In my opinion, Synergy is the act of using all five previously discussed habits effectively. In doing so, one will be more creative and achieve more. This is the ultimate way to improve one's sphere of influence and leadership, not just in school, but in life.
In his lecture, Dr Pumpain further discussed effective democratic leadership and the keys to effective leadership with an Action Plan!
I am going to hang this on my wall, so students have an idea as to how to solve any problem that may occur in class. For example, I am currently teaching my sophomores the basics to Search and Rescue. I am trying to make them aware of the concept of tunnel vision.
At first I have the students crawling around the room. Next, I start to add objects in their path, for example, a chair. At first, I teach the skills for going under the chair, roughly crawling and contorting their bodies through a 12 inch gap. They love it!!! However, the students eventually develop tunnel vision and this is my goal. Every time the student encounters a chair in their path, they assume they must go under the chairs. As the lesson progresses, when they encounter a chair and they are about to go under it, I say you can't crawl under it, what else can you do? What other options do they have? I use this moment to teach them about being creative. Just because I taught you one way doesn't mean that this is the only way. Eventually students realize that they can go over the chair, around the chair or move the chair. This is an incredible teaching moment in which students collaborate and listen to one another and solve the problem. It brings to light new ideas and I think that the Action Plan listed above helps foster collaboration and promote creativity. When the students get stuck or are having difficulty, they need to not just communicate with one another, but listen and I think that the Action Plan is a great template to help.
Furthermore, this can only be achieved by creating a culture in which all opinions are valued. A culture which promotes listening will eventually lead to the development of better ideas: Students listening to students, students listening to staff, staff listening to staff and staff listening to students. 1+1=3… If this positive culture is in place at school everyone is winning.
In his lecture, Dr Pumpain further discussed effective democratic leadership and the keys to effective leadership with an Action Plan!
- Define the problem
- Their way to seek to understand
- My way to seek to understand
- Brainstorm
I am going to hang this on my wall, so students have an idea as to how to solve any problem that may occur in class. For example, I am currently teaching my sophomores the basics to Search and Rescue. I am trying to make them aware of the concept of tunnel vision.
At first I have the students crawling around the room. Next, I start to add objects in their path, for example, a chair. At first, I teach the skills for going under the chair, roughly crawling and contorting their bodies through a 12 inch gap. They love it!!! However, the students eventually develop tunnel vision and this is my goal. Every time the student encounters a chair in their path, they assume they must go under the chairs. As the lesson progresses, when they encounter a chair and they are about to go under it, I say you can't crawl under it, what else can you do? What other options do they have? I use this moment to teach them about being creative. Just because I taught you one way doesn't mean that this is the only way. Eventually students realize that they can go over the chair, around the chair or move the chair. This is an incredible teaching moment in which students collaborate and listen to one another and solve the problem. It brings to light new ideas and I think that the Action Plan listed above helps foster collaboration and promote creativity. When the students get stuck or are having difficulty, they need to not just communicate with one another, but listen and I think that the Action Plan is a great template to help.
Furthermore, this can only be achieved by creating a culture in which all opinions are valued. A culture which promotes listening will eventually lead to the development of better ideas: Students listening to students, students listening to staff, staff listening to staff and staff listening to students. 1+1=3… If this positive culture is in place at school everyone is winning.