|
CHARACTER & LEADERSHIP QUALITIES
It was Social Studies class. This particular debate was on abortion. In the classroom I listened to the utterances of many anti-abortion sentiments....(yes men in the making!) No one dared say anything pro-abortion. I spoke after they had all reached a consensus of less than ten minutes. I asked but two questions: 1. Were their opinions their own, their parents, a text book answer or their religious dogma? 2. Couldn't they think of any other non-rehearsed answer that was their own original thought process? Yep...there followed a stoned-faced silence and a very heated exchange of words. 34 students vs me. At the end of the lesson, three had changed their views completely. The rest never spoke to me for over a month. Until I told them one day that it was futile to behave that way because little did they realise that at primary school I was sent to Coventry (British expression meaning "silent treatment") more times than I care to remember, the longest lasting a year whereupon the whole school wasn't allowed to speak to me out of fear. I have always shown leadership qualities because of my character especially if its my own opinion and not by following the trend of others thoughts or actions just because of fear, fashion nor intimidation. This has built my endurance in the face of adversity and making decisions.
|