Teachers and Students Swap Roles For A Day

Perhaps the most influential factor in effective leading is effective following. All leaders were once followers. Sometimes the best way to develop leaders is to ignite their passion and restore

their confidence.

Just in time for a new school year, Dallas Leadership Foundation hosted a Teacher Professional Development Day in collaboration with the Irving Independent School District’s F.M. Gilbert Elementary School at our Ring of Hope Boxing Club for youth. The purpose was to motivate teachers and students.  Empowering educators to be more effective in teaching begins with helping them remember what it means to be a student while empowering students requires helping them to see their potential.  During the event, “kids got to be teachers and teachers got to be learners.  We wanted to get teachers out of their comfort zones to remember what it is like to be a student,” said Jamie MacDougall,  a teacher at Gilbert Elementary School and the visionary behind the event.

The entire day was a huge success! Faculty members were inspired to think differently about how they approach students, students were empowered to be more confident as they taught skills to adults, and teachers were encouraged to develop a new appreciation for students who struggle to acquire knowledge.  Approximately 80 teachers learned the basics of boxing, developed skills at using speed bags and punching bags, had their endurance tested, and engaged in shadow boxing taught by students.

As the 2014  school year begins,  teachers at Gilbert Elementary School are returning to classrooms more empathetic while students participating in our Ring of Hope gym are returning to their schools more confident.  All are leaders positioned for success.