25 Great Ways To Make Student Leadership Come Alive this Year.
Raise the bar this year with this hand-picked set of student leadership pearls.
Whether you’re a principal, classroom teacher, or specialist teacher, fostering student leadership remains a timeless priority.
Raising the leadership bar.
Every school is raising the bar in this crucial area as teachers understand the importance of leadership development for students, the school culture, and, more significantly, the future of our society.
This year, I’ve selected 25 practical ways to develop leadership in your school's senior students.
Here’s 25 for 25.
Create a list of standard leadership terms and phrases for use in the classroom.
(Shared language fosters change and encourages growth.)
Highlight the basics of leadership to students.
(Explicit teaching fosters leadership literacy - awareness and comprehension of what leadership involves.)
Ground leadership development in service to others.
(Connect the Benefit Mindset to student leadership success.)
Run goal-setting lessons or workshops.
(The strength of goal-setting lies in the system it imparts rather than the outcomes it produces.)
Engage in a leadership development game each week.
(Games aid students in cultivating leadership skills through enjoyment and involvement.) Here’s a list of ten fantastic leadership games for students.
Present the Student Leader of the Week.
(Acknowledge students for exhibiting specific leadership qualities.)
Practice presentation skills daily in the classroom.
(Practise clear, concise communication every day in every possible way.)
Establish a mentoring program.
(Pair senior students with younger students to provide mentoring opportunities. First, educate students about the mentoring process.)
Initiate a presentation skills program.
(During class hours or other times, create a presentation skills program to boost leadership effectiveness.)
Establish a debating club.
(Debating is a fantastic way for students to practise their speaking skills.)
Create a student media group. A media crew can contribute in various ways - start a podcast, report at assemblies, and contribute to school newsletters.
Establish a student-led club program.
(A fantastic way to foster organisational skills, teamwork, and forward-thinking)
Organise an expedition.
(Transform a portion of a school camp or bike education program into an expedition that requires specific leadership skills.)
Engage in regular team-building activities both in and out of the classroom.
(Great leaders are also excellent team members, so emphasise collaboration.)
Develop community service initiatives.
(Involve students in service projects that help others while promoting empathy and a sense of responsibility.)
Establish an ambassador program. (Teach students how to represent the school and their peers publicly. Ambassadors can also take on a formal leadership role, welcome new students, represent their class or school, and help with regular tasks.)
Host a student leadership conference at your school.
(Invite speakers and students from other schools for an interactive exchange of leadership ideas.)
Introduce leadership journaling.
(Encourage students to reflect on their learning experiences and recognise areas for growth.)
Develop a classroom jobs chart.
(Encourage students to rotate classroom jobs to foster personal responsibility, reliability, and organisational skills.)
Encourage student-led class discussions.
(Facilitate discussions in which students lead and guide the conversations.)
Explore leaders through literature.
(Read and discuss books and tales about inspiring leaders.)
Utilise leaders who are currently in the spotlight.
(Engage in discussions about real-life leaders from various fields of endeavour.)
Talk about leaders making headlines.
(Discuss prominent leaders making headlines to enhance students' understanding of effective and ineffective leadership.)
Introduce student-led assemblies.
(Provide a platform for students to refine their public speaking and organisational skills.)
Conduct student leadership workshops.
(Organise a series of workshops focusing on presentation skills, mentoring, and problem-solving)
NB: The Young Leaders Program has resources to help you conduct student leadership workshops for senior primary school students. Find out more.)
Please note: I intend to expand on many of the ideas above in future newsletters. Please let me know if you have any ideas or topics you’d like me to focus on.
Please share this post with other teachers and professionals who might find these ideas beneficial.
So Much More Than A Student Leadership Program.
The Young Leaders Program turns senior primary school students into influential leaders through its robust framework, time-saving lessons, and adaptable format.
Get Ready For a Stellar Year.
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You can use the Induction and Mentoring Program to prepare your elected leaders for the year ahead and lay the groundwork for training all students in the last two years of primary school next year.
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