# 03 — Daily, Weekly, and Monthly Rhythms Rhythm is what makes a leadership classroom feel like a *team*. The same beats every day, week, and month make it safe to do hard things. --- ## The Daily 5 (every class, ~52 minutes) | # | Block | Time | Purpose | |---|-------------------|--------|-----------------------------------------------| | 1 | **Greet & Do-Now**| 5 min | Door greeting + a written prompt in journal | | 2 | **Opening Circle**| 5 min | One-word check-in OR "Roses & Thorns" | | 3 | **Mini-Lesson** | 10–15 | Teacher input: concept, model, frame | | 4 | **Practice / Lab**| 20–25 | Students *do* the leadership skill | | 5 | **Close & Reflect**| 5 min | Written exit ticket + one-line shout-out | ### Notes - Times shift, but **all five blocks happen every day**. - The opening circle is non-negotiable even on test/showcase days — it can be 60 seconds. - The close is the most important block. Cut from the mini-lesson, never the close. --- ## The Weekly 4 (every week, M–F) | Day | Anchor | Why | |-----|---------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------| | Mon | **Set the Week** — vision + goal | Connect the week's big idea to students' lives | | Tue | **Skill Lab** — direct practice | Heavy doing, low risk | | Wed | **Stretch** — apply in new context | Transfer practice; vocabulary deepens | | Thu | **Real Stakes** — public-ish work | Present to a partner class, peer, or stakeholder | | Fri | **Circle + Showcase** | Closing circle, peer shout-outs, Leader of the Week, portfolio update | ### Friday Circle Protocol (15–20 min) 1. **Open** with talking piece. Prompt: "One word for the week." 2. **Round 1:** "A win this week — yours or someone else's." 3. **Round 2:** "Something I'm working on." 4. **Round 3 (optional, by Week 4+):** "Feedback I want to offer or receive." 5. **Close:** "One commitment for next week." 6. **Shout-outs board** — students write peer shout-outs on stickies before they leave. ### Friday Showcase - A different student or pair each week (rotating roster) shares their portfolio artifact for 3 minutes. By Week 20 every student has presented twice. --- ## The Monthly 3 (every month) | Beat | What happens | |----------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------| | **Guest Leader (1× / mo)** | A community leader (alum, business owner, public servant, coach) visits for 30 min. Students prep 3 questions in advance, write a thank-you note within 48 hours. | | **Service Sprint (1× / mo)** | A 1–2 hour service action (campus clean-up, peer-tutoring shift, blood drive support, fundraiser, voter-reg table). Builds the muscle for the Unit-4 capstone. | | **Goal Review (1× / mo)** | Each student reviews their RLP self-rating, updates their portfolio goal, and conferences with the teacher (5 min, scheduled in rotation). | ### Suggested Calendar - Month 1 (Wks 1–4): Guest = alum or current 12th grader. Service = campus. Goal review = first 1:1. - Month 2 (Wks 5–9): Guest = local nonprofit. Service = peer tutoring. Goal review = mid-semester. - Month 3 (Wks 10–14): Guest = elected official or public servant. Service = community event support. Goal review = capstone proposal. - Month 4 (Wks 15–18): Guest = capstone partner. Service = capstone execution. Goal review = capstone check-in. - Month 5 (Wks 19–20): Guest = past Leadership graduate. Service = pay-it-forward to incoming class. Goal review = portfolio defense. --- ## Quarterly Rituals - **End of Q1 (Week 5):** "Whole-class debrief" — students grade the *class* on the norms. Re-commit. - **End of Q2 (Week 10):** Mid-semester portfolio checkpoint + parent/guardian share-out (email or 5-minute video). - **End of Q3 (Week 15):** Capstone proposal pitch night. - **End of Q4 (Weeks 19–20):** Week 19 Public Showcase; Week 20 portfolio defense + Leadership Letter ceremony. --- ## Door / Wall Rotations - **Monday:** Update "This Week's Why" poster (essential question). - **Wednesday:** Refresh "Leader of the Week" board. - **Friday:** Add new shout-outs; archive last week's reflections to portfolio. --- ## A Sample Week-in-the-Life (Week 7, Communication & Voice) | Day | Do-Now | Circle | Mini | Lab | Close | |-----|--------|--------|------|-----|-------| | Mon | "When did someone really listen to you?" | One word check-in | What is voice? 3 anchors: clarity, evidence, audience | Pair: 60-sec story swap | Exit: "My voice tends to ___" | | Tue | Watch 90-sec TED clip, note 1 craft move | Roses/thorns | Storytelling arc (hook–turn–truth) | Draft 3-min "This I Believe" outline | Exit: 1 sentence opening line | | Wed | Rewrite your opening line 3 ways | One-word | Vocal craft: pace, pause, volume | Rehearse in trios with feedback cards | Exit: "What I'll change…" | | Thu | Read partner's outline, leave 2 stickies | Check-in | Mock audience: how to read a room | Deliver to partner-class peers | Exit: "Feedback I got…" | | Fri | Final tweaks | **Friday Circle + Showcase** | — | Live delivery + peer rubric | Portfolio upload + Leadership Letter draft | --- ## When the Rhythm Breaks (Substitutes, Assemblies, Crisis Days) - Substitute: every weekly file has a `Sub Plan` block. Default = Circle + silent journal + read-aloud chapter from chosen text. - Short period: keep **Greet, Circle, Close.** Drop the lab. - Crisis or community tragedy: open with circle, name the moment, offer the pass rule, give students agency in how to spend the period. Document and notify counselor.