Teacher Tuesday: A Lesson in Leadership

Thank you to Miss Pollard for writing today’s blog.

  

In our Communications classes, we’ve been talking about leadership - what it looks like, the qualities a leader should possess and the characteristics of a bad leader.  In both classes, an overwhelming number of students ranked honesty and trustworthiness at the top of the list of “Good Leader Qualities”.  This was perfect because I planned an activity that made students realize how important it is to be an honest leader and to use discernment when they are in a group. 

Students were placed in groups of 2-3, and we took a short field trip to the Shepherds Table to play games.  

Before the groups started playing, I pulled a student from each team and asked them to be the group leader.  I also asked them to cheat while they were playing!  

These students took extra game pieces, moved more spaces than they were supposed to, and gave the other players different directions about how to play the game.  

When other students in the groups complained about their leader, I told them that it was important to do what the leader said.  After a bit more grumbling, I let the students in on the activity - they were quite surprised!  

This led to an excellent discussion in both of my classes about why it is so important to be honest as a leader and how very important it is to use discernment.  If someone who is a leader (in an internship or job situation) asks you to do something that you KNOW is not right, it is very important to use discernment---which is also a Shepherds College character trait---in the situation.  The classes responded that a good leader will gain the trust of the people, build their character, do the right things and ultimately bring honor to God.

 


Shepherds College - Guiding Your Transition to Appropriate Independence. Please visit us at www.shepherdscollege.edu.

Shepherds College Character Trait #2: Discernment

 Definition of Discernment – the act or process of exhibiting keen insight and good judgment

Shepherds College emphasizes six character traits to equip students for internships and life after college.  In a previous blog I covered Diligence. Today, we’ll look at how Shepherds College teaches the second character trait of Discernment.

The students are given choices from the time their alarm goes off in the morning to the time their head hits the pillow again in the evening – 

What should I eat?

“Should I get up and get to class on time, or should I hit the snooze button and get some more sleep?”

“Should I put more sugar on my sugar-coated cereal, or should I add fruit to a bowl of wheat flakes?”

“Should I brush my teeth, or should I just use mouth wash and hope nobody notices the difference?”

“Should I sit by the guy I have a crush on even though I’ll be distracted through the entire class, or should I sit across the other side of the room?”

“Should I do my homework or play a video game?”

What should I do?

“Should I read my Bible or my Dungeons and Dragons Monster Manual?”

“Should I confront my friend for talking about me behind my back, or should I tell everyone that he secretly likes Amanda?”

Choices, choices, choices.  Not all are a matter of right or wrong, good or evil, to sin or not to sin. Some are simply a question of what would be okay for the student versus what would be best for the student. We want every student to discern -to thoughtfully examine and then determine -what would be best in the situation they’re facing and then act accordingly.

The staff teach discernment by asking the students, “Do you think there’s a better way you could have handled that situation?” They talk things through and analyze the situation, sometimes weighing other options, sometimes searching Scripture for the “right” choice, the Godly choice.

In Personal Development, the students talk about relationships – a heavy topic at the college level as you can imagine.  Who should we build friendships with? What type of person should we date? How do we know who we should marry? All these questions should be answered by using discernment.

Sometimes games are played, like Jenga, where the students practice building each other up rather than tearing each other down. They need to carefully discern encouraging words over hurtful words.

Miss Houk helps the students learn discernment by guiding them toward God’s Word. When they invest their time and energy into memorizing Scripture, they get to know God better and build a stronger relationship with Him. Knowing His Word will help the students discern between right and wrong, between good and best:

“All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse. To the discerning all of them are right; they are faultless to those who have knowledge.” Proverbs 8:8-9

“Who is wise? He will realize these things. Who is discerning? He will understand them. The ways of the LORD are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.” Hosea 14:9

“My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment, do not let them out of your sight; they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck. Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble; when you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.” Proverbs 3:21-24

The character trait of discernment is important in all areas of life - including the work force - so we teach it at Shepherds College.

The students will have lots of choices to make as they venture out on their own. Discernment will help keep the “Appropriate” in their Independence.

Shepherds College - Guiding Your Transition to Appropriate Independence. Please visit us at www.shepherdscollege.edu.

A College with Character

Back in 2009, Shepherds College had just completed its first year. We had only a handful of students, but we could already see the potential in the program.

The leadership was dynamic, hands-on and visionary.

The teachers were warm, energetic and creative.

The curriculum was simplified, yet groundbreaking.

The program was comprehensive, life-changing and one-of-a-kind.

We all knew it could be successful in bringing hope for a brighter future to students with intellectual disabilities.  But, how would we reach the prospective students, where were they, what were they like, and what would the students be like after completing three years of our program?

This was the stuff of marketing, so in 2009 we brought in professionals who helped us develop a plan to reach young adults with intellectual disabilities who wanted an advanced education - people who needed to hear that there was a new post-secondary option available to them.

The marketing company gave us a lot of good information and a solid plan for moving forward with college recruitment, but the one area they couldn’t help us with – the one area we needed to work out on our own – was “values.” What values would underpin the whole college program? What values would resonate with all individuals? What values would we teach to the students to impact their future relationships, influence their decisions as independent adults and equip them to excel in their internships and future careers?

After many marketing and faculty meetings, we decided on six values – or character traits - that we hoped to instill in the students by the time they graduated:

Diligence – Investing their time and energy to complete each task assigned to them

Discernment – Perceiving the difference between right and wrong

Initiative – Recognizing and doing what needs to be done before they are asked to do it

Integrity – Knowing and doing what is right all the time

Respect – Recognizing and showing value to God, authority, others, property, and themselves

Responsibility – Knowing and doing what is expected of them

The students would hear about and learn these character traits in a variety of ways every day in their classes. The Residential Life training would support the development of these character traits in the students’ living areas. The faculty and staff would exemplify these character traits in their own lives so students could see them as role models for the values of the college.

And what company wouldn’t want an employee who exhibited these traits in the workplace? 

They are a cornerstone for the success of our program, and they provide a solid path for the students’ journey toward Appropriate Independence.

Watch this blog in the coming weeks. I hope to give you an idea of what teaching each character trait looks like in different classes, in Res Life, and in the activity of the students.

“Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”

                                                                                                        Unknown

Shepherds College - Guiding Your Transition to Appropriate Independence. Please visit us at www.shepherdscollege.edu.