Educating the Whole Child

Establish a “whole-child” mindset with a belief that all students have genius and everyone can be a leader.

Leader in Me provides early childhood and primary schools with a model and process that addresses common challenges that are unique to students during these formative years. Parents, educators, and school leaders are concerned with their child’s physical, mental, social, and economic well-being, all of which are factors that can contribute to or hinder academic success. Teachers, staff, and school leadership teams at Leader in Me Schools are empowered to provide support in all of these areas by creating a learning environment that addresses whole-child education with five (5) Core Paradigms. These paradigms influence the behaviour of staff, students, and their families.
5 Core Paradigms 

Martin Petitjean

Martin Petitjean

Philadelphia Schools

Philadelphia Schools

Two Sisters

Two Sisters

Created By Educators, for Educators

Leader in Me was created by a small group of passionate educators and continues to be adopted and shaped by a global community.

After receiving community feedback to improve her failing school in 1999, A.B. Combs Elementary principal Muriel Summers integrated Baldridge quality tools, the 7 Habits, and several other educational best practices to create a leadership model for her students. Since implementing this leadership model, A.B. Combs has been named the #1 Magnet School in America—twice. Since then, Leader in Me has been implemented by thousands of schools worldwide and continues to evolve towards better, more transformative processes based on feedback from a global community of educators.

Transform School Culture

Leader in Me is a framework that helps schools achieve results by influencing behaviours and paradigms.

More than just another program, Leader in Me serves as the foundational operating system that integrates seamlessly into each school’s unique priorities, initiatives, and culture. When implemented with excellence, Leader in Me redefines what it means to be a high performing school in the 21st century. This new definition of school greatness is represented in three overlapping circles: leadership, culture, and academics.

What is Leader in Me? Topics of Impact

Student Development

Students find their voice in the classroom and through leadership roles by learning and applying life-ready leadership skills.

Children at Leader in Me Schools thrive in a nurturing environment when they feel safe, confident, and supported by teachers and other staff members. By recognising each child as a leader with unique gifts and talents to share, all aspects of their education begin to flourish. This social and emotional learning process equips students with essential 21-century skills to build meaningful relationships and take ownership of their education.

Topics of Impact

Learn more about key topics in education and discover how Leader in Me addresses these common challenges and key initiatives.

✓ Social-Emotional Learning

✓ College and Career Readiness

✓ Bullying

✓ Equity for All Students

✓ Building Student Resilience

✓ Self-Directed Learning

✓ Positive and Safe School Culture

✓ Restorative Practices

✓ Mental Health

✓ Positive Behavioural Supports

✓ Teacher Bias

✓ Celebrating Diversity

✓ Parent Engagement

✓ Attendance

✓ Staff Engagement

✓ Data-Driven Performance

✓ Professional Development

Professional Development

Provide training opportunities for both school leadership teams and staff to learn effective skills.

Whole-Child Education

See each child from perspectives outside academics to help nurture their growing minds and bodies.

Leader in Me shows the leadership we need to transform education is not outside our schools, but within them and especially the students themselves.

– Sir Ken Robinson, International Advisor on Education and New York Times Best-Selling Author

Staff Development

School leaders and staff participate in training workshops for personal improvement and professional learning opportunities.

Teachers can often lose sight of why they became an educator when working diligently to meet local, state and federal standards of academic performance. Leader in Me helps educators rediscover their true passion for teaching by encouraging a whole-child focus. Leader in Me reminds educators of their purpose and direction as they reconnect with their vocation.

Family Development

Training workshops and other resources are also available to help parents or guardians develop life-ready leadership skills at home.

During the formative years of early childhood development, parents are eager to discover ways to prepare their children for obstacles ahead. Leader in Me offers families a powerful framework that aligns to the same principles being taught at school. And it’s not just helping kids finish their homework–families collaborate with their local Leader in Me school to encourage their child to cultivate leadership skills, like motivation, self-directed learning, self-confidence, and working well with others.

Annual Membership

Become a Leader in Me School

Schools begin Leader in Me implementation with the annual membership license and installation process that provides training, coaching, and access to online resources.

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Experience Leader in Me

Learn how thousands of schools in over 50 countries worldwide are discovering answers to some of the most challenging issues educators face today.

Contact Us

Contact Us