valley SchoolFountain Valley School

Gardner-Carney Leadership InstituteGardner-Carney Leadership Institute

InterACTION! Project – University of InterACTION! Project – University of OregonOregon

Shady Side Academy Student Leader Shady Side Academy Student Leader ProgramProgram

Michael WeberMichael Weber

Suffield Academy Character PillarsSuffield Academy Character Pillars

A Slight Change of DirectionA Slight Change of Direction

The programs that most interested me, The programs that most interested me, and which seemed to offer the best and which seemed to offer the best chances for success, were generally chances for success, were generally focused on some form of character focused on some form of character mentoring – often identified as the mentoring – often identified as the “teachable moment.”“teachable moment.”

As a result a As a result a newnew and excitingand exciting direction direction has evolved:has evolved:

To evolve approaches aimed at To evolve approaches aimed at maximizing the effectiveness of maximizing the effectiveness of "teachable moments," such that "teachable moments," such that personal progress in one or more personal progress in one or more character areas (leadership, character areas (leadership, tolerance, ethics, etc.) might be tolerance, ethics, etc.) might be viewed, measured and eventually viewed, measured and eventually enculturated. enculturated.

Reflection and Dialogue Reflection and Dialogue EpicycleEpicycle

While continuing my research, which While continuing my research, which has really only just begun, I look has really only just begun, I look forward to spending more time in forward to spending more time in epicycles of reflection and dialogue. I epicycles of reflection and dialogue. I expect this part of the work, which will expect this part of the work, which will necessarily be highly collaborative, to necessarily be highly collaborative, to be the most fun part of the project. I be the most fun part of the project. I also expect it to be significant in also expect it to be significant in building strong constituent groups.building strong constituent groups.

Planning and ProposingPlanning and Proposing

I am not yet prepared to make a I am not yet prepared to make a proposition, though I feel the seeds of a proposition, though I feel the seeds of a plan. I do expect that the ultimate plan. I do expect that the ultimate proposal will be the result of the proposal will be the result of the collaborative efforts of the faculty and collaborative efforts of the faculty and student leaders.student leaders.

THIS MAY NEED TO BE A “BOTTOM-UP” THIS MAY NEED TO BE A “BOTTOM-UP” PLANPLAN

(which would be cool)(which would be cool)