Blog | What I Teach My 1st Graders About Leadership

4 leadership lessons for early-elementary students.

There is arguably no job more important to a 1st grader than that of line leader. The coveted job—whether formally assigned or not—ensures a first-place spot in the line. For many early-elementary students, this position is too enticing to resist.

Recently, while redirecting two of Kendall Stalling's students who had physically pushed past others to secure this spot, Kendall realized that “line leader” is likely one of the first contexts where students hear the word “leader.” Consequently, many associate leadership with being first. This association then informs an inaccurate understanding of leadership in young learners.

Kendall wanted to make a point of highlighting the qualities that make someone a leader other than just being first. The problem, however, is that leadership skills for elementary students often get lumped into social-emotional learning and social-skills curricula. While all these skills can look similar in young kids, being able to regulate emotions and exhibit leadership qualities are very different. In fact, making this distinction clear to students and explicitly teaching leadership skills can be a crucial component of shaping young leaders.