EDUCATION & TRAINING GOALS FOR 2004-05  

Since 1 July when District 80 officially came into being, the mood amongst our members has been truly upbeat! If the recent Club Officer Training sessions are anything to go by, we are in for a GREAT year ahead. The dynamism and optimism continue to be palpable!

Given our history and record of achievements, there is no doubt that we will succeed well in achieving our education goals.

However, an important question needs to be answered. How can the portfolio of Lieutenant Governor Education and Training add value to the District?

One new idea has been put into effect in answering that question: The formation of the Education & Training (E & T) Task Force.

What is the E & T TASK FORCE?

The Task Force is made up of a group of Toastmasters who share the common view that together  we can achieve much much more.

As can be seen in the diagram below, the Task Force sees itself as part of a moving interdependent circle.  It seeks and gains input from various sources. It then shapes its actions, activities, and projects based on the input. Further details are given below.

The Task Force draws from the input of key resources in District 80.

As can be seen in the diagram, the broad aims are to further promote collaboration, leadership, excellence, and achievement. This is done through actively seeking input from the District Officers to create opportunities. In addition, it gathers into a Resource Network, experienced Toastmasters willing to share expertise and skills either at District, Division, Area or Club levels.

A very important point to note is that the E & T Task Force is focused on the four critical success factors, particularly that which concerns educational goals.

In this regard the E & T Task Force will undertake to do the following:

•     Collaborate with Division Governors to supplement training

•     Spearhead additional training for the whole District

•     Add zest, vitality, and value in education & training

•     Gather input regarding educational & training needs

•     Maintain an active Resource Network of Trainers, Speakers, Evaluators, etc

•     Enhance organizational leadership opportunities at District level

•     Increase awareness of the Toastmasters movement among outside bodies

•     Solicit non-Toastmasters resources for education & training

In line with the aims & objectives above the E& T Task Force organised its first workshop for the new term.  This workshop focused on one of the main preoccupations of this period of the year, Speech Contests.

FIRST WORKSHOP

This was a full-house affair with 110 participants.

Two Division Governors, Jackson Chua (Div U) and Goh Wei Koon (Div Z), worked in collaboration with the Task Force to organise the following workshop:

"Conducting Quality Contests"

[Sizzling Contests! Sparkling Speeches!]

7^th August 2004 from 1:30 pm – 5:30 pm at Clementi CC

The main draws included Immediate Past District 51 Governor, Ho Fong Ming who shared her wealth of knowledge on how to make contests “sizzle”. Four outstanding judges, John Sih DTM, Wekie Tay DTM, Ng Seng Chuan ATM-B, and Ramesh Muthusamy ATM-B evaluated the speeches, American-Idol style. Each judge focused on one aspect of performance: Structure, Speech Value, Stage Techniques, and Language.

The three lively speakers: Kenneth Tan, Violet Lim, and Kan Kin Fung DTM demonstrated what good speeches comprise, and what good Toastmasters do to help themselves and others to learn.

FUTURE E & T ACTIVITIES

Encouraged by the strong response and keen interest, the Task Force will be organising several other training events.

23 October 2004 : E & T Language Seminar in conjunction with TI Day

On the drawing board are several sessions, which will be confirmed closer to date:

• Language Errors of Toastmasters. Is There a Cure?

• Singaporean Pronunciation: Can the World Understand Us?

• Mandarin Pronunciation for Non-Native Speakers

Two other dates have been set-aside in the District calendar for future E & T events. These will be on 26 February 2005 and 9 May 2005. The details will be announced when arrangements with Division Governors are finalised.

WILL THE E & T TASK FORCE SUCCEED?

No reason why not! The members are optimistic and willing to serve. However, the extent of success can be greatly increased if the Task Force could have your feedback on what you would like us to do for you and for the District.

We invite you to give us your views. Tell us your wish list. Help us to help you and District 80 succeed … not just in terms of numbers, but also with pride in the quality we cherish!

Remember: The Force is with you!!

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