Students of ACTPRO1 Batch 3 stepped into the premises of COOL MUM SUPER DAD ACADEMY on the morning of Friday, 29th November 2013 and delivered their speech during the Showcase in the evening of 1st December 2013 before friends and family with vim and vigour plus their newfound confidence. As in previous ACTPRO1 courses, the students came all over from Klang Valley as well as out-of-town.
When asked what they liked about the course, here’s what the participants said (quoted verbatim):
– The coaches interact with the students
– I like everything. The speakers [coaches / trainers] are friendly
– It is a fun environment to learn about public speaking
– It teaches us using interactive methods
– The generosity of speakers [trainers / coaches]
– I like the way we were taught, the games, the place and lots more. Keep it up!
– The activities and the coaching
– The coaches. The way they explained it. Very clear and very supportive
– The energizer games. It’s fun
– The energizers. The way of teaching
COOL MUM SUPER DAD ACADEMY firmly believes that children are born to excel. Given the right environment plus the right tools and techniques, virtually every child has it in him or her to blossom as a speaker.
When asked for comments following the Speech Showcase, a parent, Puan Sabariah stood up and said “The night before, it was the first time that my son, Amir, asked to sit with me for half and hour to prepare for his speech. Before that, he could hardly sit with me for longer than ten minutes.” Amir presented a speech on “Gadgets and Family Life”. She said she’s proud of him and his younger brother, Ashraf, also an ACTPRO1 participant, that day.
A father, Encik Abu Bakar, said seeing how the kids performed made him feel that “It was worth every penny spent.”
Another parent, Puan Mimi, advised parents not to be discouraged if their children didn’t get selected as a top speaker as every child will improve based on his own level.
Throughout the course, participants were trained how to think critically, speak assertively and communicate confidently.
Chief Executive Officer of COOL MUM SUPER DAD ACADEMY, Ahmad Fakhri Hamzah says, “The ability to communicate clearly and convincingly is not only a ‘portable’ skill; it is critical to success in life. No matter how smart a person’s ideas are, they mean little if he is not able to communicate them effectively. Personal differentiation and the ability to market oneself increase with effective communication. By the end of this program, participants will be able to craft a speech with an attention-grabbing opening, impactful points and convincing conclusion.”
“Learning how to speak assertively is sorely missing in our education system and lacking among local students. To help address this issue, COOL MUM SUPER DAD ACADEMY offers three levels of ACTPRO. ACTPRO1 focuses on secondary students (13 -17 years old); ACTPRO2 is for college and university students (18 – 23 years old); ACTPRO3 is for graduates and management trainees (24 – 28 years old).”
Throughout the three days, ACTPRO1 participants are exposed to highly interactive presentation skills, plus one-on-one personal mentoring and coaching on speaking techniques from experts. Participants also review speeches from famous orators, experience peer coaching and learn the finer points of public speaking. On the third and final day, participants get to present their carefully crafted speeches in the Speech Showcase witnessed by family members and friends. For ACTPRO2 and ACTPRO3, lecturers and senior management are invited as well.
Chief Operating Officer of COOL MUM SUPER DAD ACADEMY, Jamilah Samian says, “As an author who needs to convince people the importance of positive change, I have learnt firsthand how critical it is to be able to present ideas in a way that makes people sit up and listen to you. Growing up, I was the most shy among my siblings. I was never comfortable with making myself heard. It was only later as an adult that I learnt how to do it.”
Jamilah is especially experienced in instilling confidence to speak in shy youths. To parents of shy children, Jamilah says, “Shy children are genuinely terrified of speaking in front of others, although they might need it the most. You need to be tactful to introduce the idea of attending such a workshop. Win them over gradually. Watching videos of inspiring speeches is one way. Kids also love speeches with a good sense of humour. Over time, your kids will warm up to the idea, learn to appreciate a powerful speech and see how persuasive speakers can influence people. It’s heartening to see participants complete the course with a personal transformation they value for the rest of their lives.”
Both Jamilah and Ahmad Fakhri have presented to international audiences in Sydney and Melbourne (Australia), Durban (South Africa), Doha (Qatar), Muscat (Oman) and Singapore apart from Malaysia.
