How to Help Student Strugling With Algebra

How to Help Student Strugling With AlgebraAre you one of the many struggling students wondering how to help student struggling with algebra? You may be wondering how to do this and other algebra problems. You may not be aware that there are no real answers, only tools for you to use. The first step is knowing what steps you need to take.The first thing you need to do is to make sure you have a good math textbook or course guide. This will be your starting point for all your algebra problems. The next step is to sit down and write out an algebra equation for each class so you can memorize them. Most students need to use an algebra calculator, but that isn't always necessary. Simply write down the number in front of the equation to remind yourself how it should be written.There are many ways you can help a student struggling with algebra. One idea is to do as much homework as possible. Taking a few minutes every day to figure out formulas is not bad at all. You will save so much time. The more you can do the more you can help them with the work.Another tip is to try to talk to your teacher. Maybe you have some problems yourself. By talking to the teacher, you will find out what it is he or she needs help with. It might also be a good idea to ask for help from your tutor. TIP: Don't waste your time and energy on the math tutor who can't solve a problem for you.Another way to help student struggling with algebra is to remember different types of problems. It may be helpful to study a variety of problems and find out which type will best fit with your personal situation. For example, if you have never been asked to solve a conversion problem, then the chances are you will be better able to handle one when asked. Doing this helps you understand how to solve the problem.Some of the ways you can help a student struggling with algebra is by asking the help of other students. They may know about a few tricks that can help you. If you find they don't, you can discuss the problem with them and they can help you with it. It's just another way to learn and help you get the help you need.There are many ways to help student struggling with algebra. The trick is finding a method that works for you. The biggest mistake that most students make is getting into the wrong habit. By getting help from the teachers, classmates, tutors, and even you the way to help a student struggling with algebra is done.

Edukwest Talking with Kirsten Winkler about italki

Edukwest Talking with Kirsten Winkler about italki If you dont know who Kirsten Winkler is, you really should. She is a professional language teacher who has become an expert in the field of online language education. Between her blog and her E-Teachers Academy and conferences, I think there are few people who understand the evolving space of online language education as well as she does. You could say Kirsten is the equivalent of techcrunch for online language learning. One of her main projects is called Edukwest, and she has been interviewing a lot of inspiring people in the online language learning space. She asked to interview us at italki, and we gladly took the opportunity. Heres the direct page to the interview http://www.edukwest.com/kevin-chen-of-italki-com/ And heres that interview embedded (youll need a proxy to view it if youre in China): We covered a lot of topics in the interview, and one thing we hope that is clear is that it is an exciting time to be a startup in this area. The technology and the market is evolving very quickly, and were only just seeing the start of these new and potentially world-changing ideas. I believe everyone shares this core belief that technology can play a critical role in improving the old way of language learning. The impressive thing about Kirsten is that she has actually met and interviewed a lot of these people! Again, if you want to know all the latest news, as well as engage in the latest debates about online language education, read Kirstens blog or follow her on twitter (@kirstenwinkler). And of course, you can also get involved and influence the shape of things to come just by commenting on a blog or sending emails! Edukwest Talking with Kirsten Winkler about italki If you dont know who Kirsten Winkler is, you really should. She is a professional language teacher who has become an expert in the field of online language education. Between her blog and her E-Teachers Academy and conferences, I think there are few people who understand the evolving space of online language education as well as she does. You could say Kirsten is the equivalent of techcrunch for online language learning. One of her main projects is called Edukwest, and she has been interviewing a lot of inspiring people in the online language learning space. She asked to interview us at italki, and we gladly took the opportunity. Heres the direct page to the interview http://www.edukwest.com/kevin-chen-of-italki-com/ And heres that interview embedded (youll need a proxy to view it if youre in China): We covered a lot of topics in the interview, and one thing we hope that is clear is that it is an exciting time to be a startup in this area. The technology and the market is evolving very quickly, and were only just seeing the start of these new and potentially world-changing ideas. I believe everyone shares this core belief that technology can play a critical role in improving the old way of language learning. The impressive thing about Kirsten is that she has actually met and interviewed a lot of these people! Again, if you want to know all the latest news, as well as engage in the latest debates about online language education, read Kirstens blog or follow her on twitter (@kirstenwinkler). And of course, you can also get involved and influence the shape of things to come just by commenting on a blog or sending emails!

What Its Like Being Happy

What It's Like Being Happy Photo by natalieecollins via Instagram. My friends, family, random acquaintances, and even those I’m not particularly fond of are able to tell. They know that I’m happy. Some of them say that they’re genuinely excited for me, when I know that they’re not. Several seem almost mad about it. That’s jealously and selfishness, and you can’t really expect more from people, I’m afraid. Some could care less. Others seem legitimately pleased and tell me things like “If anyone deserves this, it’s you”, or “I’m so glad things are finally turning around for you”. I like when they’re able to feel happy from my happiness. Genuine happiness can’t be taken away from you either; you can only spread the disease to more and more people. I can’t even begin to describe you what happiness has done for my overall health. My long list of prescriptions is starting to dwindle down; you’re more likely to find me outside in the sun than in bed hiding under my covers; I notice myself being comfortable with complete strangers, and because of this, I’ve made more friends in a few weeks then I did in a whole semester. I’m a more thoughtful and compassionate person, acquaintance, best friend, sister, daughter than usual. Instead of being consumed with my struggles and shortcomings, I try to help others see the brighter side of their own. I’m basically Mother Teresa these days. Your question is probably the same as mine â€"  how the hell did this happen? How can I achieve this blissful emotion you speak of? I wish I knew the answer. Part of me believes in karma, not that I’ve had a particularly tragic life that’s rewarded me with this period of peace. Another part of me thinks that whatever medication I’m on is really working this time. The spiritual side of me has determined that I’ve always been happy, and it just took a bit of digging and uncovering to find it. Whatever the case may be, the whole of me knows that if this isn’t nice, I don’t know what is.

5 Ways to Keep Self-Esteem High During Summer School

5 Ways to Keep Self-Esteem High During Summer School Costa Mesa Tutor Tips: 5 Ways to Keep Self-Esteem High During Summer School Many children can benefit from an academically focused summer school program that will make their overall educational experience easier and more productive. Unfortunately, most children dont see summer school as a benefit. Rather, they see it as something they have to do because they didnt receive passing grades during the year. There are several things parents and teachers can do to help younger kids keep their self-esteem high while they attend a summer school program. Of course, every child is unique, and their situations will vary from that of their peers and neighbors, but there are several positive things about summer school in general. 1. Become an expert Kids who fell behind in a difficult subject during the school year may not be feeling great about their abilities to become an expert. However, participating in a summer school program can help kids improve in that same subject during the next school year. Summer school provides an opportunity for kids to focus on just that one subject that gave them trouble so they can overcome any content or study skills issues. Once students have a chance to understand truly whats going on with reading, math, or any other challenging subject their self-esteem is likely to get higher (READ: 10 reasons you need a summer tutor). 2. Leave academic struggles behind In many cases, children attend summer school because they are having some overall academic struggles as opposed to difficulty in a specific subject. If this is the case, the summer school instructor may focus on study skills and organization across all topics. Kids dont get a chance to take a class in study skills but are expected to master these things on their own. This can make it very difficult for kids with any concentration or motivation issue to ace every class. Academic summer programs provide a great opportunity for kids to work with a dedicated teacher and develop some study skills that work for them as an individual. 3. Work with a private Costa Mesa tutor in a one-on-one setting Another thing students can do to help keep their self-esteem high during summer school is to work one-on-one with a private tutor. Many kids struggle with either reading or math and need a little bit of extra help. A private tutor can serve as an excellent supplement to a summer school program because they can provide useful repetition of a challenging subject and introduce new concepts at a pace that works for the student. When a student isnt overly stressed out about a particular subject theyre more likely to feel great about the subject and school in general. 4. Allow time for fun activities Many kids dont like summer school because they think it will take time away from fun activities and time with friends. If a child can benefit from summer school, they should attend, but they should also have plenty of fun activities scheduled, so they dont miss out on some relaxation and outdoor time. If kids know that theyre going to have plenty of time to have fun with friends in the neighborhood they will be more likely to give summer school a chance and concentrate on improving their academic skills. 5. Prevent isolation A lot of the time, students feel isolated if they have to attend summer school. However, there are tons of kids attending summer academic programs these days. With increased competition, many students simply attend summer school to get ahead. They may want to apply for a scholarship later on or participate in academic competitions. If children know that there are tons of students attending summer programs, they are less likely to feel isolated. As long as theyre part of a group, summer school wont seem so bad (READ: 5 Reasons to get an in-home tutor this summer). Do well in summer school with the help of Costa Mesa private tutoring from TutorNerds. Call us today for more information. All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at pr@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us write.

How to Tutor ESL Students

How to Tutor ESL StudentsIf you are interested in finding out how to tutor ESL students, this article can give you some very helpful information on how to do this effectively. Many people in the UK simply do not know how to do this and therefore have a hard time.When speaking to people about how to tutor ESL students, the most important thing you need to realise is that ESL (English as a second language) is a separate language altogether. If you speak fluent English, then you can easily teach the students in your class English as a second language. However, this only works for those who speak English as a first language. If they are all learning English as a second language, then this doesn't work very well.You should also realise that English is used by most people to communicate every day and is actually easier to learn than other languages like French, Spanish or Italian. However, you can get a lot more out of it than people who only speak one language.Another great way to teach E SL students is to find some books on the subject. You should look online for resources that will teach you how to teach ESL students and actually help you learn all of the skills that are needed. Remember that it is not the language that is important, but the ability to communicate with people who don't speak English.The number one tip on how to tutor ESL students is to use the internet. There are some really good online resources that will provide you with materials, to teach ESL, and you can get a lot of great information from these resources.In addition to using the internet, you should also consider going to your local library. This is an excellent resource that will offer you books that you can buy and use in your classes.When you find out how to tutor ESL students, make sure that you keep in mind that you want to be effective, but don't waste too much time. That means that you will want to avoid going into depth too quickly, and allow them to get familiar with the material tha t you teach them.

Facts About Gas Chemistry

Facts About Gas ChemistryLike many classes, gases are not taken for granted. Chemistry is one of the biggest factors in gas and chemical technology as well as related to the environment. Gas law requires emissions to be analyzed and used by the government to fight against pollution.Chemicals, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and fluorinated gases can all be collected in a proper and accurate way through the use of chemistry. Every year, there are many studies done to study and analyze gases. It involves the chemical composition of the gas as well as its effects on a specific chemical. In particular, they are used to conduct or determine studies regarding the properties of gases.Chemistry is a branch of science dealing with the interactions between chemicals and their resulting effects on a system or process. It is also a branch that deals with the development of chemical reactions as well as the understanding of the properties of gases.A chemical that is gas dependent will react wi th oxygen in the system of a system such as water to create water vapor and also produce a flammable gas which is known as a toxic gas. In the same way, the gas is completely dependent on other gases to be released and produced, as well as how these gases interact with each other.The most important aspects in chemistry to include the nature of gases themselves. These gases are divided into two categories - chemical and physical. Chemical gases are those that interact with other gases and molecules, and the chemical reactions associated with them. Physical gases are those that are being dispersed or oxidized in the reaction to produce a chemical gas.Chemistry, however, has been involved in creating many things including metals and metal compositions. Chemistry is a great tool to find out about substances, so that it can be classified appropriately. However, the studies in this branch require much more work than the studies in physics and mathematics.At the elementary level, you can l earn what gas molecules are, how they get grouped together to form gases, and why there are gases. In this way, you can start understanding your life's work, as well as developing the confidence to work in this field. These courses also teach you about the qualities and properties of gases, which helps in finding gas laws and how these work in all parts of the process.

Calling All Bad Boss Stories! - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Calling All Bad Boss Stories! - Introvert Whisperer Calling All Bad Boss Stories! So, give it shot. What’s your story? Image: Flickr Power-Influence-Office Politics: it comes down to your Strategic Relationships and understanding of how you build each one of these elements. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my video that outlines all of this and meaningful actions you can take today!  Start watching now by clicking here! Brought to you by Sooner or later we all “get” a bad boss. Some are worse than others, but no matter how bad they are, they can make our work-life miserable. I’m collecting bad boss stories and I’d like to hear yours. There are two ways you can tell me your story: Submit your story in the comment box below. I ask that you edit out profanity as this becomes public â€" if you want to *bleep* I think we’ll get the drift. Also no names of the bad boss please â€" I don’t want someone coming after me (after all they’re BAD!). I’ve got a link to a submission page that will keep you and your Bad Boss story private. You can access it here. And then what? I’m going to publish them; I think they’ll be entertaining. Of course, I will protect the innocent storytellers in the process. I hear a lot of Bad Boss stories and trust me, some of them are so outrageous that they need to be heard. So, give it shot. What’s your story? Image: Flickr Go to top Power-Influence-Office Politics: it comes down to your Strategic Relationships and understanding of how you build each one of these elements. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my video that outlines all of this and meaningful actions you can take today! Start watching now: CLICK HERE Brought to you by So, give it shot. What’s your story? Image: Flickr Power-Influence-Office Politics: it comes down to your Strategic Relationships and understanding of how you build each one of these elements. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my video that outlines all of this and meaningful actions you can take today!  Start watching now by clicking here! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer

Learn Hindi Tools for Improving Hindi Conversation Skills

Learn Hindi Tools for Improving Hindi Conversation Skills 6 Tips for Improving Your Hindi Conversation ChaptersWhy Can’t I Speak Hindi?Practise Your Listening Skills in the Hindi LanguageLearn to Speak Hindi With Conversation PartnersImmerse Yourself in Hindi Language and CultureSo you’ve signed up for Hindi language courses, you’ve learned the Devanagari alphabet, practised your vocabulary, done all your grammar exercises, but your conversation is limited to the basic words and phrases covered in your beginners’ textbook?Despite all the time you have put aside to study Hindi verb declensions, you still aren’t able to communicate fluently?Here are some Superprof tips and tricks to improve your conversational Hindi. GiusyHindi Teacher 5.00 (3) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AnchalHindi Teacher 5.00 (4) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NehaHindi Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AkshayaHindi Teacher £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SuhaniHindi Teacher 5.00 (4) £18/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutor s MedhaHindi Teacher 5.00 (2) £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PriyankaHindi Teacher £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SaurabhHindi Teacher £10/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsWhy Can’t I Speak Hindi?How is it that, even though you have been learning your vocabulary religiously, done all the written exercises to learn sentence structure and basic phrases, you still can’t get out more than simple greetings in spoken conversation?That is because you learn languages on several levels. They can be divided into:Written and oral comprehensionActive and passive vocabularyWritten versus Oral ComprehensionReading something - whether in the Hindi alphabet or transliteration - and hearing it are two different things. Unless you really have an excellent ear, there will always be a certain variation in what you hear when you read a vocabulary list and what you hear when the words are spoken by a native speaker.For one thing, someone with Hindi as his mother tongue will probably be speaking faster than you. When you read, you have all the time you need to consider the Hindi words and figure out their meaning. For another, he or she might be speaking a dialect that pronounces things slightly differently, whereas the words will always look the same when written down.Understanding each other and having a conversation in Hindi is essential for good international relations! Photo credit: UK in India on Visual huntActive versus Passive VocabularyThen there is the difference between passive and active vocabulary - the difference between understanding and speaking.It’s easier to understand something that is said because all you need to do is remember the vocabulary. Hopefully, your grammar lessons included enough examples of Hindi phrases that you can eventually automatically comprehend which word is the subject, object and verb.However, when you try to speak yourself, you not only have to find the right words but also:arrange them in the ri ght orderdecline the verb tenses,use the right gender,match adjectives in number and gender to the nouns, etc.This may come easily when faced with words on paper, but in front of a live person who is waiting for an answer, perhaps impatiently, whom you feel might be judging you, you often freeze up. Maybe you’re also afraid of getting it wrong and being misunderstood, of your pronunciation not being up to par.All this comes together to make having a conversation in the Hindi language more difficult than reading or writing. It’s also why it’s often easier to speak a language while drunk - while you still need to call forth the words from your passive vocabulary, you stop overthinking things and simply get the words out.But since we at Superprof cannot condone drunken language learning, here are some tips for improving your ear and improving your conversation.Practise Your Listening Skills in the Hindi LanguageThe first part of a conversation is understanding what people are tel ling you. This means improving your listening skills and learning to understand Hindi spoken as a native language.How to learn Hindi through audioOne way to get used to the tones and rhythms of the Hindi language is to listen to an audio recording.   It frees you from visual stimuli and lets you focus on the rise and fall of the language.This is a good solution for learning Hindi on the go. You can listen to audio files almost anywhere - on your daily commute, while out jogging, while doing grunt work or just before going to sleep. Just remember: safety first! You need to be able to hear your surroundings if you are outside or working.So what kind of audio files are good for practising your Hindi?listening to Hindi music.Tuning in to a Hindi online radio station or podcast.Downloading your favourite Hindi books as audiobooks.Learning Hindi in a classroom is the first step - immersing yourself in Hindi language and culture is the next! Photo credit: WorldLitToday on VisualhuntLearnin g Hindi through Hindi videoBut while listening to the Hindi language is good for learning the rhythm of Hindi, the best way to get used to Hindi conversation is to actually see someone speak - after all, the Indian culture is different from ours. There are going to be different visual cues and body language.For example, where we might nod to show we understand or to punctuate a sentence, in many parts of India they dip their head slightly to the side.Body language and facial expressions are as important a part of learning a new language as knowing your Hindi vocabulary by heart.For that, you need to see people speaking Hindi. And there are several ways to do that:Learn Hindi online with video blogs, tutorials and YouTube videos. They don’t have to be about learning Hindi, you can watch videos about anything that interests you.Watch Indian TV via satellite or online libraries.Watch Bollywood movies. Not only will you have fun and learn about the Indian culture, you will also practi ce your Hindi through listening to dialogue.Careful, though! Not every Indian video will be in Hindi - they could be in Nepali, Kannada, Gujarati, Tamil, Punjabi, Marathi or Bengali.Learn to Speak Hindi With Conversation PartnersBut though improving your listening skills is a good start, it’s not quite enough for your conversation skills. For that, you need the give-and-take of an actual conversation. This is the best way to learn Hindi expressionsBut how can you speak to a native speaker without going to India?The best way is to hook up with a language partner.Often, this takes the form of a language exchange. You find someone who speaks Hindi and who wants to learn to speak English, and you each spend some time talking exclusively in each language.There are various ways you can get in touch with a potential language partner.Finding the right Hindi language exchange partner is the first step to improving your Hindi conversation! Photo on Visualhunt.How to learn Hindi with live la nguage partnersA nice way to learn Hindi and make new friends is to meet up with a language partner in person. There are several websites that can pair you up with a native Hindi speaking course near you.Or you can see if your local university offers Hindi as a subject. If it does, you can go there and put up a notice on the message board if they have one, advertising for someone to speak Hindi with.You can also ask local Indian restaurants if you can put up a notice, or in shops that sell Indian products.Be certain that you first meet in a neutral location, such as a café. Ordering food is also a good way to break the ice!A good way to make sure you have something to talk about the first few meetings is to both read an article or book or watch the same Hindi movie and discuss it.Language partners onlineThere are a number of apps and websites that let you chat with people from various countries - whether you want to learn Portuguese, learn Korean, learn Arabic or learn Chinese. Mos tly, it’s written - so they are not necessarily ideal for practising speaking. However, this is a good intermediate solution for learning the give-and-take of conversation while still leaving you time to order your thoughts.A few apps and websites where people can post their interest in language chats are:Conversation ExchangeItalki  My Language ExchangeSome of them, though, offer written or face chats on-site (or in-app) such as:Open Language Exchange  Scrabbin  Tandem (app)HelloTalk (app)Another option is to get a private tutor in Hindi, either live or via Skype.Immerse Yourself in Hindi Language and CultureThe best possible way of learning a language, though, is through immersion. And that means going to India.When choosing where in India you want to live, be sure to choose someplace where Hindi is the main language. For while Hindi is the official language of India for many purposes, it is only one of many. Mostly it is spoken in northern India, in the following states:BiharCh hattisgarhDelhiHaryanaHimachal PradeshJharkhandMadhya PradeshRajasthanUttarakhandUttar PradeshThere are some other places, such as Mumbai, where Hindi is spoken, but there it is very much influenced by the Marathi language, so unless you have an internship at a Bollywood studio, you should stick to the areas above.It’s even better if you can take a language course at the same time to improve your knowledge of grammar rules and pronunciation.Take an immersion holidayThere are a number of companies that offer immersion holidays, or you can plan your own. The idea is not to stay in the tourist hotels, but somewhere you will be forced to interact with locals, going to the market, maybe even taking on a small job for a few weeks.This means that in that time you will be speaking nothing but Hindi, hearing nothing but Hindi and reading nothing but the Hindi script. The phrase: “Do you speak English?” is taboo on an immersion holiday!Immerse yourself in Indian culture by learning Hind i in India - during an immersion holiday. Photo credit: Claudio Nichele (@jihan65 on Twitter) on VisualHunt.comBecome an au-pair in IndiaIf you want to stay a bit longer, becoming an au-pair is a possibility.As an au-pair, you will live with a Hindi-speaking family and help around the house (au-pairs are often used as nannies, so getting on well with children is a plus!). In exchange, they will speak Hindi to you and you will live in India with free room and board.You will generally have a little bit of pocket money and some au-pair agencies will also offer Hindi language classes to help you with your possessive pronouns and subjunctive.Or why not try a private tutor to learn Hindi, and get support both in grammar and conversation!

Online Resources to Help You Develop Leadership Skills

Online Resources to Help You Develop Leadership Skills Where Can You Find Leadership Skills Development Materials Online? ChaptersGood Leadership Skills: Understanding Leadership TheoryCommunication Skills for LeadershipGood Leadership Skills Include Critical ThinkingGeneral Resources to Foster Good Leadership SkillsThere has always been lots of press about leaders; a veritable serpent of column inches that detail their famous â€" and sometimes infamous exploits.Think about it: Richard Branson is a household name because he does not keep a low profile like less-renowned Rakesh Kapoor, the CEO of Reckitt Benckiser Group, the corporation behind such brand names as Dettol and Airborne.Even so, Mr Kapoor also appears in print because he is consistently ranked as one of the business world’s top CEOs. He even has his own Wikipedia page!Great leaders in business â€" Tim Cook, Elon Musk and Jack Ma, founder of China’s Alibaba have plenty to teach us about becoming a great leader... but what if you’re not interested in filling a managerial role?What if you simply want to develop your leadership qualities a nd the soft skills that all great leaders are said to have mastered only for your personal growth â€" not with a desire to someday be rich, powerful and renown?If that is the case, we commend you. Personal development is far more worthwhile a goal than a quest for power and money. At least, it will bring more satisfaction than all of the headaches you might be saddled with running a company or even being a team leader.How does one get started, learning leadership skills? More importantly: does learning leadership competencies cost a lot of money? Not if you know where to look.Your Superprof has taken matters to hand. We’ve combed every corner of the Internet to bring you the best online resources to guide you on your discovery of self-awareness, emotional intelligence and the path to effective leadership.Put on your thinking cap; here we go! TraceyPersonal development Teacher 4.92 (9) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NatashaPersonal development Teacher 5.00 (7) £55 /h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AntonellaPersonal development Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors IsamPersonal development Teacher 5.00 (3) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AndriyPersonal development Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MichelePersonal development Teacher 4.73 (7) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FlloydPersonal development Teacher 5.00 (11) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliverPersonal development Teacher 4.33 (4) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsGood Leadership Skills: Understanding Leadership Theory There are as many styles of leadership to learn as there are ways to practise them Image by Gerd Altmann from PixabayTo be a good leader, you have to know the theories and philosophies that leadership styles have shaped.Since the end of the Industrial Revolution, several ideas about leadership have taken centre-stage, the first one being The Great Man theory, which averred that great men are born to rise up and take a leadership position when a situation demands it.Mahatma Gandhi is a prime example of such a leader.That theory now takes a back seat to these four, more prominent core theories:Power and Influence theories: closely related to the Great Man theory, it emphasises three types of power â€" coercive, reward and legitimate, along with personal power to get things done.Trait theories: helps identify traits and qualities that add depth to leadershipsuch qualities include, empathy, integrity, honesty and self-confidenceBehavioural theories detail how leaders behave. Behaviours f all on a spectrum from laissez-faire â€" a hands-off manager to autocratic: a leader who makes all of the decisions.Transformational leadership focuses on inspiring and motivating subordinates while transactional leadership functions on a quid-pro-quo basis. These leaderships styles are influenced by specific behavioursContingency theories: how does a leader function in any given situation? These theories are predicated on the fact that one’s management style must adapt to every situation.Of course, this is a nutshell version; the actual theories are expansive and often incorporate elements of other leadership theories.In this table, we’ve listed some of the best pages to gain an understanding of the theories that define a leadership role.Learn About Leadership Theories:Page NameWeb AddressWhat You Can LearnMind Toolswww.mindtools.comExplanations on the four core theory groupsLeadership Centralwww.leadership-central.comLearn about individual theories and their premiseVery Well M indwww.verywellmind.comSearch for 'leadership theories' to access articlesGo on a life-changing adventure by learning how to develop strong leadership skills... Good leaders are excellent communicators Image by Dean Moriarty from PixabayCommunication Skills for LeadershipIt goes without saying that an effective leader is an excellent communicator.S/he doesn’t just have an extensive vocabulary and, should s/he be in a particular field such as finance or marketing, know all of the jargon.Those in leadership roles have learned a particular skill set that enables them to pick up on subtle clues such as body language and tone to correctly interpret what people are actually saying.According to Forbes magazine, interpreting body language is a key communication skill that every leader must have!Listening is often overlooked as a part of communication because it is generally considered a passive activity, meaning you don’t have to do anything special; just let the waves of sound come to you.Leaders take the act of listening a step further by practising what is called active listening: taking in visual clues as well as focusing on the words being said and the tone they are spoken in. A person adept at this skill will often paraphrase what they have just heard to demonstrate that they understand the issue at hand.As your aim is personal development rather than a career in leadership and management, you may work on other types of listening, such as empathetic listening or reflective listening â€" a part of active listening.Naturally, the flip side of listening is speaking; leaders are generally also good public speakers.You don’t need to anticipate mounting a podium and addressing a crowd to develop this skill; you can practise speaking with a video camera, to an empty room or to your reflection, if need be.The goal of speaking clearly is being as concise as possible without omitting any necessary details of the issue you are trying to convey, all while projecting body language suitable to your message.For instance, if your job entails conflict resolution, you would adopt a non-threatening posture, a kind tone and lots of ey e contact; maybe even a sympathetic hand on your listener’s arm.On the other hand, if you’re conducting a team-building exercise, your body should convey the impression of energy (not mania!) and your voice should sound excited.We found some excellent guides for learning and practising effective communication on these web sites.Learn Effective Communication Skills:Domain NameWeb AddressWhat you'll findLeadership Geekswww.leadershipgeeks.comA trove of articles and exercises to prepare you for leadershipLegaceewww.legacee.comLots of skills-based learning!The Training Industryhttps://trainingindustry.comA host of articles on communicationEntrepreneurwww.entrepreneur.comSearch 'communication' for a list of articlesVirtual Speechhttps://virtualspeech.comLook under the 'courses' tab to find information on communicationRemember that a large part of being a leader means delegating, whether you are running a company or a household. Mastering communication skills will make it so much easi er to delegate chores!The ability to communicate well is important is only a part of a leadership skills set...Good Leadership Skills Include Critical ThinkingCogito, ergo sum â€" DecartesThat French philosopher and mathematician was attempting to prove his existence by implying his thinking substantiated his being. At that time, there was little thought given to different types of thinking.Today, much is made of thinking skills: critical thinking, strategic thinking and situational thinking among them.There is a push in academia to help students in their earliest years to develop such thinking skills; skills that leaders of all stripes have long been using to think their way out of anything from conflict management to improving team performance.In this table, we highlight particularly useful pages to practise your thinking skills.Critical Thinking Activities PagesAgency NameWeb AddressWhat You Can FindWabisabihttps://wabisabistore.comLots of thinking and team building exercisesTeac h-Nologywww.teach-nology.comFree teaching resources, including critical thinking worksheetsThe Balance Careerswww.thebalancecareers.coma search for 'thinking skills' will yield many articles and activities to strengthen thinking skillsEd-Helperwww.edhelper.comUse their 'search' function to find the best thinking resourcesHead Scratcherswww.headscratchers.comCourses and resources to develop thinking skillsThe Critical Thinking Companywww.criticalthinking.comToward the bottom of the page you will find free exercises to test and train your thinkingYou’ll note that most of those pages are targeted to young learners; as we mentioned earlier, much is being made of thinking skills training for children. That doesn’t mean you can’t benefit from them as well!Your input matters! Tell us why you feel it is important for people to develop leadership skills... You can build leadership skills by reading accounts of great leaders Image by rawpixel from PixabayGeneral Resources to Foster Good Leadership SkillsLeadership development is much more than the sum of its parts. It takes more than sterling qualities, the ability to think a way through any situation and becoming a master communicator.One might say that knowing how to lead is a way of life.That is why many management and leadership training courses address the whole person; they don’t consist of only academic exercises designed meant to hone basic skills of humankind such as speaking and listening.What can you expect to find in leadership skills training courses?Let’s say a CEO is planning to move its operation overseas because labour and legislation have simply gotten too expensive and onerous.While overall such a move would probably benefit the company’s bottom line in the long run, aspects of such a decision require deep thought, such as:job loss in one’s own country and wha t such a move would do to the local economyTransportation costs of finished goods and the environmental impact thereofwould the materials to produce the good be sustainably sourced?would the goods be legitimately produced (as opposed to being made in a sweatshop)Business ethics pervade every aspect of leadership, from major decisions such as the one to move production offshore to recognising and correcting the dysfunctions of a team.If you’re looking to improve leadership skills or even just determine your leadership style so you can be prepared to tackle weighty issues in your life, there are many online resources for you to do so and quite a few of them charge you little or nothing.Materials for Developing Leadership SkillsDomain NameWeb AddressWhat to Look forAlisonhttps://alison.comFree training in a variety of disciplines including leadershipOpen Learnwww.open.edu/openlearn/An entire course list relating to Business and Finance, arranged by level of difficultyCourserawww.cour sera.orgSeveral entry-level leadership courses and many specialised onesMasterclass Managementwww.masterclassmanagement.comA site specifically targeted to aspiring managersEdXwww.edx.orgSeveral courses available in leadership and entrepreneurshipLindahttps://learning.linkedin.comCourses in leadership and management, soft skills development and moreSloan School of Businesshttps://ocw.mit.edu/courses/sloan-school-of-management/A long list of graduate level courses on the many aspects of business and leadershipSkill Sharewww.skillshare.comBrowse their leadership an management course catalogueWhile you’re exploring these online resources, don’t forget to also conduct a search for leadership podcasts and look for books about developing leadership. You may also consider reading biographies of great leaders.What could be more inspiring than reading how a person overcame adversity to rise up and become a titan of industry!Don’t laugh; in such tomes, you may find nuggets of wisdom that resonate with you, that you wouldn’t find or hear anywhere else.The trick about leadership is once you’ve put on the mantle, it never comes off. You will function as a leader in all of your dealings â€" from arranging your holidays to arranging your life.Isn’t it a good thing that there are so many resources for you to learn effective leadership skills from?Now discover other ways you can develop your leadership skills...