Amazing Kindergarten Leaders

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Amazing, just amazing; that's what I walked away feeling, after observing Laurie Vroom and Tammy Phillips run a leadership activity for 5 & 6 year olds at our design school partner in Silicon Valley.  Mrs. Vroom and Mrs. Phillips are consummate pros when it comes to teaching, but they also understand the social dynamics of organizational leadership, even at the Kindergarten level. These two teachers took their students through a leadership training activity on communication, designating a team leader, charged with creating a paper collage. 

 As I observed, Laurie and Tammy whispered subtle cues to the team leaders, beside whom they sat.  One student was a more natural leader and the other a more reticent one, but both teams accomplished their goals.  Then the teachers debriefed the activity with everyone, closing as they began, with a song about leaders listening and speaking.  I couldn't keep from smiling as I watched these two pros apply leadership training with students who most would never perceive to be able to work in teams, let alone learn leadership.  My hat is off once again to St. Tim's Lutheran School in San Jose, CA, for helping us create KiddieLead activities we'll share with the world.

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