Ideas for Building Up Student Leaders in the Classroom

Teachers continue to be challenged on how to accommodate for the various learning differences of their individual students. Additionally, teachers may need added support in the translation and interpretation of various home languages when communicating with students’ parents and families in the classroom and during the school day. Although schools provide various student support services, many are limited in the time and scope of these services. One solution is to train students to serve as student leaders in the classroom.

Trained student leaders can coordinate curricular content activities that include literacy activities, math problem solving, and performing arts. Student leaders can translate for parents, community volunteers, and other students in the classroom. The value of having students serve as volunteers includes:

• Students have an understanding of what is required to support their peers’ learning needs.
• Students can partner with teachers in identifying effective strategies for engaging students in learning centers and small group activities.
• Students learn how to lead from their responsibilities. They can transfer these leadership skills into other service activities at school, home, and in their communities.
• Students can teach parents how to assist their siblings with class assignments by modeling effective paraeducator skills in the home.
• Student leaders can be better prepared for their own college and career readiness.

Trained student leaders can also participate with their teachers to create critical thinking assessments for classroom activities and projects. Critical thinking skills assessment should include feedback from teachers and students about the activity. Inquiry questions can yield the following benefits (see Why Are School Buses Always Yellow? by John Barell):

• Identifying prior learning experiences
• Determining what was learned or achieved
• Reflecting on how outcomes were accomplished
• Reviewing similar situations and compare outcomes
• Proposing outcomes that can be achieved in future projects
• Identifying positives and deltas that can be used to structure future projects

Student leaders can also participate in ongoing parent education classes that help the parents support their children’s academic learning as well as inform the parents about the local school system. Participation assessments for students and their parents can include reflections on their content knowledge, teaching skills, and leadership development (e.g. see Developing Community-Empowered Schools by Mary Ann Burke).

Here is a sample student leader assessment for a middle or high school student.

Sample Student Leader Reflective Assessment

Directions: In the space below, answer each question with your thoughts for today and needs for future learning. These responses will be shared with your classmates to determine next steps in how we can support your training and role as a classroom student leader.

Reflective Questions	My Thoughts for Today	Need for Future Learning
What did I learn today about being a volunteer in my classroom?
How can my teacher work more closely with me when I am helping individual students, parents, and volunteers in small groups?
What leadership skills did I use today when working in small groups?
If I partnered with my parents in the classroom, what did we learn together?
What can my parents learn from the teacher to help me at home with class assignments?
How can my teacher and parents support me in career and college planning activities?
What do I need to learn to explore careers and plan for college?
Add your own question with response!
Add your own question with response!