So students, every year there are two monitors selected from your class, right? I'm writing this article from my past experiences. This is practiced in most schools. All monitors/leaders are generally the "best boy" of the class/school (in discipline), or maybe the highest academic scorer (Well, the criteria does vary from school to school- I have written the common practice) . Observing leaders and captains from various schools, I have come to a conclusion and just decided to publish this article, as a guide. Being a leader is not that easy. One has to be taking the responsibility of his/her whole class, or perhaps, the entire school. Being a leader demands a lot from us. Some random quotes are:
“Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.”
-Steve Jobs, Apple co-founder
“Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.”
-John F. Kennedy
“The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The leader adjusts the sails.”
-John Maxwell
Quotes done, coming to the main content. Here are few qualities a leader should have, in my opinion.
- Be Understanding: A class monitor or captain should be understanding about the matters. There should be no one left unheard. A good leader should be able to give correct judgement on disputes and such.
- Unprejudiced: This is a very important quality. A monitor should be impartial. It should not be the case where the monitors brings special favors for his best friends and does wrong to the other. If one of the friends of the monitor commits a minor breach of school rules, the concerned should be treated with punishment that the other boys would have to face.
- Being responsible: A monitor should be responsible for his or her actions. Also, any mistake made by the class will mean the monitor to be held responsible. The monitor should be capable of controlling the entire class.
- Should be well-disciplined: The monitor himself should be well-disciplined. No one likes their leader to be a ill disciplined person. The Good Lord
- Not complaining frequently: Sure, a monitor does need to report to the teacher about the most students who are stubborn, but that doesn't mean reporting twice quotidian. A monitor should make a "reporting frequency"- like reporting the top three disturbing students each Friday, and such. Also, when minor issues like small quarrels pops up, the monitor should warn, reprimand them and leave them off. However, things like stealing and issues of more seriousness and which breaches the school's conduct regulations should be promptly reported to the teacher.
- Setting an example for others to follow: One of the most important qualities, in my opinion. A quick example: A monitor should not sit in the back seat of the class and continue chatting with friends; while at the same time, he/she is jotting down names of students talking during the period. Set examples for others to follow.
- Award well-behaved students: A monitor should award well-behaved students each month. I used this ideology of mine when I was the monitor for the first time. It was a huge success. Everyone appreciated it. The class listened to me, respected me and did whatever I said. It was what the teachers call, "Listen to my instructions, and I will be extremely nice to you". I, on my part, made sure that almost everyone was nominated for the prize. The Prize could be anything- from a 1 rupees Eclairs or well.. nominating the concerned person for a "Positive remark" at the end of the term.
With the Investiture Ceremony coming, I just scripted this so that you might use it as a guide and suggest some points to your monitors. Of course, I believe that monitors know these things quite well. All the best for the upcoming monitors, and also I wish the students best wishes for the new academic year! Stay happy :)
