<p>Has anyone ever had their S or D take a Dale Carnegie class or something to work on their people skills?</p>
<p>If so which one would you suggest?</p>
<p>Although I think a course like Dale Carnegie might be great for a lot of shy students (including my own), when I took the course (many years ago), there were only business people taking the class. If Dale Carnegie now has a class especially for students, it would be worth investigating. </p>
<p>Coincidentally, I had this same thought recently that Dale Carnegie would be great for my kid, in the proper environment, or when he matures a bit more.</p>
<p>I would agree that DC is probably not appropriate due to age differences and business focus. Many HS’s have debate and other activities that can improve confidence and verbal skills. Unfortunately the kids who could benefit the most are very likely to avoid these activities.</p>
<p>edad is so right. The shy kids won’t volunteer for the activities that they need the most. Being a very mean ogre of a father, I had to use extreme parental pressure to get my son to participate in debate. He absolutely refused to do it during his freshman year, but I got him to agree to go in sophomore year. He enjoyed it so much, by the time he was a senior, he was a co-captain of the debate team. My son is still quite shy and socially immature, but debate helped him in may ways and was his favorite EC.</p>
<p>It turned out that debate was a great experience for both of us. I volunteered to be a debate judge at the monthly county-wide debates so we could enjoy/endure/explore the experience together. I met many students who were painfully shy, but shined like stars during their debates. </p>
<p>I was also a very shy kid in high school and did not have a parent to guide me, so I missed out on debate at that time, because of my reluctance to put myself out there. I was able to capture part of that experience as a parent, though. :)</p>
<p>It’s too late for high school debate; he just graduated. He did do Mock Trial and “Scholars Bowl” in high school–won the Optimist’s speech contest in middle school. it’s not public speaking per se it’s social skills. It’s conversational skills–I’m very social and tried to suggest conversation starters–it makes him mad. Some of it is just not picking up the social cues. He’s ADHS and I think that’s part of it.</p>
<p>Dale Carnegie has a Young Adult program. Don’t know how it’s different from the sales and organization program.</p>
<p>I went to the Dale Carnegie website and read the course description. Had I known they were offering this program, I probably would have already tried to get my son involved.</p>
<p>Although it was many years ago that I participated in Dale Carnegie courses, I found the experience extremely helpful in helping me break out of my shell. </p>
<p>swmmr said, “It’s conversational skills–I’m very social and tried to suggest conversation starters–it makes him mad. Some of it is just not picking up the social cues.” Its the exact same situation with us. </p>
<p>Thanks for pointing out the Generation Next Dale Carnegie course! I will be looking into it for my son.</p>