Public Speaking Competition
Can't sleep- after three days at home my sleep patterns are all screwed up. So, here I am LJing again. I meant to write about our school's oral communication contest earlier in the week, so here we go.
I've always liked public speaking. It's always come very easily and naturally to me. I always did well in drama when I was in school and, being that I was quiet, I always surprised my teachers at being able to speak well. The staff put me on the short list for valedictorian the year I graduated from high school, but I wasn't popular enough to win the final student vote. In university, if given the choice between writing an essay or presenting a seminar I picked the seminar every time, not only because it was less work for me but ultimately because I'm a better speaker than a writer, so I would usually get a higher mark for seminars. I presented a speech at my wedding reception, even though it was suggested to me that I might be too caught up in the day to take that responsibility. I also tend to be the one who speaks for Urban Tapestry when we're in concert :). And becoming a teacher meant I was pretty much setting myself up to be a public speaker for life.
I was never in a public speaking contest in grade school, though. Such contests were only held in Gr. 8 and my family moved a few months before that Gr. 8 competition. The acknowledged best speaker in my Gr. 8 class was my friend, Sharon. It was expected that she would win the Gr. 8 speech competition. It was also understood, though, that there was only one other student in the class with a chance of beating her- me :). I also had a reputation in my class for speaking and drama. It would have made for an interesting contest :). Word reached me a few months later that Sharon did indeed win that speaking competition.
Which is a -long- preamble to last Tuesday when I was in charge of the Junior Oral Communication Contest at my school. It's my second year running the speech competition for the Gr. 4-6 classes and it's an event I find interesting and rewarding.
Starting in Gr. 4, we do an oral communication unit in each grade each year, building up to a final competition in the gym with representatives from each class. I spend about four weeks giving lessons on how to write a formal speech, how to prepare cue cards, how to present a speech in front of the class. Each student is responsible for a 3-5 minute speech to be presented at the end of the unit. Once all the students present their speeches each teacher picks the two best representatives to move on to the school competition. It is always a terribly hard choice. I always have to agonize among 5 or 6 speeches toward the end to pick the two choices. It is also demanding to find that student who writes an excellent speech and can present it well, too.
As the co-ordinator of the school level competition I need to work with the vice principal to make sure all Gr. 4-6 teachers know what they need to do to prepare their classes for the competition, make sure we have three judges for the event (plus judging sheets, pencils, water, etc.), make sure the gym is set up for classes and parents to watch, make sure we have certificates and medals for the winners, make sure we have a time keeper and stop watch to accurately time each speech, make sure I meet with the final twelve contestants to answer their questions and pick the order they will speak that day and then moderate the event on the day of the competition.
I'm pleased to say our school competition went very well this year. The winner was a Gr. 6 girl whose topic was "Amnesia". Her topic was well-researched and entertaining and she spoke with expression and confidence. She will move on now to represent St. Joseph's School at the Regional Competition in about two weeks time along with the Gr. 8 girl who won our Intermediate competition. A girl in my Gr. 5 class got an honourable mention for her speech on "Harry Potter".
And I will now move my full attention from the Oral Communication Contest to our school production of "Fiddler On The Roof", which is only seven weeks away!
I've always liked public speaking. It's always come very easily and naturally to me. I always did well in drama when I was in school and, being that I was quiet, I always surprised my teachers at being able to speak well. The staff put me on the short list for valedictorian the year I graduated from high school, but I wasn't popular enough to win the final student vote. In university, if given the choice between writing an essay or presenting a seminar I picked the seminar every time, not only because it was less work for me but ultimately because I'm a better speaker than a writer, so I would usually get a higher mark for seminars. I presented a speech at my wedding reception, even though it was suggested to me that I might be too caught up in the day to take that responsibility. I also tend to be the one who speaks for Urban Tapestry when we're in concert :). And becoming a teacher meant I was pretty much setting myself up to be a public speaker for life.
I was never in a public speaking contest in grade school, though. Such contests were only held in Gr. 8 and my family moved a few months before that Gr. 8 competition. The acknowledged best speaker in my Gr. 8 class was my friend, Sharon. It was expected that she would win the Gr. 8 speech competition. It was also understood, though, that there was only one other student in the class with a chance of beating her- me :). I also had a reputation in my class for speaking and drama. It would have made for an interesting contest :). Word reached me a few months later that Sharon did indeed win that speaking competition.
Which is a -long- preamble to last Tuesday when I was in charge of the Junior Oral Communication Contest at my school. It's my second year running the speech competition for the Gr. 4-6 classes and it's an event I find interesting and rewarding.
Starting in Gr. 4, we do an oral communication unit in each grade each year, building up to a final competition in the gym with representatives from each class. I spend about four weeks giving lessons on how to write a formal speech, how to prepare cue cards, how to present a speech in front of the class. Each student is responsible for a 3-5 minute speech to be presented at the end of the unit. Once all the students present their speeches each teacher picks the two best representatives to move on to the school competition. It is always a terribly hard choice. I always have to agonize among 5 or 6 speeches toward the end to pick the two choices. It is also demanding to find that student who writes an excellent speech and can present it well, too.
As the co-ordinator of the school level competition I need to work with the vice principal to make sure all Gr. 4-6 teachers know what they need to do to prepare their classes for the competition, make sure we have three judges for the event (plus judging sheets, pencils, water, etc.), make sure the gym is set up for classes and parents to watch, make sure we have certificates and medals for the winners, make sure we have a time keeper and stop watch to accurately time each speech, make sure I meet with the final twelve contestants to answer their questions and pick the order they will speak that day and then moderate the event on the day of the competition.
I'm pleased to say our school competition went very well this year. The winner was a Gr. 6 girl whose topic was "Amnesia". Her topic was well-researched and entertaining and she spoke with expression and confidence. She will move on now to represent St. Joseph's School at the Regional Competition in about two weeks time along with the Gr. 8 girl who won our Intermediate competition. A girl in my Gr. 5 class got an honourable mention for her speech on "Harry Potter".
And I will now move my full attention from the Oral Communication Contest to our school production of "Fiddler On The Roof", which is only seven weeks away!