Leadership Development for Elementary Students

Leadership development among elementary aged students is an essential part of character building and moral maturity. Based on the premise that the promotion of authentic leadership development in young students occurs infrequently in most school systems, this author articulates strategies to include effective leadership exploration in a safe, elementary school environment. The researcher (a) identifies a variety of definitions of leadership, (b) lists the characteristics of quality leadership, (c) suggests a process for developing young student leaders, and (d) provides insight into the future impact of early leadership training. The results include: (a) leadership standards to guide classroom instruction, (b) a process for the selection of student leaders and development of their skills, and (c) recommendations of appropriate elementary curricula that support leadership development