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Tag: Self Development

Jul132021

Nonverbal Communication (Day 2)

Day 2 of the Leadership and Public Speaking course centered on the importance of nonverbal communication. The following is an overview of today’s session:

Leadership and Public Speaking:

  1. Students introduced each other based on what they recalled from yesterday’s introductions. We gave a round of applause for each student presented
  2. Students continued note taking based on the visual and written aspect of communication
  3. Students learned that nonverbal communication takes up 70-93 percent of communication received from an audience
  4. Students learned the importance of body language through Amy Cuddy’s talk
  5. Students shared an individual whom they believe is a great communicator/public speaker (and they will explain why, tomorrow)
  6. Students research the top questions asked by interviewers seeking job candidates and students answered the following:
    • What are your greatest strengths?
    • What are your greatest weaknesses?
    • Tell me a challenge or conflict you’ve faced at school, and how you dealt with it?
  1. Students shared their responses with the group as their takeaway for the session

Takeaway from day 2:

Out of the four major categories of communication—verbal, nonverbal, written and visual—it can be argued that nonverbal communication is most significant. Professor Amy Cuddy is a leading researcher in the power of nonverbal communication. Cuddy’s TED Global talk (2012) is an excellent resource for understanding how body language can make a negative or positive impact.

Jul122021

Confidence (Day 1)

Today was the first day of the Leadership and Public Speaking course. As mentioned in my earlier post “Summer Enrichment,” I’ve been in regular communication with parents about all that takes place in the classroom. Through summary, I hope to engage parents in further conversations about the curriculum in connection to student learning. The following is a summary of our lea

Leadership and Public Speaking:

  1. Students defined leadership and public speaking in journals and through class discussion
  2. Students shared what they would like to gain from the program
  3. Students learned about the four types of communication (focusing only on verbal and nonverbal) and included notes on various aspects in their journals.
  4. Students analyzed Nouvelle Vague’s “In a Manner of Speaking” to further understand and discuss the significance of nonverbal communication.
  5. Students selected an item from the outdoors and shared the following about the item for a public speaking icebreaker. The directions included the following:

**Select an item from your outdoor environment of most interest to you …

  • Explain what you have selected
    • Share why it caught your interest and/or how it makes you feel
    • Share another aspect of this item that an audience may not consider and/or another way whereby someone can use the item
  • Share your findings through verbal and nonverbal communication
  1. Students shared their takeaways from the day’s session and are “happily” looking forward to providing their homework:)

Takeaways from day 1:

  • When asked what would students like to gain most from the course, most students shared their desire to be more confident. What is confidence? It is a feeling of assurance and appreciation in one’s own abilities. Confidence can be gained through self development and asking for assistance and guidance when necessary. Taking a course in Leadership and Public Speaking is a great start!