By KEVIN REAGAN | Casa Grande Dispatch
CASA GRANDE — It’s not enough anymore to teach kids how to share, be responsible and raise their hands before speaking in class.
That’s according to Brooke Sachak, academic coach at Ironwood Elementary School, who is trying to teach students more useful 21st century skills that can shape them into worldly leaders.
Sachak said students need to learn how to take initiative, plan ahead and mediate conflicts if they want to make it far in the real world.
Ironwood Elementary was recently awarded an education grant to implement a program that will help the school promote those types of character-building skills.
“The Leader in Me” is a schoolwide program developed by FranklinCovey, a Utah-based company that sells various educational and self-improvement materials. The program’s mission is to empower students by having schools adopt a common language and culture that promotes seven familiar habits: be proactive, set goals, prioritize, listen before speaking, work with others, resolve conflicts and live a balanced life.
