Teachers can provide students with a leadership role model.
Leadership is the ability to inspire others to follow your lead or advice. Leadership skills include character traits and abilities such as self-confidence, self-motivation, determination, character strength, good communication skills and problem-solving abilities. Students who develop leadership ability possess qualities that will help them succeed throughout their lives. Teachers can model good leadership qualities and teach leadership skills through a variety of activities.
Team Building
Utilize small groups to work on complex assignments and encourage the students to rotate group leadership. Provide the groups with a list of roles such as reporter, illustrator, researcher and organizer. Encourage students to work cooperatively with an emphasis on the success of the group. This rotation allows all students to have a chance to lead through a cooperative leadership style.
Leadership Styles
Explore different types of leadership styles, including cooperative, task-oriented, autocratic, charismatic, relational, servant, bureaucratic, laissez-faire, transactional and transformative by defining each style and how the leader operates. Ask each student which style best fits her and which style she prefers to work under. Each style has its place and advantage. Allow students to discuss which leadership style is appropriate under certain circumstances.
Leadership Qualities
Brainstorm the kinds of qualities that make a good leader. Have each student choose someone who exemplifies leadership to him and identify the qualities that person possesses and compare it to the brainstormed list. Next, ask each student to identify qualities he has that make him leadership material. Have students trade lists and let the other point out qualities that the list originator may have missed. Encourage students to affirm leadership potential in their fellow students.
Communication Skills
Leaders need to listen to others and appreciated what others have to offer. Employ a talking stick in small to medium groups and teach students not to interrupt the classmate with the stick. Explore questioning techniques that help clarify the suggestions and concerns of other group members. Encourage students to speak up so that the entire group can hear and to address the group in ways that respect everyone.
Role Models
Ask school or community leaders to come in and speak to the class. Have each presenter explain what skills she finds helpful in leading her organization. Explore opportunities to have leaders serve as mentors to students. Have students that participate in the mentoring program track the experience in a journal and provide progress reports biweekly.
Community Service
Have students recommend community service projects that the class or school could do. Students might plant a community garden or collect canned goods for the hungry, for example. Students can talk to leaders and gain support for the project. Allow students to choose one project and plan steps for implementation. This will help students develop leaders skills by leading through core values and inspiring others to join the project and benefit the community.
Tags: qualities that, each student, Encourage students, Have students, Allow students