Learning to Lead with Connection: Empathy, Teamwork & Leadership Student Workbook – Middle School (Grades 6–8)

What Is the Learning to Lead with Connection Workbook for Middle School?

Learning to Lead with Connection: Building Empathy and Teamwork Skills is a 236-page student workbook from Future Ready Education for middle school students in grades 6–8 (ages 11–14). It brings together three complete units in one book: Building Healthy Relationships, Teamwork & Collaboration, and Communication & Leadership. Together they build the people skills students need during the social ups and downs of middle school. Across 15 chapters and 82 hands-on activities, students spot green and red flags in friendships, set boundaries, move from bystander to upstander, resolve conflict, find their role in a group, reach consensus, find their voice, communicate with confidence and lead with integrity online. Each unit has its own pre- and post-assessment. The workbook builds the durable skills in your district’s Portrait of a Graduate.

Why Do Schools and Families Choose Learning to Lead with Connection?

• Three units in one book: complete Healthy Relationships, Teamwork & Collaboration and Communication & Leadership units in a single workbook
• Substantial content: 236 pages, 15 chapters and 82 hands-on activities
• Measurable growth: a pre-assessment and post-assessment for every unit
• Built for middle schoolers: scenarios about friendships, group projects, group chats and online reputation
• Learning by doing: sorts, role plays, debates, quizzes, scenario challenges, advice columns and mini research projects
• Student-ready: written directly for students, so they can work independently or in groups
• Flexible: use it as a full-year course, a semester elective, or unit by unit in advisory

How Does Learning to Lead with Connection Build Portrait of a Graduate Competencies?

This workbook builds durable, future-ready skills, the transferable abilities students carry into every class, career and community. Its three units connect directly to the competencies schools use to define college, career and life readiness:

• Communication (COM): finding your voice, using “I” statements, reading the room and communicating calmly and clearly
• Collaboration (COL): understanding your group role, building balanced groups, reaching consensus and solving problems as a team
• Empathy (EMP): understanding what empathy really is, intent vs. impact and seeing multiple perspectives
• Citizenship (CIT): moving from bystander to upstander and leading with integrity online
• Agency (AGY): setting boundaries, building confidence and practicing micro-courage
• Critical Thinking & Problem Solving (CT): figuring out what’s under a conflict, finding middle ground and checking digital myths against facts
• Personal Responsibility & Work Ethic (PRW): accountability in groups, owning mistakes and leading with responsibility
• Adaptability (ADP): pausing before reacting, handling tension and staying calm under pressure
• Career Readiness (CAR): teamwork, reputation-building and leadership habits for future success
• Creativity (CRE): silent tableaux, advice columns and finding new solutions when a group gets stuck
• Finances (FIN): short-term vs. long-term thinking, a foundation for future financial choices

What’s Inside the Learning to Lead with Connection Workbook?

Unit 1: Building Healthy Relationships (Chapters 1–5)

Includes a pre-assessment and post-assessment.

1. Understanding Healthy Relationships: Relationship Spectrum; Green Flags, Yellow Flags, Red Flags; What Would Help?; Silent Signals; What Kind of Friend Are You?
2. Boundaries & Consent: Boundary Myth Busters, Boundary Types Sort, Consent Continuum, Respectful Response Match, Digital Boundaries Check, My Boundary Comfort Zones
3. Empathy & Influence: What Empathy Really Is, Intent vs. Impact, Influence Ripple Map, Multiple Perspectives Explorer, Silent Tableaux: The Message Without Words
4. Being an Upstander: Upstander Choice Cards, The Upstander Spectrum, One Choice Many Outcomes, Upstander Without Words, The Bystander-to-Upstander Shift
5. Resolving Conflict: What’s Under the Conflict?, React or Respond?, Pause Toolkit, Conflict Temperature Check, I Statements

Unit 2: Teamwork & Collaboration (Chapters 6–10)

Includes a pre-assessment and post-assessment.

6. Empathy & Perspective in Collaboration: Assumption vs. Reality, Pause & Respond Challenge, Same Situation Different Stories, Empathy Explorers, Real-Life Reflection Mapping, Build the Better Response
7. How You Show Up in a Group: What Type of Group Member Are You?, Group Dynamics Scenario Analysis, Build the Balanced Group, What Would You Do?, Accountability Check
8. Decision-Making in Groups: Decision-Making Match-Up, Finding the Middle Ground, Reaching Consensus, The “Stuck Group” Fix-It, The “Best Option” Debate
9. Handling Tension When Collaborating: Reaction vs. Response, Pause & Choose, Real-Time Reactions, What’s Under the Surface?, Say It Differently, The Power of I
10. Collaboration in the Real World: Where Will You Use This?, Real-Life Problem Solving, Scenario Challenge, Real-Life Collaboration in Action, Collaboration Strength & Growth Plan

Unit 3: Communication & Leadership (Chapters 11–15)

Includes a pre-assessment and post-assessment.

11. Leading with Your Voice: Voice Snapshot, Silence: Power or Avoidance?, Leadership Style Quiz, Reputation Builder, “Voice in Action” Mini Research
12. Leading with Awareness: Same Words Different Tone, Read the Room Challenge, One Moment Five Perspectives, Impact Detective, Reaction vs. Response
13. Leading with Confidence: Communication Style Breakdown, Calm Before Clear, Confidence Under Pressure, Boundary Builder, Calm & Centered Before You Speak, Micro-Courage Moments
14. Leading with Responsibility: Reputation Timeline, Short-Term vs. Long-Term Split, Responsible Advice Column, The Ownership Rewrite, Leadership Decision Checklist
15. Leading with Integrity Online: What the Internet Reveals Video Analysis, Build or Weaken Trust?, Advice Column, Public vs. Private Digital Sort, Rewrite the Comment, Digital Leadership Case Study, Influence Audit, Digital Myth or Fact Quiz

Who Is the Learning to Lead with Connection Workbook For?

Middle school students in grades 6–8, their teachers and their parents. It’s built for advisory and homeroom programs, leadership classes and student council, health and wellness courses, anti-bullying and upstander initiatives, cooperative learning, character education, homeschool and independent learning. It also supports Portrait of a Graduate initiatives.

What Comes in the Learning to Lead with Connection Workbook?

• Grade level: Grades 6–8 (ages 11–14)
• Format: Student workbook
• Length: 236 pages
• Design: Student-facing
• Includes: 3 units, 15 chapters, 82 activities and a pre-assessment and post-assessment for each unit
• Publisher: Future Ready Education, an IB Source company
• ISBN: 9781954760868

Frequently Asked Questions About the Learning to Lead with Connection Workbook

What does Learning to Lead with Connection cover?

It covers three complete units: Building Healthy Relationships (healthy friendships, boundaries and consent, empathy, being an upstander and resolving conflict), Teamwork & Collaboration (perspective-taking, group roles, group decisions, handling tension and real-world collaboration) and Communication & Leadership (voice, awareness, confidence, responsibility and integrity online).

What grade level is this workbook for?

It is designed for middle school students in grades 6–8, ages 11–14.

Does it help with bullying and being an upstander?

Yes. The Being an Upstander chapter helps students understand the bystander-to-upstander shift, explore the upstander spectrum and practice safe ways to step in, including ways to help without saying a word.

How does it help students work better in groups?

The Teamwork & Collaboration unit teaches students to understand their role in a group, build balanced teams, reach consensus, fix a “stuck” group and handle tension calmly. It’s useful before group projects and cooperative learning.

Can this be used for a leadership class or student council?

Yes. The Communication & Leadership unit helps students find their voice, read the room, build confidence, take responsibility and lead with integrity online.

Does it include assessments?

Yes. Each of the three units has its own pre-assessment and post-assessment, so you can measure growth in each skill area, which is useful for Portrait of a Graduate reporting.

Is there a high school version?

Yes. Leading with Connection is the high school edition, with 16 chapters and 83 activities covering the same three skill areas at a more advanced level.

Are there matching teacher resources?

Yes. Each unit pairs with a Teacher Resource Pack for Middle School: Healthy Relationships & Empathy, Teamwork & Collaboration, and Communication & Leadership.

What are future-ready skills?

Future-ready skills, also called durable skills, are lasting, transferable abilities like communication, collaboration, critical thinking and adaptability. Students use them across subjects, careers and life.