Daring Leadership

Challenge

Instructors across various departments and levels wanted to increase learner engagement as measured by a district-wide survey conducted yearly. The goal was to increase engagement - particularly, the percentage of learners who reported feeling a "sense of belonging" - by at least 8%. This objective is included in Wayzata's District/Site Goal #3: Engagement and Belonging.

Solution

Best practices in Social Emotional Learning (SEL) indicate that learners are most productive, successful, and engaged when they feel a deep sense of belonging. Belonging is established when individuals feel safe to express themselves fully and allow themselves to be vulnerable and develop authentic connections with others.

Using Brené Brown's book, Dare to Lead, and resources from the Daring Classrooms HUB, I developed this training to promote leadership skills for instructors, increase resilience, and improve communication and problem solving among stakeholders.

In this Train the Trainer model, instructors fortified the skills necessary to lead subsequent groups of colleagues, learners, or even friends and family. The training took place over 5 months - one, 2 to 2.5 hour session each month with independent work in between meetings - and culminated in a personal action plan aligned to Wayzata's District/Site Goal #3: Engagement and Belonging.

Most of the instructional activities are centered on personal reflection in order for participants to explore their own perspectives on and approaches to leadership and make direct and practical applications to their sites and roles. In this way, they are simultaneously engaged as both learner and facilitator to be able to replicate the process.

Result

Throughout the facilitation of this course, participants commented that the pace of instruction, activities, and relevance were highly effective. Although this was a voluntary training, nobody dropped the course and attendance rates were excellent - over 90% present for all sessions.

The course feedback survey reported that 100% of participants "agree" or "strongly agree" that they (1) learned concepts to increase their effectiveness as a leader and instructor, and (2) are able to directly apply skills from the training in their daily work. Forthcoming results from the district survey will indicate if the increase in learner-reported sense of belonging was achieved.

In the survey comments, individuals indicated that they would "highly recommend" this course to a colleague and found the information "extremely valuable".