How to Teach Leadership in Middle Schools

Prepare your middle school students to take charge.

Many middle school students are hesitant to step out of the shadows and take a leadership role. Students of this age commonly worry about the image they convey to their peers and, in an attempt to avoid negative attention, shy away from seeking any attention at all. While nothing can eliminate this fear of self-recrimination, middle school teachers can encourage their students to take on leadership roles by engaging students in leadership practices and discussing the positive points of being a leader.

Instructions

1. Engage students in athletic play. Athletics promotes self-esteem and encourages students to adopt leadership roles, states an ERIC digest report. To win in team sports, all participants must act as autonomous individuals, making their own decisions for the betterment of their team. Encourage your students to take part in athletics, or set aside some time from your day and take your students outside for a rousing round of soccer, kickball or baseball to encourage the development of these positive characteristics.

2. Empower students to lead the class. Many teachers are hesitant to relinquish any control over the classroom; however, giving students a modicum of power can encourage them to become leaders. Allow a student to take attendance. Instruct another to lead the class bell work lesson. Charge a third with checking for homework completion. As these students fulfill their assigned duties they will feel powerful and in charge.

3. Study prominent leaders throughout history. Many people throughout history have risked their lives to take on leadership roles. Teaching your students about these individuals, who were willing to risk everything to promote change, shows them that leadership is worth the risk. Study Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi and Harriet Tubman. Also discuss Nelson Mandela, studying his eight traits of a leader, featured in the 2008 issue of Time magazine.

4. Create a list of leadership characteristics. Ask your students to consider what the prominent leaders throughout history have in common. Build an extensive list of traits that make good leaders, asking students to volunteer ideas and cementing their understanding of what it takes to be a strong leader.

5. Present students with hypothetical leadership situations and ask them to choose a course of action. Ask students to take on the role of president or leader of a group and pose potential issues they could face. Ask each student to state what he would do in the given situation and explain why he would make that choice.

6. Assign journals about leadership. Assigning journals about leadership periodically will keep the concept fresh in the minds of your students. Frequently ask them about leadership dilemmas. If a leader is in the news, use the news article or broadcast as a journal inspiration, sharing it with your students and asking them to reflect upon it.

References

• Eric Digests: Building Leadership Skills in Middle School Girls through Interscholastic Athletics
• Time: Mandela -- His 8 Lessons of Leadership