Leadership and Learning: Building Future Leaders

Introduction

Every childregardless of age, gender, or socioeconomic backgroundhas the potential to be a leader. It is

essential to nurture students creativity and curiosity, and instilling the confidence in young children to guide
and better their community starts with inspiring them to take charge of their own education. In a rapidly
changing world, the world needs an education system that will prepare future generations for new and unseen
challenges.

Leadership in School Curriculums

The process of learning is a journey of growth-enhancing and developmental change (Mezirow, 2000). I had the
opportunity to observe two important learning models, the inquiry-based model and peer-to-peer tutoring, used
at two organizations in India to foster leadership amongst young people. This report will discuss the literature
behind these learning models, and my personal observations of their utilization at City as Lab and the Agastya
International Foundation.

Inquiry-Based Model

Several educational institutions have implemented an Inquiry-Based learning model to develop research-based
minds over the past few years: through this model, students are encouraged to ask questions to better understand
new concepts. In this way, they become drivers of their own knowledge, and the quality of their education is
dependent on their willingness to question the world around them. Learning and teaching through inquiry-based
instruction was explored by a team of theorists, who classed the technique under a philosophy of learning called
Constructivisim (Cakir, 2008).

The philosophy of this model nurtures curiosity within youth, and builds confidence in them as students are
forced to accept that they may not know everything. Another key aspect to the Inquiry-Based model is its
facilitation of the sharing of knowledge, as students can learn from the questions their peers are asking. The
model develops problem-solving skills, and cultivates a mindset that fosters knowledge-seeking throughout life.

The Agastya International Foundation is an organization that selects students from various communities,
educates them, trains them to teach others, and then sends them home to share their knowledge with other
students in their village. At Agastya, the curriculum and labs allow students to observe the process behind basic
amenities used in their village. As these processes are part of their daily lives, students can connect with the
subject matter easily and are more motivated to improve the existing process or discover alternative methods for
the same processes to improve life in their community. A multi-disciplinary approach to find solutions is
encouraged, and three-dimensional models are used to engage students in interactive learning: for example, the
composition of molecules is explained with a 3D representation of their molecular structure, and chemical
reactions are simulated with these structures and bright lights flashing as the molecules collide. This becomes a
teachable momenta chance for teachers to move students through thinking wow! and to questioning: why does
this happen? And how is this happening?

The Future Problem Solving Program and the Problem-based Learning Approach are two widely used variations
of Inquiry-based Learning. While the Future Problem-solving program is more focused on developing a vision
for the future, the Problem-based Learning Approach encourages students to make links between their prior
knowledge and new concepts to find solutions leading to theory construction (Schmidt, 2004).
Similarly, students at City as Lab are taught to approach problem solving by first developing a research
question, and then collaborating with other students to generate solutions. City as Lab, a Mumbai-based
initiative to develop a research-oriented mindset amongst Indian youth, relies on Inquiry based model to engage
children in research using their city as a lab and developing the ability to reason, think critically and apply these
skills to their research. In these uncurbed learning environments, teachers have a greater responsibility to ensure
that the topic of discussion does not stray too far from the problem at hand; however, the results have been
transformative. During a discussion addressing the role of leadership in education with co-founder Purvi Vora
excitedly proclaims that the most noticeable changes in children involved in the program were the level of
ownership students have for the project, the confidence with which they talk about their topic, and the pride
they have in their work. By instilling this responsibility in children for their own learning, and by relating this
learning to their environment, the program captivates the students attention, giving better outcomes and results.

Peer-to-Peer Tutoring

The act of teaching others has proven to be the most

effective method of learning: for the tutor, the
process helps them to retain knowledge and deepens
their understanding of the material they are teaching
as they may be asked questions about this material
that forces them to think more critically about it. The
method draws upon the learning pyramid designed
by David A. Sousa, which illustrates that students
retain only 10% of what they read and 50% of a
discussion, but 75% of what they personally
experience and 90% of what they teach others. The
science behind this lies in understanding the brains
long-term memory.

When compared to an individuals short-term (or working) memory that can hold only five to seven pieces of
information at a time, long-term memory can be analogized to a storage warehouse and can store larger amounts
of information permanently (Myers, 2013). Information can be moved from an individuals short-term memory
to their long-term memory through repetition and
practice over an extended period of time. A student
engaging in peer-to-peer tutoring repeatedly reviews,
practices, and retrieves the same pieces of information
when revising lesson plans and in order to impart this
knowledge to others: this process ensures that student
tutors retain the information they seek to teach others.

The Agastya International Foundation used the Peer-to-

Peer method and a network of student teachers to
accomplish its mission to educate youth in India. The
organization has reached 400 villages since it started in
1999, and aims to be in operation in a few thousand
villages in the next decade. The foundation fosters an
eagerness in their students to share their knowledge Children strengthen their understanding on mathematical shapes through models
at a Vasantha Center near Agastyas campus in Kuppum.
with others in their community through Vasantha
Centers: a night school for children in the village for
homework help, English lessons, and general learning. Students also participate in education programs for
adults in their village on health and hygiene, to promote healthy lifestyles.

Blazing Fireflies: Personal Observations

Fireflies are insects that light up the sky on a warm summer night, and help guide our way through the dark. We
must allow student leaders to lead and guide others in their community by sharing their knowledge in a similar
way.

AGASTYA

The Agastya International Foundation was conceptualized

in 1994 and formally established in 1999 by ex-banker
Ramji Raghavan. As the name Agastya suggests, the
foundation aimed to promote learning through science,
and support students from government schools to secure
better learning outcomes. Their network of student
teachers is key to this mission. Students are screened for
their leadership qualities and willingness to impart their
knowledge to others before their enrollment into the
Young Instructor Leaders program; they are then taught
Students enrolled in the Young Instructor Leaders program play a game of
charades to improve their understanding of the English language while scientific topics ranging from ecology to technology, and
their self-confidence.
given opportunities to build self-confidence and further
develop their leadership skills as they become Young
Instructors for their community. Each lesson begins with a short meditation session, followed by an open
discussion of various aspects of their lives and current affairs to improve their communication skills: emphasis
is placed upon improving students abilities to communicate ideas and engage their communities. These young
instructors form the basic building block of Agastyas model, and act as the fireflies within their own
communities: guiding other students in their community.

At Agastyas Innovation Hub, students work together to

identify an issue in their village, research to find a solution to
the problem, and build a prototype of this solution with access
to tools such as 3D printers and laser cutters. Common issues
faced range from sanitation to seed preservation; for example,
one group of students observed that clean watera precious
commodity in villageswas often wasted as the villagers were
not made aware when water was available. To resolve this,
students devised an alarm system to alert village residents when
water had returned in the community water supply taps.
Another set of students designed a system for community
One student observed that due to the erratic availability of clean
toilets that restricted exiting the facility until the individual who water, most community members were unsure when clean water
had used the toilet flushed in order to encourage good restroom came. Thus, at the Innovation Hub, he created an alarm system
that alerts the community when clean water is available.
etiquette. Agastya teaches their students to view every obstacle
as an opportunity to create, innovate, and change lives.

Agastya also operates through other mobile channels to permeate their reach in villages that are not connected
to main cities by proper infrastructure. Some innovative ways in which they have achieved this is through
projects such as Lab-in-a-Box, Lab on a Bike, Mobile Labs, and Science Centers. These projects all have one
common element: a strong and active team of student leaders to ensure the success of the programs.

City as Lab

City as Lab was founded by Purvi Vora, a middle school teacher at a local international school with a doctorate
in Science Education from Columbia University, and Sangita Kapadia, an Education graduate with extensive
experience in running several service projects for an NGO. The organization is one of their prominent projects,
and aims to encourage young children to engage in authentic inquiry and research using their city as a
laboratory. City of Labs runs an annual program spanning 3-4 months and culminating in a conference and
research project competition for school children. The process teaches these students the scientific method and
how to conduct research in a systematic way, as well as how to collaborate with a peer group. Most of these
research papers are linked to developing a new system or improving upon an existing system within the
students communitiesa successful report is therefore appreciated by the students communities. This
recognition encourages others in the community to participate in innovation.

Before beginning their research, students are first

asked to observe their surroundings and take note of
topics that attract their interest. Then, the research
question is selected and refined. The next step is to
formulate a hypothesis by devising a plan to collect the
data and analyzing their findings which leads to
drawing a conclusion, all of which is documented in a
written research paper.

Structured lesson plans allow teachers to serve as

facilitators through the research process, which can be
a daunting task for students who are new to research.
All of this does not happen on its own, explains
Vora. There is a need for extensive guidance to
support and facilitate the research process. Relying on Students listen intently as the instructor discusses with students what makes a
good research question.
an Inquiry-based teaching method can pose its
problems, as some students dont even know what
questions to ask. Regardless, the program allows young students the opportunity to discover their ability to
reason, work collaboratively, and most importantly to understand their city as participatory citizens.

Prasanna Kumari, a 14-year old girl from Kadapalli (a village in Tamil Nadu), who was denied her right to
education by her father, shared an account of her time at the Agastya International Foundation. After
tremendous persuasion by local teachers, Kumaris father gave her the permission to visit Agastyas campus and
the experience was transformative. It was during her time at the foundation that she realized her aptitude for
Math and English, and after learning these concepts, set out to share this knowledge with other girls in her
village who were also denied an education.
Reflection

I was never one to consider myself a leader. I was never the most boisterous, authoritative, or even confident
person in a room; as a result, I would often shy away from leadership roles and remained afraid to take initiative
on projects. This changed after I attended the Civic Leadership Institute, where I learned that there were
different types of leaderseach with their own potential to guide others in a way fitting to their personality.
This new knowledge imbued a new confidence in me, and I for the first time began to create leadership
opportunities for myself instead of waiting for them to become available to me.

As a new school year began, I spoke to teachers and mentors about projects I could start in school to foster
compassion and generosity within our school community, the kind I had seen at the Agastya International
Foundation and at City as Lab. I started by conducting a Civic Leadership workshop for middle-school students:
a program consisting of one session weekly for six weeks based on Inquiry-based and Peer-to-Peer tutoring
learning methods to nurture leadership skills in these students. I have since also created a Compliments forum
through which individuals can anonymously submit compliments for others in their community and an
interactive Gratitude Board in which teachers and peers can express what they are grateful for. I am currently
planning a leadership conference with presentations and workshops for young students. One year ago, I would
never have imagined myself taking on such projects. My mission for these projects is to impart the knowledge
that I had learned far too late: leadership comes in all shapes and forms, and everybody has the potential to step
into a leadership position that values and builds on their personal strengths.
 Works Cited:

Cakir, Mustafa. (2007). Constructivist Approaches to Learning in Science and Their Implications for Science
Pedagogy: A Literature Review. Int. J. Environ. Sci. Educ.. 3.

Mezirow, Jack. Learning as Transformation. Jossey-Bass, 2000.

Myers, David G. Psychology, Tenth Edition. New York: Worth Publishers, 2013.