MENTORSHIP FOR FOR SCHOOL PREFECTS

THE PREFECT

• Student appointed to a position of limited trusted authority/ power over other students in the school
• Young LEADERS in schools who have authority delegated to them by the school administration

THE PREFECT

He/She offers LEADERSHIP, maintains order and guides other students

LEADERSHIP:

Prefects are leaders who affect other students behavior so as to accomplish a mission designated by the school

Leadership is first BEHAVIOUR and SKILLS second

Good prefects are followed mainly because they are TRUSTED and RESPECTED

by the students they lead, not because of the skills they possess

• Possessing integrity
• Being very grown-up
• Leading by example
• Possessing integrity

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• Always being seen to work harder and more determinedly than anyone else
• Helping alongside your team when they need you

Leadership is about…

Prefectship is about…

• Being firm and clear in dealing with bad or unethical behavior
• Treating everyone equally and on merit
• Backing up and supporting your team
• Asking for other student’s views and taking responsibility and blame for their mistakes

A GOOD PREFECTS QUALITIES

• Humility: in the most effective leaders, including Pope John Paul II and Abraham Lincoln
• Integrity: Integrity is the bedrock characteristic of straight dealing. If you lose your integrity, you lose everything
• Decisiveness: step up and make decisions
• Take risk: have the courage to act in situations where results aren’t assured

LEADERSHIP QUALITIES

• Emotional resonance: ability to grasp what motivates others and use it to inspire them into action
• Self-knowledge
• Passion
• Dedication

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• Openness: being able to listen to ideas that are outside one's current mental models
• Conviction: All leaders everywhere believe in what they're doing

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Obviously, the leader’s personal qualities are important, but also critical are the needs of the people being led and the objective they are pursuing�

TYPES OF LEADERSHIP STYLES

• Autocratic:
• Leader makes decisions without reference to anyone else
• Can create de-motivation and alienation
• Rely on threats and punishment to influence
• Does not allow for student input
• Students expected to obey orders without receiving any explanations

• Bureaucratic:
• Leads “by the book¨

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• Everything done according to procedure or rules
• If not covered by the book, referred to the next level above
• Enforces the rules
• Eg. A police officer- not a leader

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• Democratic :

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• Also known as participative style

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• Encourages students to be a part of the decision making

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• Thanks to him; students share the responsibility of the school and including rules and regulations

There is no one best style. Prefects must adjust their leadership style to the situation as well as to the students being led

MISCONCEPTIONS ON LEADERSHIP

• Leaders must appear powerful
• Leadership is only for men
• Leadership is positional
• Leaders are born, not made
• Leadership is the responsibility of a select, gifted few

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Leadership is never a finished product, but rather, it is an ongoing process that needs continuous nurturing and refinement

What makes a good leader out of a school prefect?

• Performance - Demonstrates success in carrying out the duties of the leadership position or duties necessary to successfully complete the project and/or activity
• Vision - Demonstrates ability to provide direction for team.

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• Character - Use of good judgment reflected in all activities; Performance, vision and initiative above the norm in service activities

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• Intelligence – Intelligence should be built upon stressing that it makes one to know the right thing to do and the right group to deal with as it produces wisdom to relate with other students.

�Be visionary - You should start thinking of the positive changes you want to effect in the school and be ready to take responsibility for these actions�

Be of high moral standards - you need to be above the people you are leading in your moral standard. Pride, anger, dishonesty, greediness, stealing, selfishness and disobedience will mar your reputation as a leader

Outstanding Student Leader Qualities

• As a leader, you must always look forward to the well being of your students

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• You must know how to delegate and groom your successors who will take over from you

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• Effective leader delegates authority and supervises to ensure that it is done

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• Empower others to achieve the objective

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• Before you motivate others you must be motivated as you cannot give what you do not have

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