Assign leadership positions within the classroom. Every classroom needs student leaders in order to run efficiently. Some students naturally assume leadership positions by virtue of their personalities or abilities. However, a teacher should make sure all students have the opportunity to develop leadership skills. A non-leader may very well discover his leadership potential via the assignment of a seemingly minor leadership role in the classroom. Students who have never seen themselves as leaders may experience an increase in self-confidence and become interested in leadership when given the opportunity to lead.
Encourage students to undertake leadership positions in clubs and other extracurricular groups. Stay abreast of clubs and other extracurricular groups so that students can be informed about them. Match potential leadership positions with the skills of individual students, and encourage them to seek out those opportunities. Sports teams provide a good opportunity for leadership also. Talk about team and group membership during classroom discussions. Explain that there are often essential leaders within each group or team, even if they do not assume a leadership title.
Educate students on how their input and involvement in school, community and civic affairs may prompt a positive change. Students often think of themselves as non-adults who are unable to effect change. Bring to their attention other young people who have been successful at creating positive change in the world. Inform them of possible areas of involvement, such as community cleanup, charitable collection drives and other activities in which they can develop leadership skills and assume leadership roles.
Encourage your colleagues to increase leadership awareness in their students. Celebrate leadership by nominating students for leadership positions within the school, region or district and by choosing a young leader in current events to serve as the focus of class discussion. Many teachers select one or two current events to discuss each day or week. Select those events that highlight leadership, particularly leadership in young people. Seeing someone of similar age in a leadership position or using leadership skills may help students more easily see themselves as potential leaders.
Select a student leader of the week, taking care to orchestrate selection so that every student is selected at some point during the school year. Put a poster at the front of the room with the student's picture and a summary of how he or she has stepped into a leadership role and successfully earned the title of leader. It will be very easy to select some students for leader of the week. For other students, watch for positive behavior and highlight that behavior. For example, seeing a student walking in the hall, hands to himself and quiet, can be labeled a leadership behavior: leading by example.