Teachers throughout the nation enjoy sharing how they equip students with essential leadership skills while giving back to the community through the Lead4Change Lessons. Teacher, Adam Feazell in West Virginia, approaches finding a non-profit 501c3 in his community in an authentic manner. He asks students, “Who can we partner-up within the community to best address or support our need?”
Adam realizes that Lesson 4 may be an emotional lesson because the students look, perhaps for the first time, outside of their own world into the community and notice problems. Using the resource “Dealing with Sensitive Issues” helps many teachers find the right words and feel prepared.
When students notice community areas where they can help they begin to collaborate, brainstorm, and begin project development.
In Lesson 4, students use past research and apply that knowledge to:
- Generate project ideas to feed the need in their school or community
- Determine the BIG goal they wish to accomplish
- Select a non-profit partner
Once students begin putting their knowledge into action, they will strive for greatness and inspire those around them. At this development stage, students begin to critique and revise their own goals.
“We do not learn from experience. We learn from reflecting on experience.”
-John Dewey
What kind of impact do you want to have in your community or around the globe?
What kind of change do you want to affect and where?
These are the BIG questions students’ reflect upon throughout the lesson activities as they begin to develop their project.
Be the leader you want to be – make a difference – some leaders are afraid to set big goals for fear of failing. Just remember that by striving for greatness you have the opportunity to inspire those around you and stretch the capability of the people you lead.
Read our prior Lesson blogs and watch the videos for inspiration. Have students share their goals and how they plan to give back by using #L2FBig on social media.