Situational Leadership in Classroom

Situational Leadership in Classroom

Ken Blanchard and Paul Hersey created a Situational Leadership model. This model is not just utilized in leadership or management environment. People can apply it whenever they need to lead others at work or home. As a microcosm of the organization, in classroom teachers can use Situational Leadership to help their student study more effectively.

In this situation, the teachers are leaders. Based on ability and behavior of each student, teachers adjust their leadership methods to students' different levels to meet their needs. The first group is students who have limited academic performance and experience (S1- Directing). These learners may need their teacher to tell them what to do. The second group is students who are confident and interested in studying, but their knowledge or experience is not enough yet (S2- Coaching).This group still needs guidance and supervision by their teacher to give them encouraging remarks in order for them to improve their confidence. The third group is students who have knowledge and abilities, but they need their teacher to guide them how to apply knowledge in practice (S3- Supporting). The last group is students who are willing to and able to study independently on projects or cooperatively work with other students (S4- Delegating). The teacher just needs to provide advice when these students request, and watch for the progress of them. The teacher can support students to become better through giving students suitable tasks, engaging in growing with students, and being flexible to match the diverse developments of students' level in a learning environment.

The Situational Leadership model is a useful method for everyone who wants to assess their own followers and adapt to them accordingly. No style is considered best for every leader to use every time. Effective leaders need to be flexible, and must adapt themselves and their tactics