Being Servant Leaders in the Classroom

Philippians 2: 1-11 focuses on humility and selflessness. Paul teaches that true greatness comes from serving others, reflecting Christ’s humility rather than only personal glory. And in Luke 13: 14-17 Jesus’ compassion and willingness to heal Sabbath teaches us that leaders must act with empathy and prioritise the well-being of the others.

This type of leadership style focuses more on others, on the growth and well-being of  peers. This also creates motivation for the team through helping others, contrasting with more of the traditional leadership, such as having authority and control over others.

In the classroom, servant leadership can be used by prioritising the needs of my peers and try my best to build a supportive learning environment. Example, When a student is struggling with an art piece, I’ll first ask what he/ she is struggling with and help them build their understanding. Not by giving orders on what they should be doing, but by using encouragement to communicate.

Philippians 2:1-11 and Luke 13:14-17 offer insights into servant leadership that focus on selflessness. These passages teach us that true leadership isn’t about placing yourself in front of others and taking control of or to seek recognition from others. Instead a leader who prioritizes serving others and uplifting them. This style of leadership is really different from the most popular type of leadership because the most popular one is where there is a specific leader and the rest follow. The leader guides and tells the people what to do and the rest follow. However servant leadership is where everyone is equal, where a person decides to serve others and uplift everyone (“the leader”). Where everyone develops and performs as highly as possible together. A way I want to apply servant leadership to work in the classroom is by encouraging everyone to engage in conversations to lead into more successful and useful discussions. By being caring and approachable, also knowing what each student needs is to learn properly and to fulfill them without making them feel ashamed for their need to learn. Something I have done in the classroom that shows servant leadership is I help students who have different learning styles such as language barriers and confusions on various topics. I hope to continue showing servant leadership skills in and out of the classroom. 

Philippians 2:1-11 highlights that true leadership involves humility and valuing others more than oneself, following Jesus' steps. It teaches that true leaders should not be selfish but serve and support the people around them.  In Luke 13, Jesus heals a woman on Sabbath day, which shows that true leadership prioritizes serving others over strict rules. This highlights that leaders show care about the needs of others. Servant leaders address the needs of other people–it’s about humility and support.  Other styles often focus on authority, control and decision-making power. This can make people less involved and limit their creativity.

One of the ways I have shown servant leadership in the classroom is by listening to the students: I always consider their needs and challenges. For example, I noticed a lot of students were shy to read. I made sure everyone got the chance to read a paragraph or answer a few questions during a group discussion. This has built confidence and a sense of community in the class. Furthermore, I make sure to engage with them by incorporating games or activities that can help them calm down/relax and at the same time help them learn.