December 2009 - District 73 Toastmasters

Youth Leadership Course Helps Toastmaster Achieve
His Masters Degree by Robyn Richards
Recently Bob Glasheen, a member of Canning Vale
Toastmasters, undertook the huge challenge of
working with some students from a local high school
to improve their public speaking skills. This project
not only gave him the satisfaction of achieving his
Masters Degree but also the satisfaction of seeing
the enormous growth of the students he worked
with.
Canning Vale Toastmasters Club wishes to recognise
Bob for his wonderful effort in this project. We were
very proud to receive the following article from the
school’s newsletter.
“A group of students from Years 8 to 12 attending
Lynwood Senior High School in Western Australia
undertook a pilot Toastmasters Youth Leadership
Program facilitated by Mr. Bob Glasheen. Mr.
Glasheen, a Charter Member of Canning Vale
Toastmasters Club, is a school volunteer and former
teacher. This course included Table Topics, Ice
Breaker speeches and other speeches on topics of
the student’s choice.
The course ran over an eight week period and
students took on various roles including Toastmaster,
Table Topics Master, Harkmaster (who asked the
group questions about what had been said –
improving listening skills) and interestingly the role
of Gruntmaster, who reported back the number of
“fillers” used such as “ah”, “um”, “like”, “you know”. The
students gave a number of speeches including an
ice-breaker which is their very first presentation in
front of an audience, impromptu speeches about
a topic given by the Table Topics Master and other
speeches with objectives to develop vocal variety,
speech construction and body language. They
learnt how to stand appropriately, use their voice
and facial expressions, use gestures and make good
eye contact to enhance their speeches. All speeches
were timed to ensure the meetings were efficient.
This will assist students in time management as they
enter the workforce. Every speech was evaluated
in the manner used by Toastmasters International
which uses a C-R-C process (Commendations,
Recommendations and Commendations). This form
of evaluation shows the speaker the strong skills
they already possess, some ways to improve their
speech next time and the final Commendations
leave them feeling good about their speech and
eager to present again in the future.
The whole process helped students to develop
confidence in public speaking and this was
admirably shown at the Presentation Night on
28 October 2009. Parents and other members of
the public attended and the Principal, Mr. Gary
Anderson, presented the certificates to those who
completed the course. The successful students
were Jack Kelly (Year 8) Denise Teoh (who could
not speak a word of English when she started at the
School in July (Year 9), Billy Wickham (Year 11), Rhys
James (Year 12) and Michael Lee (Year 12). Michael
Lee was chosen to give the final speech to all Year
12s before they began their TEE.
The school is very grateful to Mr. Glasheen for
his time, effort and expertise in presenting this
program. We hope to be able to offer the course
again in 2010. Any interested parents or students
may contact the school for more information.”
n Robyn Richards is Area Governor for W16
d73.toastmasters.org.au
Edition 64 • December 2009
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