The Power of an XSEED Leader
The presence of a strong XSEED Leader is the #1 predictor of successful implementation of the XSEED method in a school! Here is a true story.
Jun 2018
I am at an XSEED school, it is the 3rd day of the new academic year. This is also the first year the school is following the XSEED method.
We start the day with a classroom observation and I see that the teacher is reading a story from the XSEED Content Book with good energy. While reading the story, she asks questions from the lesson plan, lets the students answer in their own words and even gives them time to think before answering! Well, I moved on, thinking maybe this could be an exceptionally motivated teacher. I went to a science class and saw that students are keenly observing a plastic syringe in groups. They are taking turns to press the plunger to observe what happens when it is pressed empty (with air inside, obviously) and when it is pressed filled with water. I see the class and notice that the Aim of the lesson is written on the board, the lesson plan on the table has small post-its with notes to conduct the class and the material for the next activity is neatly stacked beside it.
How is this happening? How is a school that’s only 3 days into a new program able to show the quality of implementation which many other schools would take weeks to achieve?
<<<Rewind<<<
At the start of the visit, as soon as we entered the school, we had met the school owner and the XSEED leader. The owner had made sure that the XSEED leader, who was also a part of the teaching faculty and was excited about the program, was present. Before my school visit, the XSEED leader had made sure that her teachers were well prepared with the lesson and there were no shortcuts taken!
That is the simple secret sauce for a great start to the XSEED program – Have a successful XSEED Leader.
The XSEED Leader is a person, appointed from within the school, who leads the day-to-day implementation of the XSEED program. They own the program and ensure its daily and weekly success. They help teachers plan and bring the school from a basic level of implementation to an advanced level. They show what is possible, help teachers get there through planning, regular observation and feedback while coaching/mentoring the staff.
An XSEED leader gets inducted to the program and is kept updated with new developments or learnings through annual training programs conducted by XSEED Education, like the Five Step Training for teachers and the XSEED Leader’s Training, which is a specialised program targeted at the XSEED Leaders. Besides this, the XSEED Education Coaches ensure adequate coaching and modelling during the Follow-Up Trainings during the year.
Who can be an XSEED Leader? An XSEED leader is someone who:
- Teaches XSEED to XSEED Grades. They are not a high school teacher or someone who manages the school administration only.
- Teaches an XSEED Lesson Plan well, and models good teaching.
- Has people skills and can interact with, disagree if necessary, and convince the teachers, Principal, Management.
- Is able to make time to do the job.
The right XSEED Leader can give a boost to the mission of making children ready for the 21st century – that is the power of an XSEED Leader.
“The new XSEED team led by the REO is available throughout for support and solutions. Looking forward to many more productive years with XSEED.”
Father Suresh, Don Bosco, Bandlaguda
