Are Great Leaders Born or Made?

Some people believe that leaders are born with the necessary qualities that make them successful as a leader. While others believe that leadership, like many other similar characteristics, can be learned and developed through life. For me, I think much of the debate depends on how you define leadership.

Defining Leadership

Let’s assume leadership means having an ability and desire to inspire and influence others. Based on that definition, I can certainly see the argument that leaders are born with leading qualities when I see my daughter using her inherent ability to influence her little brother (and sometimes her parents) to do the things she wants them to do.

If leadership means being courageous and willing to speak out for the betterment of those around you, I would think that leaders do not have to be born as such. I have seen people who consider themselves introverts and overall followers become successful leaders when faced with an issue they are passionate about.

If we define leadership as having atypical intelligence, creativity and/or drive, then I am back to believing that it’s a trait you’re born with, although you may or may not continue to develop that trait through your life.

Anyone Can Be a Leader

We all have areas of our lives where we have talent and propensity for success. If this is also an area you feel passionate about, you may exude qualities that are absent from other areas of your life. So while you may not be a natural born leader in the strictest sense, you can certainly overcome many obstacles and develop a desire and ability to lead when you are inspired to do so.

Let’s look at an example.

Say you are an animal lover, and you volunteer for an animal rescue group in your free time. The group is planning a huge fundraiser but lacks the direction necessary to execute it effectively. Without a leader in place, the event is destined for failure. You may not be completely comfortable talking in front of others, making decisions for a group and managing others, but you feel so strongly

about the need for the fundraiser that you are willing to overcome these challenges. With the support of several volunteers who are experienced in various areas (marketing, event planning, community outreach, etc.), and your knowledge of the group and the background of the fundraiser, you successfully manage the group and event. Possible? Absolutely

Developing Leadership

• Aside from having a passion that translates into action, there are several ways you can develop your own leadership skills:
• Work on improving your communication ability, especially your ability to listen to others
• Be willing to take risks
• Network and look for ways to expand your contacts
• Focus on working and living with integrity and respect for others
• Encourage those around you to find their own leadership qualities
• Be confident in yourself and your abilities
• Know your strengths and be ready to ask for support in areas where you are lacking
• Create a vision and share your vision to inspire others
• Think positively and commit to reaching your goals

What do you think? Are leaders born or made?

Manfaat berenang untuk bayi

Mengajarkan bayi berenang sejak tahun pertama memiliki banyak manfaat. Tak hanya bermanfaat untuk bayi, berenang juga bisa meningkatkan bonding antara orangtua-anak.

Sayangnya, masih banyak orangtua yang memandang sebelah mata kegiatan berenang untuk bayi. Atau mungkin, mereka terlalu khawatir dan menganggap terlalu dini. Padahal, mengajarkan berenang se-dini mungkin kepada anak, memberikan lebih banyak manfaat.

Survei yang diadakan Water Babies menunjukkan 40 persen orangtua di Inggris mengaku tak pernah memperkirakan adanya manfaat positif dari mengajarkan berenang pada bayi. Padahal kecelakaan ketiga tertinggi pada anak di Inggris disebabkan karena anak tenggelam. Mengajarkan berenang sejak dini pada anak, justru mampu meningkatkan kepercayaan diri anak di dalam air, dan membuatnya bisa melindungi diri.

Bonding

Berenang bersama bayi menjadi momen yang  menyenangkan untuk anak dan orangtua. Selain mendebarkan, berenang bersama bayi juga meningkatkan bonding orangtua-anak.

Perkembangan fisik dan mental

Aktiviti berenang melatih perkembangan fisik dan mental anak. Anak tak hanya tumbuh lebih bugar dan kuat, namun juga membantu anak untuk lebih bernafsu makan dan lebih nyenyak tidur.

Belajar life-skill

Nyatanya, renang bukan hanya olahraga fisik. Melalui renang, bayi juga bisa belajar life-skill, termasuk kemampuan untuk bertahan dan menjaga diri.

Menurut survei, 90 persen ayah dan ibu setuju bahwa menjadi tanggungjawab mereka untuk menjamin anak-anaknya memiliki life-skill. Artinya, adalah tugas orangtua untuk mendidik dan membimbing anak untukmemiliki life-skill seperti kemampuan berenang, bersepeda, memahami etika di meja makan. Namun, lebih dari sepertiganya mengaku komitmen untuk menumbuhkan life-skill ini terkalahkan karena kesibukan pekerjaan.

Paul Thompson, salah satu pendiri Water Babies mengatakan, "Mengajarkan anak mengenai keamanan tingkat dasar di dalam air dan kepercayaan diri di dalam air bisa menyelamatkan jiwanya. Melalui pelatihan yang progresif, bayi bisa belajar keterampilan pertahanan diri sejak dini, seperti berenang mendekati benda padat saat berada di dalam air, dan lain sebagainya."

Usia berapa mulai berenang?

Kebanyakan orangtua, para responden survei Water Babies, mengatakan anak-anak sebaiknya mulai belajar beranang mulai usia tiga. Namun faktanya, anak-anak bisa belajar berenang lebih dini lagi.

Bayi pada tahun pertama mengalami perkembangan otak yang tinggi, setiap gerakan akan merangsang perkembangan otak, menguatkan saraf dan membuat kerja otak semakin efisien.

"Bayi usia dua hari pernah belajar berenang bersama kami. Tahun pertama kehidupan bayi sangat krusial terutama dalam perkembangannya. Olahraga rutin turut punya andil besar dalam mendukung tumbuh kembangnya. Air memungkinkan otot bayi bergerak bebas.

Credit to : Manfaat berenang untuk bayi

How to Learn Math Through Play

Instructions

1. Make a list of the concepts, such as subtraction or addition, that you want to teach through play.
2. Devise a game that can teach the concepts. For example, if your lesson involves addition and subtraction, you could create a game that involves purchasing items at a store and then deciding on the correct amount to pay the cashier.
3. Organize the elements of the game. If you are creating an imaginary store, make a list of the items you will sell and the corresponding prices. You may choose to sell erasers for 50 cents, pencils for $1 and pens for $2. Also, have some play money that the children can use.
4. Explain the interactive game, along with the rules. For example, tell the children that they are in a store. One child is the cashier, and the others are the shoppers. The shoppers can purchase a minimum of two or a maximum of four items. The shoppers can pay in $5 increments. When they hand $5 to the cashier, along with the items they're purchasing, the cashier must hand back their change.
5. Allow the students to play this game independently for a certain period of time, and then have them switch roles. This will enable all of the students to have a turn being the cashier and the shopper.

Credit to :How to Learn Math Through Play

How to Teach Children to Role Play

Instructions

• Decide what you want to achieve through role-play. Devise scenarios that are likely to result in the appropriate lesson learned. Increase the complexity of the scenario for older age groups.
• Introduce role-play by presenting children with a scenario and characters. Pair children off and give them index cards with information about the situation and character profiles. Character profiles may consist of a variety of professions, characteristics or descriptors the children understand. Be sure to provide children with their character's perspective or position on the issue.
• Explain the concept of role-play. After distributing the index cards, tell children to pretend to be the characters in their given scenario. Give them a few moments to think about how the character would act and react in the situation.
• Have each pair of children come to the front of the room and perform their role-play. Offer suggestions, if they get stuck. When the scene is over, discuss the action with the rest of the children. Ask questions about the content addressed, the lesson being discussed and what they would have done differently as either of the characters.
• Have a conversation with the children about the lesson they learned. Tell them that the skills they learn in a role-playing environment can be applied to real-world encounters.

Credit to : how to teach children to role play