This document discusses experiential education and student leadership. It presents an experiential education cycle that moves from a cooperation stage where the teacher is an active leader, to a trust building stage where power shifts and students make some decisions with teacher guidance, to a problem solving stage where the teacher acts as a mentor, to a challenge stage where students work independently and the teacher acts as a consultant. It emphasizes creating a safe learning environment where students can take leadership roles through inclusive play, emotional and physical safety, fun, and modeling leadership. The goal is for students to embody leadership and for teachers to create opportunities for students to become leaders.

1. Experiential Education and
Student Leadership
By Aditya,based on the work of
Joy In Classrooms

2. How many people do you know in this
room?
A) No one
B) A few
C) Lots

3. After graduating from your program of
TFI,you would:
A) Continue working in classrooms,
B) May not continue working in
classrooms

4. Leadership can be practiced by:
A) A select few people
B) Anyone and everyone

5. Which statement do you agree more
with:
A) There is one correct way of leading
B) There are several correct ways of
leading

6. Leadership is…
A) Continuous action informed by a
mindset
B) A periodic action

7. Note down one thing that
you would like to take away
from this session.

8. Categorise!
Philosophy
↓
Mindset
↓
Meaningful
Actions
→What does leadership
mean to me?
→Am I practicing the
leadership that I want my
students to embody?
→ How do I create
opportunities for them to
become leaders?

9. Self-
Verification

10. Imagine a class where student
leadership exists!
What do you see and/or
hear?
Collaborative
Leadership

11. A Critical Look
What do you think,
would help children
take these leadership
actions?
What do you think,
would stop children
from taking these
leadership actions?

12. Safe Learning Environments
P hysical Safety
I ntellectual Safety
E motional Safety
S ocial Safety
= PIES safety

13. Experiential Education Cycle

15. Role of the
Teacher

16. Cooperation Stage – Leader
• Put ups/put downs, Hidden agendas, Active Listening, Mixing,
Perspective Taking
• Takes care of confusion,along with anxiety.
• Students try to make sense of their environment.Anyone walking by
the classroom would see the teacher directing the activities.
• Active leadership role. Leadership is welcome.Gurukul First Day
• The students are seen making sure what they are ‘supposed to do’.
• At this point,the teacher is seen as the expert.
• Playing,Getting to know each other,Challenge by Choice

17. Play For Peace
Core Values:
1. Inclusion
2. No Competition
3. Emotional and Physical Safety (rules,no correct way)
4. Role Model
5. Fun!
Khel Se Mel – Documentary on YouTube -23 minutes
(English Subtitles)

18. Trust Building Stage - Guide
- Making mistakes,trustworthiness,Empathy,Risk Taking,
Physical and emotional
- Power shift begins.
- Still in charge of PIES safety.Taking help of the Contract.
- Expression and class vocabulary – Nexta Hungra
- Opportunities to students to make decisions
- Processing is important during this phase -reflection journal
- Spotlight activities,Blindfold activities,Risk Taking

19. Problem Solving stage - Mentor
- Decision making,Group Goals,Taking Turns,Leadership,
Conflict Resolution
- Process observer.
- Sometimes a well-placed time-out for an observation from
you is all your students need in order to refocus. (Rule of
Loud Example)
- Sharing observations
- Helps make students aware of strategies they may not have
known about before. (new stuff)
- Academic Content, Problem Solving Initiatives

20. Challenge Stage - Consultant
• Individual goals,Stating needs,Support,getting over fears,Success
/ failure
• An equal part of the community – approval of leave
• No longer the sole expert
• Can offer connection to the larger picture and offer suggestions
• Students can choose to take your advice or not.
• Encourage independence.Challenge by Choice.
• Handle the meta-data
• Community work,Outdoor experiences,Presentations and projects

21. 3 personal keywords
1. Trust the process
2. Self-facilitation
3. Relationships

22. Reflection
1. Think about the last
50 minutes and your
original objective
2. Continue,Start,Stop

23. • References:
• Journey Toward The Caring Classroom, By Laurie Frank
• Article ‘Creating Safe Environments’ – Trimiti Newsletter
on Mental Health – Aditya and Nisha (2014)
• Group Formation,Group Challenge,Group Support,and
Group Achievement are from p.32 of “A Dissertation of
Varying the Sequence of Categories of Adventure
Activities on the Development of Group Cohesion,” an
unpublished dissertation by Christian Bisson,1997.

24. Thank you!
ANY KOCHANS?