High School Leadership
At Dainfern College we believe that all students need to be taught and exposed to key leadership values, knowledge and skills in order to better develop and shape their leadership ability.
Key leadership values
- Fortitude
- Integrity
- Self-discipline
- Accountability
- Humanity
- Respect
- Patience
- Courage
- Presence
- Loyalty
- Humility
- Enthusiasm
- Open-mindedness
- Empathy
- Trust
Key leadership knowledge
- Self-awareness and self-knowledge
- Knowledge of people
- Knowledge of group functioning
- Knowledge of leadership styles
Key leadership knowledge
- Communication (including active listening skills)
- Time management
- Management (planning, organising, leading and controlling)
- Self-management
- Motivation and team building
- Managing human relationships
- Decision making
- Conflict resolution and negotiation
- Delegation
TRAINING IN LEADERSHIP
We understand that the bulk of learning about leadership is derived from the actual experience of leading. Therefore, our leaders will learn the most, not in preparing to lead the College, but in the year in which they actually do this. This will occur through seeing what works and how results can best be achieved; learning the pitfalls of various approaches; listening to and watching fellow leaders and receiving constant input from House Directors, mentors and staff – including a supportive appraisal system. We also understand, however, that some intentional leadership training opportunities need to be utilised and facilitated in the years leading up to our leaders’ time on the Leadership Programme.
THE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY
We are committed to developing students to be effective and moral leaders in a challenging and dynamic environment and have thus developed the innovative Leadership Academy as a means to guide each student through a personal leadership journey each year. By engaging in their personal leadership journey, students will be better equipped to be effective leaders on The Leadership Programme in Grade 11.
Each student has a Leadership Academy portfolio to guide them on their Leadership journey. This includes a list of some of the things students may like to record and have evidence of each year. Keeping records of leadership growth and evidence in the file are the student’s responsibility.
The Leadership Academy prepares students at Dainfern College for the Leadership Programme in Grade 11.
THE LEADERSHIP PROGRAMME
The aim of the Leadership Programme is to give all Grade 11 students going into their Grade 12 year an opportunity to experience leadership and thus be inspired to develop their potential as leaders.
Students build up a personal Leadership file of the activities and events in which they have participated and the training they have had. They are also expected to serve their community through the school’s Outreach activities. In Grade 11, interested students put together a leadership CV and apply to head up a particular portfolio in their Grade 12 year. They motivate their application with a speech to the school, before their peers and the school staff vote.
Unlike the traditional ‘prefect’ system, at Dainfern College each student on the Leadership Programme is then appointed to a specific Leadership Portfolio, and is assigned a personal mentor teacher who guides them and challenges them to grow their leadership skills. At the end of their term of office, the leaders are assessed on their performance and how well they have managed their portfolios. Based on this, top achievers are then rewarded with a Leadership Scroll, Full Colours or Honours for Leadership, ensuring they are recognised for their performance rather than their status.
