Leadership shapes communities, classrooms, and countries, and it evolves with every generation that steps forward to make a difference. Students encounter leaders in many forms: historic figures who shaped our nation, everyday role models in their schools and neighborhoods, and even themselves as emerging contributors to their communities. Exploring leadership through both past and present lenses helps learners understand how character, responsibility, and civic action continue to drive positive change, and can help students evolve into leaders, too.
The Essence of Leadership
True leadership is defined by impact, not just a title. Leadership isn’t a position—it’s a commitment to vision and character. Whether in business, education, or social settings, today’s leaders navigate an increasingly complex world by prioritizing collaboration, empathy, and innovative thinking.
Connecting Past and Present Through Conversation
Open dialogue and intentional teacher prompting are the true “engines” of a dynamic classroom. Rather than simply delivering facts, these strategies empower students to construct their own understanding by connecting new information to what they already know. When students verbalize their thoughts, they gain the ability to “see” their own thinking, which deepens comprehension.
In addition, it opens the door to new perspectives. As students share ideas, they begin to recognize and appreciate different viewpoints, fostering understanding, and collaborative learning. In short, dialogue transforms learning from passive reception into active engagement—where every voice matters, and every idea contributes to a richer understanding. Below are some prompts that can be used in collaborative conversations:
Elementary Prompts: Planting the Seeds of Character
- Collaboration in Action: If our school had a problem (like not enough playground equipment), how could we use “collaboration”—working together—like strong leaders to solve it?
- The Weight of Choice: Leaders often must make choices that not everyone likes. How can a leader do what’s right, even when they have to say “no” to something popular?
- Modern Bravery: What are some “brave” things a leader can do today that don’t involve fighting?
- Communication Evolution: Historically, many leaders used the radio to talk to people in their living rooms. Do you think they would use YouTube, TikTok, or a podcast today? How would seeing their faces change how people felt about their message?
Secondary Prompts: Analyzing Complexity and Influence
Older students can dive deeper into the nuances of power, technology, and the endurance of character:
- Timeless Traits: Which leadership traits—like integrity or resilience—remain essential regardless of the century?
- Digital Diplomacy: How have tools like social media and global connectivity changed the way leaders communicate? Does a “global stage” make a leader more or less authentic?
- The Speed of Information: In the past, it took days or weeks for people to hear what leaders said and shared. Today, we hear or see it in seconds. Does knowing information faster make a leader’s job easier or harder?
- Listening as Power: Imagine you are a leader during a difficult time. What qualities are important? Good listening? Clarity of communication? Empathy or decisiveness? Why?
Celebrating Civics and Leadership with Discovery Education Experience
To bring these discussions to life, Discovery Education Experience provides learners with a variety of interactive experiences designed to illustrate what effective leadership looks like in action. By moving history off the page and into an interactive medium, we help students see themselves as part of the narrative.
The Civics and Civics Connected Channels in Discovery Education Experience provide real‑world content and hands‑on activities that help students understand democracy and develop the civic skills needed to create meaningful change.
- The American Ideals Virtual Field Trip | Grades 3 -12 | This immersive experience explains to students how leadership, communication, and informed action unite people for the greater good. By equipping students with the tools to develop their civic voice and engage meaningfully in everyday life, they learn to build a future where they lead with purpose. TIP
Use the Spotlight on Strategies (SOS), specifically the Z Chart, to allow students to map out the relationship between a leader’s action, impact, and the value it represents. - Get VENN-Y with it is an instructional strategy students can use to analyze and compare leadership qualities of historical U.S. Presidents and modern leaders. TIPThe Studio Tool encourages students to build a digital Venn diagram in Studio, adding video clips of speeches and primary source images to justify their comparisons.
- Civic Power – Classroom Activity | Grades 6-8 | Students explore the concept of civic power throughout history.
- Being A Leader is a studio board that allows students in grades 3-5 to examine the qualities of a leader.
- The Presidents Day K-2 Activity allows students to learn about the history of Presidents Day as well as what qualities make a good leader.
Through open dialogue, intentional prompts, and interactive civic learning experiences like those offered by Discovery Education Experience, students develop the ability to think critically about how decisions are made, appreciate diverse perspectives within a democratic society, and strengthen their own civic voice. When learners see leadership as a living, evolving concept, they are empowered to lead with understanding, integrity, and purpose. These qualities build stronger communities and sustain our democracy for generations to come.
Courtney Conley is an Information Technology Consultant for Utica Community Schools in Michigan.
