From Work Ethic to the Ballot Box: Communication in Action
The first day of October brought a new focus for The Redhound Way at Corbin Middle School as eighth graders began exploring Communication through their morning meeting.
Principal Mr. Evan Robinson helped set the stage by first highlighting last month's Redhound Way competency: Work Ethic. Through Redhound Shout Outs, students were recognized for demonstrating strong work ethic and were reminded that the choices they make each day reflect who they are as Redhounds.
From there, Mr. Robinson connected the conversation to October's focus on Communication, helping students see how the Redhound Way competencies work together in their everyday lives.
The connection became especially meaningful when students had the opportunity to put communication into practice.
Following the morning meeting, eighth grade Student Council candidates delivered their campaign speeches to their classmates. Each candidate had an important job to do: convince the eighth grade student body that they were the right person to represent them on Student Council.
The students understood their audience and their purpose—and they communicated accordingly.
Candidates shared their ideas, explained why they wanted to serve, and worked to connect with the students whose votes they were seeking. They weren't simply giving a speech; they were making intentional choices about what to say and how to say it based on who was listening and what they hoped to accomplish.
That is exactly what it means to demonstrates awareness of audience and purpose, one of the indicators of the Communication standard.
The morning's activities gave students a chance to see The Redhound Way from two different perspectives. They recognized Work Ethic in their peers through Redhound Shout Outs, and then they immediately had an opportunity to demonstrate Communication themselves.
And the best part? The learning wasn't confined to a classroom or a worksheet. Students were using these skills in a real situation that mattered to them. Whether they were being recognized for the way they approach their work or standing in front of their peers asking for their vote, our eighth graders were showing what it looks like to live The Redhound Way.
That's Communication in action. That's the Redhound Way.
