Students Take the Lead at Teravista Elementary’s Leadership Day

Leadership in the Classroom

In Stoebe’s fourth grade classroom, leadership is not set aside for a specific time of day. It shows up in the middle of instruction, woven into the way students think and speak as well.

During a reading lesson, students are asked to look closely at a character’s decisions. Instead of focusing only on plot, Stoebe pushes them further.

“When we analyze a character in a story, I’ll ask the kids what habit that character could have used to make a better decision,” she said. “And they’ll tell you. They’ll say, ‛He didn’t work well with others,’ or ‛He didn’t think about what would happen next.’”

Moments like that turn abstract ideas into something students can apply, and the same approach carries into other subjects. In science, students examine how classification works and how scientists make decisions based on evidence. Stoebe connects that thinking back to the habits, helping students see how planning and reflection shape real-world work.

“It’s critical for me that we apply it in everything we do,” she said. “If we’re serious about this, then it has to show up in the way we teach and the way they learn.”

Over time, that consistency changes how students approach their work.

“You can hear it in the way they talk,” Stoebe said. “They’re thinking about what they need to do next. They’re making decisions as they go. It becomes part of how they learn.”

That mindset extends beyond academics and into everyday interactions. Stoebe described a moment on the playground when two students collided while playing. One student was upset, and the other was hesitant to approach the situation. Instead of simply stepping in to resolve the issue, Stoebe used the moment as an opportunity for reflection.

“I asked him what happened and how he was feeling,” she said. “We talked through it. The habit of seeking to understand first, that’s something they can use right then.”

Those conversations help students develop the ability to manage conflict and communicate more effectively.

“We’re not just telling them to stop and behave,” she said. “We’re helping them think through their actions and what they want to do differently.”

The impact becomes more visible over time. Stoebe recalled a student who entered her classroom reluctant to write and unsure of his abilities. On a previous assessment, he had written only a few words before giving up. Through consistent encouragement and opportunities to take ownership of his work, that began to change. He started writing during creative time, experimenting with ideas and building confidence.

“Now I have to tell him to stop writing so we can move on,” she said. “He’s one of the strongest writers in the class.”

And that growth is not limited to one student. Across the classroom, students are learning how to successfully set goals and adjust their efforts to achieve them. They begin to see themselves as capable of improving, which shapes how they approach challenges.

The same principles show up across the campus. In music, students learn to practice with purpose and to contribute to a larger group. Music teacher Kristina Caffey sees the habits as a natural fit for her subject.

“We focus on putting first things first when it comes to practice,” she said. “And when students perform together, they have to think about how to work as a group and support one another.”

In art, students take a similar approach.

“The art classroom is a place where leadership and creative expression come together,” art teacher Michelle Dickens explained. “Students plan their work, take initiative, and collaborate on projects that become part of the school.”

One example is the fifth grade legacy project, where students work together to design and create a large-scale piece that remains on campus for future classes to see. That kind of work reinforces a sense of ownership that extends beyond individual assignments.