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Katrina Antonio

Ms. Annalyn R. Camacho

Reading and Writing

October 4, 2019

Importance of Taking on Student Leadership Roles for A Student’s Development

School, often considered by students to be a difficult period in their lives, is essential

to a student’s development. There are experiences and people in a school environment that
will help in a student’s upbringing and in preparation for their future. There are many
extracurricular programs that most schools offer in order to supplement the academic
discussions taking place in the classroom, which is also a key factor in the development of a
student. One such extracurricular activity is student leadership. Most schools have some form
of student government that acts as the management of different activities and rules in the
school (Zansler). Student leaders bridge the gap between faculty and other students, which is
essential to create meaningful relationships (Dugan, 538).

Students in leadership roles have consistently shown positive improvement in various

aspects of their development. There may be trials and obstacles to overcome during a
student’s time in leadership positions, but these will act as lessons for them and help them
prepare for their future. The extra work and hours that are required out of student leaders,
however, are what hinder most students from actively pursuing such activities, making them
unable to receive the good development student leadership offers. Students must be
encouraged to take up leadership roles to help them develop more skills they will be able to
use in their future. It is important, especially for teachers, to encourage leadership among
their students as it positively impacts their personal development, interpersonal skills, and
academic achievement.

A good school environment should obviously help in a student’s personal

development. Student leaders especially are encouraged to engage in activities that help
promote positive self-growth. One example is PBOs (Profession-Based Organizations) which
can provide opportunities for student leaders to improve their leadership skills through career
and leadership development exercises. PBO advisors give opportunities for students to
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develop a positive view of themselves to help their sense of purpose (Lebron et al. 85).
Student leaders also gain significant advantages in satisfying their personal interests. Sherif's
secondary analysis of qualitative data from a longitudinal case study discusses youth
perspectives on school activities designed to improve leadership in a rural high school setting.
Many of the student participants expressed that community service helped them improve their
social skills and at the same time allowed them to reflect on themselves to truly strive for
their goals, both personal [Italics mine.] and for the good of others (280). In addition, PBOs
focus on improving aspects such as career development, which prepares students to join the
workforce (Lebron et al. 85). Day et al. also explain how instructional leadership can
encourage better results for students:

It [instructional leadership] sees the leaders’ prime focus as responsibility for

promoting better measurable outcomes for students [Italics mine.],
emphasizing the importance of enhancing the quality of classroom teaching
and learning. (6)

Aside from strengthening a student’s personal development, student leaders will also
see positive changes in their interpersonal skills. Part of being a student leader is learning
how to communicate well with others, building public speaking skills and having to become
more empathetic to the situation of others. In a study by Muthoni, et al., empirical evidence
shows student leaders learn to build mutual relationships with students from different
universities despite sharing opposing views (111). Effective student leadership brought about
by proper interpersonal skills can also help change school policies. In a study by Bron, et al.,
employed a literature review and a case study on five schools to find if negotiations between
students and teachers had any positive impact on the curriculum. Student leaders spearheaded
curriculum negotiation between the student body and administration. They found that thanks
in part to the effective leadership of these students, an improvement in democratic citizenry
and the curriculum occurred. Students were able to make decisions that directly affected them
and their school environment (82).

Lastly, successful student leaders are able to positively influence other students’
academics, namely in subjects that require more critical rather than analytical thinking.
Leaders who model good reading skills and encourage practice of critical thinking have a
positive effect on other students and can influence their reading achievement. However, it
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was found that there was no direct positive influence of successful student leadership on the
level of achievement in mathematics by students (Allen et al. 16). Findings from Lounsbury
et al.’s study shows that character strengths are positively related to the academic success of
college students (61). This shows that good personal development of student leaders can also
lead to high academic achievement. In a study by Leithwood et al., leaders were asked to
identify how changes in variables in paths involving rationality, emotions, organizations, and
family affected students’ learning. This exercise showed that proper and effective leadership
influenced how well these students performed with the leaders’ guidance (696).

Despite the decrease of active participation in student leadership roles, this study
reveals that it would be beneficial to students to take part in it. This study proves being a
student leader can positively impact one’s personal development, interpersonal skills, and
academic achievement. Therefore, to help students reach their maximum potential and
prepare them for their future, teachers must actively encourage them to take on leadership
roles as this will help them in several aspects essential to their development.
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Works Cited

Allen, Nancy, et al. Does leadership matter? "Examining the Relationship Among
Transformational Leadership, School Climate, and Student Achievement." NCPEA
International Journal of Educational Leadership Preparation, vol. 10, no. 2, Nov.
2015, pp. 1-22. ERIC Institute of Education Sciences,
https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1083099

Lebron, Mariana J. et al. "The Empowering Role of Profession-Based Student Organizations

in Developing Student Leadership Capacity." NEW DIRECTIONS FOR STUDENT
LEADERSHIP, no. 155, 2017, pp. 83-94. Wiley Online Library,
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/yd.20252

Lounsbury, John W., et al. “An Investigation of Character Strengths in Relation to the
Academic Success of College Students.” Journal of Individual Differences Research,
vol. 7, no. 1, pp.52-69. Realizing Aptitudes, http://www.realizingaptitudes.org/wp
content/uploads/2016/07/An-investigation-of-character-strengths-in-relation-to-the
academic-success-of-college-students.pdf

Bron, Jeroen, et al. "Distributed Curriculum Leadership: How Negotiation Between Student
and Teacher Improves the Curriculum." Journal of Ethical Educational Leadership,
special issue 1, Mar. 2018, pp. 76-98. Academia,
https://www.academia.edu/36304398/Special_Issue_1_Student_Voice_and_School_
Leadership_JEEL_JOURNAL_OF_ETHICAL_EDUCATIONAL_LEADERSHIP

Day, Christopher, and Pam Sammons. “The Impact of Leadership on Student Outcomes:
How Successful School Leaders use Transformational and Instructional Strategies to
Make a Difference.” Educational Administration Quarterly, vol. 52, no. 2, Feb. 2016,
pp. 1-43. ResearchGate,
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/293807420_The_Impact_of_Leadership_on
_Student_Outcomes_How_Successful_School_Leaders_Use_Transformational_and
Instructional_Strategies_to_Make_a_Difference

Dugan, John P. and Susan R. Komives. “Influences on College Students' Capacities for
Socially Responsible Leadership.” Journal of College Student Development, vol. 51,
no. 5, October 2010, pp. 525-549. Project Muse, doi: 10.1353/csd.2010.0009
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Leithwood, Kenneth et al. “Testing a Conception of How School Leadership Influences

Student Learning.” Educational Administration Quarterly, vol. 46, no. 5, 2010, pp.
671-706. SAGE Journals, doi: 10.1177/001316x10377347

Muthoni, Murage Lucy, et al. “Assessment of Student Leaders’ Skills Critical in Managing
Student Affairs in Public Universities in Kenya.” International Journal of Education
& Literacy Studies, vol. 6, no. 4, pp. 107-113. ERIC Institute of Education Sciences,
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1201509.pdf

Sherif, Victoria. "Practices of Youth Leadership Development in Rural High School Context:
Findings From a Qualitative Secondary Analysis." Journal of Ethical Educational
Leadership, special issue 1, Mar. 2018, pp. 276-294. Academia,
https://www.academia.edu/36304398/Special_Issue_1_Student_Voice_and_School_
Leadership_JEEL_JOURNAL_OF_ETHICAL_EDUCATIONAL_LEADERSHIP

Zansler, Shelley. “Student Government: Becoming a Leader in High School & College.”
AccreditedSchoolsOnline.org, AccreditedSchoolsOnline.org, 3 Oct. 2019,
https://www.accreditedschoolsonline.org/resources/student-government/.