GYMNASIUM STUDENTS’ LEADERSHIP EXPRESSION: ANALYSIS OF PECULIARITIES

Recently students' leadership education has become one of the aims of Lithuanian education policy. Development of leadership at all levels in school is related not only to students', teachers', and school leaders' activities efficiency, their expression of initiative, creativity, innovation, responsibility and other important traits and abilities, quality of education, better education results, school improvement, but also to more intensive changes in education system and society. An empirical research (N=111), conducted in 2013, revealed affirmative gymnasium students' personal and learning-oriented attitudes towards leadership as well as positive evaluation of leadership expression opportunities at school. Gymnasium students tend to think that school provides possibilities for their leadership expression; students see themselves as self-sufficient, self-confident, taking responsibility for their actions, being not afraid of unfounded critics, finding out solutions to tricky situations; however, they admit that they lack initiative and clearer vision of their life. Though, according to students, democratic relationships, positive administration and teachers' attitude towards students' initiatives, ambition to implement innovations prevail at school, the demand for motivation system on leadership teaching and learning at school has emerged. Statistically significant correlations exist between separate gymnasium students' features of leadership expression and socio-demographical variables (gender, class, academic progressiveness). Boys more eagerly participate in school events than girls do, they also are less afraid of making mistakes while answering in the lessons. Teachers are more fond of working with very well-learning students than with average ones. The latter receives less encouragement than very good learners. Students who are active and participate everywhere think that teachers expect from them more than they can, they like more to work in teams and strive to develop traits typical of a leader.