“Give someone a fish, feed them for today. Teach them how to fish and feed them for a lifetime.” – Anonymous
“Gone Fishin’!” The familiar catchcry was certainly in full effect on Friday 7 August as our Year 6 students cast their lines into an imaginary pond as part of our Leadership Program.
The activity was much more than simply making fish and going fishing. We wanted students to think carefully about what it really means to help others. As we explored the concept of service, students considered the difference between providing someone with a quick fix and empowering them with the skills, confidence and knowledge to help themselves.
To get things started, students worked with a partner to create a list of ten essential qualities of an effective student leader. Their lists were filled with some terrific suggestions, including being respectful, honest, trustworthy, kind, caring, friendly, positive, confident and enthusiastic, to name just a few.
Then came the fun part!
Each student created two colourful paper fish, which were added to our very own imaginary pond. On the back of each fish, they wrote one of the leadership qualities from their list. A paper clip was then attached to each fish, and students set about constructing their very own fishing rods, complete with magnets!
With rods at the ready, it was time to go fishing!
Students could catch either one of their own fish or someone else’s. But there was a catch… once they landed their fish, they needed to think carefully about the leadership quality written on the back.
Why is this quality important to them as a student leader?
How could they demonstrate and use this quality in their everyday lives at school?
What looked like a simple fishing activity quickly became an opportunity for some thoughtful reflection about the type of leaders our students want to become.
We are sure our Year 6 students will never forget the day they “went fishing” at School. More importantly, we hope they remember the lesson behind the activity: leadership is not just about knowing what to do, it is about putting those skills and qualities into action and using them to help others grow.
So, until our next leadership adventure… Happy Fishing, everyone!
