"Leadership skills should be transferred to all our future leaders here at Verdala - the students. The creation of a positive team dynamic should be mirrored by the students in each of their classes."
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At the beginning of the summer holiday, I had the opportunity to attend a superb professional development course run by the Principals Training Center in Rome on Leadership and Team Dynamics. This course was professionally a real eye-opener, providing me with a wealth of knowledge of how to be a successful leader and to create the perfect team dynamic - or at least try to! It was 7 days jam-packed with great stuff that I could bring back to my work at Verdala. I came back to school in August full of enthusiasm and raring to go! However, a few days back into the school year I realised that the real lesson I had learned during the course was that all of these skills should not just be used by myself as a leader, but should be transferred to all our future leaders here at Verdala - the students. In addition, the creation of a positive team dynamic should also be mirrored by the students in each of their classes. Therefore, there was the realisation of the importance of creating excellent group dynamics in each grade in order to enhance our students experience of middle school.
The first step in achieving this was through our team building day in September. All students participated in a treasure hunt using iPads in either Mdina, Birgu or Valletta. They had to work together as a team and navigate their way through a series of tasks and challenges. The most successful were those who created a positive team dynamic, including all members, battling the extremely hot weather and working hard as a team to succeed. The next step provided each grade with the opportunity to have an overnight trip with the main objective of team building - to work together as a team, to make new friends, to welcome new students and to bond even more as a group. Grade 6 students slept over in the Middle School, performed in a talent show, completed a treasure hunt and played night dodgeball. Grade 7 students went to Ghajn Tuffieha and slept in the old barrack buildings braving the outdoor elements, completing scavenger hunts and spending the day together at the beach. Grade 8 students will soon embark on their team building trip to Gozo and have a busy schedule including sea kayaking and bowling. As an educator, I always feel that these types of opportunities are what makes school so special for our students. Of course, academics are important, but providing our students with the opportunity to form friendships, create teams and share common experiences is what school is all about! We look forward to continuing this process over the coming months and wish all of our students a successful year in Middle School.
Ms. Sarah Boylin - Middle School Principal