Manningham Toastmasters Speechcraft - week one 12-10-09

Our Toastmasters team of presenters week 1

Boy did this course create a lot of interest!

I was contacted by interested participants right up to 1 hour before the start time.  I had to turn many back, but hopefully they will attend as a guest at this or another club, will follow them up.

I had enquiries from previous guests who were had shown interested in joining either Kew or Manningham Toastmasters so I didn't want to turn them away, so the particpant number number ballooned up to 13. 
That also caused the problem of needing more manuals, after a ring around by my team we had enough manuals for all.

The participants wern't the only ones excited, there was a great buzz in District 73 Toastmasters Land.
I had planned to have the Presidents of both clubs involved as presenters the first night.  One of which is also the Area Governor.  The Eastern Division Governor found out and wanted to come too. As luck would have it the District 73 Division Governor was in town and wanted to come too.  So we had all levels of leadership in our division involved in our first night.  It was bigger than big.  The energy level of the group was so high we nearly blew the roof off, the evaluations and educationals were 1st class.  What a lucky group of speechcrafters.

All of my speechcrafters present gave their Ice Breakers, they were courageous in getting up in front of so many strangers and giving the 2 minute speech their best.  Before their speech I gave an very supportive and encouraging educational on overcoming nerves.  I would like to think that it helped them.  We had 3 participants who did not make it to this night, so will hear their ice breakers next week.
We gave short but positive, informative and encouraging educationals.
Had a lovely cuppa and some chocolate cake and muffins (they really deserved it), then back to it.

We had an excellent educational on impromptu speaking then practice by having each participant answer a table topic.   All the speechcrafters participated and they looked more confident than earlier.  Then positive, informative and supportive evaluations.

An educational on how to choose a speech topic, which will help the speechcrafters in choosing their next 3 speeches. Another educational on speech structure to compliment the written instruction in their manuals.  This was a dynamic and motivating educational.
Then I wrapped up with homework and next weeks tasks which would be split the group into two and hear group 1's "organising your speech" speeches.

We ran 15 min overtime (but we started late and the introduction went overtime) Will amend next weeks agenda to try to not go overtime again.

The speechcrafters went home uplifted and positive.  My team was thrilled and exuberant about how well the first night went, an infectious excitement I hope will filter through to all the clubs in our District.

Can't wait to week 2     :)