Thanks…cards and prayers
Bob Slavens story… many of you have heard this before… Beginning a speech.. Bumgarner, David basketti.
Most of today will be spent on how to help you prepare your students. But before we begin, I want to talk about how to prepare you.
Ten Commandments of Coaching Speech:
Thou shalt stop griping. You are teaching the most important skill in your school’s extra-curricular offerings. Yea, it’s tough, but so what? Nothing your school can offer will match what you can give them in speech. Ease up. Stop your moaning. Good stuff is tough stuff. WHOEVER SAID “GET IT OFF YOUR CHEST…” WHEN YOU’RE AROUND ME, DON’T. IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR SCHOOL, HOLY OF HOLIES… I always tell my students. . .any class that’s easy in the first week will be boring by the second month. A tough job is worth the excitement it brings. You will hear some griping today. . .that’s okay. We call it therapy at our speech workshop. . . but smile and suck it up. You are very important to your kids’ future.
What you don’t know, won’t hurt your students all that much. Few of us have had much training in what we’re doing… we’ve learned it by doing it and at this conference. It’s the experience that counts. PRESIDENT CLINTON: “IT’S THE ECONOMY, STUPID.” FOR US, IT’S THE EXPERIENCE. . It isn’t the color of the medal that our students remember. Practically every subject in our school curriculum has changed because of technology and a changing world. . except public speaking. Hillary Clinton, Berney Sanders, Bruce Rauner and can apply all technology they want to winning an election, but we still judge people mainly by their ability to communicate. Who’s a fan of Donald Trump because of his policies? No one. He doesn’t have any. It’s his speaking style.
Thou shalt stop fighting your way through the speech season. Hardly anyone in your school knows as much about the value of speech as you do. Don’t be disappointed or surprised if the administrators and coaches have little idea how much good you’re doing. YOU HAVE A GOOD SCHOOL BECAUSE OF SOME PEOPLE, AND IN SPITE OF SOME OTHER PEOPLE. DON’T LET ‘EM GET TO YOU. EASE UP. I’LL BET THE RANCH ON WHICH ONE OF YOU GOES TO BED HAPPIER AT NIGHT.
Bob Brassell…fish pans.
Thou shalt be nice to yourself. For the next two months, you may be the only one who is. Turn off TV and pull taffy Go barefoot more often Go up to the biggest grouch.. . Eat nothing but ice cream for an entire day McDonalds’… “Have a nice day.” Underwear backwards.
Thou shalt not be too disappointed if not all your students do what they say they will. If you look around, you’ll realize that neither their parents nor all their teachers do either. And remember: your kids will remember very little of what you say and they’ll remember everything they see you do. Mildred Smith. . Jimmy Zimmerman.
If you truly want your students believe that you’re not competing against the other schools, then you must believe it yourself. YOU ARE PRACTICALLY THE ONLY EXTRA-CURRICULAR COACH ON YOUR STAFF WHO DOESN’T HAVE TO BEAT SOMEBODY TO WIN. DON’T BE SUCKED IN BY THEIR ATTITUDE.
BE BLESSED IF YOUR COMMUNITY DOESN’T CARE AS MUCH ABOUT SPEECH AS THEY DO ABOUT SPORTS. DO YOU REALLY WANT PARENTS STOPPING YOU AS YOU LEAVE THE GYM AFTER THE GAME?
Thou shalt realize that every child in contest is your child. You must be an encourager of everyone. AS A TEACHER, EVERY CHILD MUST BE YOUR CHILD. OUR HEAD FOOTBALL COACH IS A FORMER JR HIGH SPEECH STUDENT OF MINE. HE CARES AS MUCH ABOUT THE BOYS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FIELD AS HE DOES HIS. AND HE WILL TELL YOU, “IN SPEECH, I LEARNED THAT WE AREN’T REALLY ON SEPARATE TEAMS.” My friend Becky…an IHSA speech coach. Cut-throat. “Oh, you kids are so wonderful!” . . .now one of our best IESA judges.
Thou shalt not peek at the athletic coach’s salaries unless you’re the type who enjoys beating yourself over the head with a hammer. God doesn’t draw big pay, why should you?
Thou shalt realize that when it comes to kids, your toughest challenges will be your greatest victories and the final ranking will never tell a thing about who’s come the furthest. The kid in the opening skit who got a third place the one year he was eligible was one of my students. Dell. Thirty years ago he could hardly remember any of his speech. Today he can quote the whole thing to you. . . because the experience was such a life-changer for him.
If you’re waitin’ for thanks, partner, then you’re in the wrong corral. CONWAY TWITTY story.
Welcome to the IESA state speech workshop. One thing I want you to remember, we own this ranch. Speech rules are set by teachers just like you who take a personal or workshop day to drive to Bloomington once or twice a year, have sandwiches catered in, and try out best to do what you want and what’s best for our kids. We own this ranch.. you and I. If you don’t like the way the herd’s goin’, let us know. We’ll change it… or at least try to shoot the herd bull.
My first IESA speech workshop… 1971. Held at the Decatur Holiday Inn…a 2-day workshop. Our breakout rooms: the committee’s hotel rooms…pushed back the furniture, put the desk in the hallway, people sat on the floor and beds. One guy opened the door to my bathroom and sat on the toilet stool. We’ve come a long way.
I’m an unabashed believer in the value of teaching public speaking. It can’t be tested so the state and federal government don’t care much about it. USA Today hasn’t printed any reports about how the Chinese are beating us in speech contest so we can still make our own rules.
I hope you feel a part of this. I hope you know that the difference you’re making in your kids lives will not only last a lifetime, but their skills will help them in every subject matter.
Our democracy is in a bit of trouble right now. The monkeys are in charge of the zoo. It takes more than an informed democracy to set things right. . . it takes a citizenship who can express themselves clearly and with confidence….that’s IESA speech.
Finally. . . Please do more than listen today, talk to people. I hope that all presenters will leave time for sharing. I desperately want to know what you know. This is not a football convention where we’re afraid of giving away our plays. It’s more like the AMA. You might have the miracle cure that I need.
Next week is for your kids. . .Today is for you. Soak it up.
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