Graham Tyrer demonstrates that students have positive leadership abilities, and they can be taught how to use these abilities and then to teach others. Students want to be trusted and challenged, even when it looks like they don't! Leadership gives them a sense that they have something to offer, and that their experiences can be useful and helpful to others. Even the most disruptive, difficult student is showing leadership qualities - it's just not in the right direction, yet. The book demonstrates that students have positive leadership abilities, and they can be taught how to use these abilities and then to teach others. 'Learning to lead' students do better on their SATS, and some have led a county conference for young leaders, public speaking to hundreds of their peers and leading workshops about leadership. They go to local businesses and discuss their ideas about leadership and motivation with managing directors. They have helped run workshops for headteachers and given presentations about their work to all the county's Inspectors and the Chief Education Officer.
Just as important, if not more so, these students make a difference in the classroom, in their school and in their local community. Students telling their teachers at the start of the lesson, 'Is there anything I can do to help today? Who do you want me to sit next to and help?' When students see themselves as potential leaders they rethink the concept of involvement in their community. They move from a sense that leadership is for other people to a feeling that schools are places of opportunity.