You went to the first tournament and got inspired watching a Duo or Open Interpretation... OR... You just aren't feeling the piece you developed over the last four months... OR... You are suddenly motivated to Persuade people... OR... You have the most epic idea!! What do you do?! Do you wait until next season when you have more time to develop a new Piece? Do you rally to create what could be the next National-level Speech? Before jumping in... Here are some things to think about...
Some of may or may not have noticed… There was no blog post last week! Perhaps you were like so many Speech and Debate families and you headed to Black Mountain, NC, for one of the largest NCFCA Speech and Debate Tournaments!! Almost 400 homeschoolers/competitors gathering to tackle 11 different Speech categories and three types of Debate! Kristi and I had the pleasure of judging almost 200 students! Believe me- I wasn’t on vacation, although I had a blast! We both did! I am always so blessed with how God is working with in these students. It is amazing what IMPACT they are having!
We could write a post all about what the Lord taught US… But we thought it might be more fun to let you see what God was doing in the lives of those who were were able to attend and compete… We asked the question…
What did God teach you at NC- the largest NCFCA Qualifier of the season?
J- (student)- Humility. NC is such a big tournament and it’s humbling to see so many other talented individuals competing. It was such a refreshing and enjoyable tournament.
L- (student)- ….that even after you fall out of the competition- you can still learn! And if you don’t do as well as you had hoped, you have to go home, work hard, put in the effort, and come back stronger than ever. Working hard at something and giving it your all will have much more lasting and beneficial results, rather than getting any trophy.
G- (student)- That there’s still more to learn.
The unknown competition and different judge pool made the massive tournament even more intimidating. I didn’t recognize any of the people in my rooms, it was (for lack of a better word) scary. As everyone went through the motions, breaks were upon us sooner than later. Many people who were expected to break did… Not.
As I got more comfortable talking to outside Regions and take in account my ballots, I see that there is a whole other style of communication and we must adapt to it. I’m not saying there’s this secret code we have to learn, but that we must be willing to change our ways to properly communicate to others.
I’m still learning how reach people through my words, and NC helped me get a little closer.
J- (student)- I learned the importance of being likeable to the judge, in general (smiling, using humor in debate, for example); and remembering, from the beginning, the judge is in the room.
Z- (student)- You can achieve your goals when you set your priorities and apply yourself with hard work. After a disappointment at a Regional Qualifier, I was feeling very upset, and not certain of what to do about it, before the NC Open. But then I remembered that the main purpose of my competing was not to win tournaments, to bring home medals, or to receive popularity because of my success, but to glorify God through my conduct towards others and in the way I compete. When I had that mindset while preparing for the North Carolina national open I found that I was able to perform better and to be more comfortable in tournament while presenting. Not only that but when I had a bad round I was able to remind myself that as long as I glorified God I had achieved my goal. By the end of the tournament I did better than I ever thought I would. I couldn’t have been happier with my personal performance and I feel like having my priorities straight and working hard during the tournament were big components to my success. And it served as a reminder to me to never give up, and to always give God the glory for my success to be humble in victory and gracious in defeat.
H- (student)- How easy it can be to get complacent in your own region and how easy it can be to begin to expect certain things that you really should never take for granted. For instance, breaking in debate or people agreeing with you on certain speech topics, or even people just enjoying your speaking style. It’s incredibly natural for those things to begin to be so normal to you that you fail to appreciate them. Being at a National Open really shook that up for me and gave me a broader perspective on NCFCA.
G- (student)- Sometimes the best thing to before a round is take some time by yourself to relax and focus. If you’re feeling nervous before a round or even the entire tournament just remember that if you focus on the competition you will usually be in a good head space to perform well. Take a few deep breathes and make the competition your priority. Also, I found one of the best ways to make yourself and the judges comfortable before any speech is to simply… Smile. show them those pearly whites. I noticed not enough students smile before they give a speech. I watched several from different categories and none of the performers utilized that time before the speech to make a connection with the judge. You’re influencing that judge from the moment you walk into that room. Give it your all, not from the start of your speech but from the moment you walk into that room.
N- (student)- …that in order to be more passionate and engaging when giving a platform speech you have to think of your speech as a conversation. Be excited about what you are talking about!
H- (student)- …learning to accept constructive criticism with thankfulness. I am learning to be kinder and striving to mentor the youngest competitors in debate rounds. I am challenging myself to be focused under pressure despite unforeseen distractions.
We are constantly in AWE of what God is doing through Speech and Debate! Love these kids! Love our God!
This totally may seem like an obvious post. But I will still write it… If nothing else to remind my fellow judges.
1. Turn off cell phones. Check, double check.Turning it to vibrate is not good enough. Do not be that distracting person.
2. Be attentive. There is nothing more disheartening to my speech friends when adult judges look bored. Please give them the respect you would want if you were speaking to a group of people. If you can sit towards front and center, that is helpful. It’s fine to take notes, but try to keep eyes up to speaker as much as possible.
3. Check the competitor names on your ballot to make sure that you have no conflict of interest. Depending on what organization you are judging for, conflicts could include your daughter’s best friend, someone you just had over for dinner, etc. Students can give speeches out of listed order, being familiar with your list of kids will be helpful. I like to take the names of the kids and write each of their names on their individual ballot to familiarize myself with the names. This is also a good self check to see if a name I initially missed is in my room.
4. Make sure all judges are present prior to beginning the round. Typically, there are 3 judges, but some debate rounds will have fewer.
5. You may ask a Communications Staff Member or hall monitor to check with tournament staff if you have questions.
6. Use time before the round begins to read rules. Knowing what you are about to see can give you a heads up.
7. Audience members may come and go. Try not to let that be a distraction.
8. Set aside personal bias and expertise and judge based on ballot criteria.
9. Be responsive! It’s ok to laugh, smile, even enjoy yourself! However; do not interrupt or question speakers about the content of their speech at any time.
10. Please use ink pen (not pencil) to fill out your ballot evaluation and rank sections.
11. Write initial impressions & key notes on ballots after each speaker. Remember your feedback is extremely valuable! Please be sure to give your opinion, as well as what the student could do to improve.
12. Stay in room until all competitors listed on the ballot have delivered their speech. Remember students may have multiple speeches they compete in. I personally, like the extra time to fill out more of my ballot between speakers. If it seems like you are waiting too long, you could locate the Comm. Staff or hall monitor to let them know.
13. Return to the Judge’s Hospitality area immediately after the last speaker to fully complete ballot with rankings and additional comments. This will help you locate where you will be turning in your ballot! If you forget… They will find you.
14. Record YOUR ranking (1 – 8) on the tabulation sheet. Remember- this is your opinion. If you have any penalties, a staff member will help you..
15. Please do not confer with other judges or students about your individual rank and comments, during or after the round. Your opinion is your own. Do not convince other judges, parents, or students how you feel about one’s speech. Remember until the tournament is over, your thoughts should be kept to yourself. Students will get all the feedback at the end of the tournament.
These Speech Tournaments could not take place with place without the judges. You are much appreciated! Thank you for judging!
How well do you really know someone? What’s their story? What’s their background? We are midway through the season… And I want to see competitors fully engaged to their characters in their Interpretive Speeches (this includes Biblical Presentation). At this point competitors should have a sense of who their characters really are. I can tell when one is performing a memorized speech and when one is truly visualizing and understanding each and every character. I want every competitor to bring it to the next level. This is the difference between performing and acting.
Kristi and I have developed a resource to bring your Interp to the next level! Our Character Analysis and Worksheets help competitors really process who their characters are. Warning- research and actual thought process may have to be done.
Let me give you some examples- If you are playing the part of a child with cancer- you may want to visit a hospital with cancer patients. Are you connected and understand what they are going through? If you want a character to have a German accent, you may need to go on YouTube to learn how. If you are trying to develop your character of Wilber, in Charolette’s Web, you may need to dig deep to understand loneliness and what a friend would really mean to you. This may sound over the top, but really understanding and developing your characters is pivotal for a well-rounded piece. For my students, this is what I want them to achieve, I want them to understand what they are trying to represent. This is part of the lesson of being in Speech- understanding people or characters in a whole new way.
Our worksheets bring you through the process of developing YOUR characters. The reason I stress your is because, I should not see the same Interpretation twice. Your development of characters should be unique. If you don’t know who your character is or who they are trying to represent- you need to go through the process of figuring it out. The worksheets will help you with…
Emotional Development
Character Analysis
Background
Physical Development
and more!
Here’s what people have said about our worksheets…
“WOW – The Character Analysis and Worksheets is a super helpful document! I was familiar with the concept of character development, but this fleshed it out so thoroughly! It really does separate those performers who have done the work and those who haven’t. It takes the character from two dimensions to three!” -Parent
“These worksheets helped me develop my characters, so I could really visualize who I wanted them to be.” -Student
“I wish I had these when I started Speech years ago!” -Student
My hope is that at the end of the season, students will have more than just “a Speech”. That they will have accomplished more than just memorizing a piece of literature, a play, script, or section of the bible. My hope is for students to have a deeper understanding of characters and people. That this experience in Speech will impact them, as well their audience, for the rest of their lives.
Once again, National Champion, Rebecca Frazer provides valuable insight on something that is not heard… The pause…
Heather: Remind us, how did your Speech, “The Bible in Ten Minutes”, do throughout the season?
Jathan: Ouch!
Ashley: Ha, ha!
Jathan: This is a good story…
Continue reading “Duo Champions Interview- Heady/Jackson (part 3)”
Heather: I know Kristi and I hear stories how partners search high and low for a piece. It’s fun how it just happened! Now I heard you have videos of some of your first practices… describe that…
Continue reading “Duo Champions Interview- Heady/Jackson (part 2)”
Kristi and I had the honor of interviewing Jackson/Heady- the 2016 Duo Champions of NCFCA, shortly after their win. Kristi and I loved getting to know them more via SKYPE, and recorded our time together. But due to “technical difficulties” putting the video up for you all to view, wasn’t going to be an option. However, Jathan Jackson and Ashley had so many great things to say and lessons to be learned, I decided to transcribe it for you all!
Continue reading “Duo Champions Interview- Heady/Jackson (part 1)”
I hear it all the time… “I’m an Interper!” or “I only do Debate.” or “I’m a speech-only kid.” There is a reason Speech and Debate go hand and hand. Some people think it is to have more variety or options for the competitors. However now you have the opportunity to learn the skills, both Speech and Debate provide, skills that are life long and extremely valuable.
Interpers are learning the skill of acting… A skill we do every day! What? Yes, you may not realize it, but every day we act. You may have to deal with disappointment when someone eats the last cookie, you may express anger when someone pulls their car in front of yours, you may show excitement when your little brother draws you a picture. Each of these situations arise daily when you express yourself with perhaps a little more or less drama than necessary.
WHY DEBATERS SHOULD DO INTERP
I believe every debater, whether they realize it or not, is learning the art of acting or interpretation, as well. The better at acting the better you will be at debating too. Let me explain. If you talk to a lawyer, they probably don’t always represent people or ideas they believe in. Competitive debate is the same- you debate both sides of the argument. You have to ACT like you believe in something you may not agree with, therefore you are acting! Therefore the stronger actor you are, the more you can convince your judge or audience. Now, I understand you need the arguments and research that so many great debaters have, but I think some debaters don’t realize the benefits of acting. By participating in an interpretive speech you are learning perhaps to get out of your comfort zone and to express yourself differently than you would in a traditional speech or debate. These are skills that you will use and should learn!
NCFCA Alumni Jack Bechtel competed in Speech and Debate (LD and TP) for 6 years, qualifying to Nationals in both Interp and Debate. He says, “Competing in Interp significantly aided in improving my debate skills. Perhaps the most important benefit of competing in Interp, was doing Interp. It helped me to more effectively connect and bond with my audience and debate judges on a deeper emotional level, something many debaters tend to neglect. This emotional connection plays an important role in building the pathos of the debate round and can be the difference between a win and a loss. I found this especially true in rounds where argumentation and logic of both seemed evenly matched. In many cases, the emotional rapport I had established with the judges supplied a slight edge needed to win an otherwise close ballot.”
Kristi says: Learning to interp also enhances your expressiveness and vocal variety which makes you much more interesting to listen to!
WHY INTERPERS SHOULD DEBATE
It wouldn’t be fair if I didn’t argue the other side of the coin! I believe interpers would also gain valuable insight and skills by debating! Debate students learn some pretty phenomenal skills. On the top of my list, for the case of this debate, would be the skill of thinking on your feet. I think I will call that improvisation. The ability to master improvisation comes in virtually every debate round. Guess what? Not every Interp speech goes as planned… Often times a speaker will have to improvise (especially in Duo) in their speech. One room may have a loud air conditioner, so you might have to be louder. You or your partner may forget a line and you need to move on like nothing happened. You see, even in life we have to adjust or improvise to the situation.
NCFCA Alumni Mitchell Whittenall, qualified to the National Championship in both Speech and Debate in years past. He earned 2nd place in 2015 for Humorous Interpretation and 2016 for Biblical Presentation. “I considered myself more of an Interper, however I believe that debate aided my interpretations of literature because it taught me more about vocal variation and rhythmic patterns. Not only that but debate taught me how to better think on my feet which helped if I ever lost my spot in an interp.”
Kristi says: Debaters learn to analyze and impact small details. This skill greatly informs character development for your interps as well!
By learning both Speech and Debate TOGETHER, you will be able to apply what you learn quickly and effectively. I hear it all the time from my Debate-only friends, “I wish I had tried Interp.” The same is true from my Interp pals, “I should have done Debate.” The high school years pass by quickly, don’t let opportunities pass you by. If you are going to be at a Speech and Debate Tournament, why not try to learn another skill?! These abilities will only propel you into your future!
David Sher wrote an article for Forbes magazine in 2014, and said, “Here is the truth about students who compete in speech and debate. They’ve spent hundreds of hours perfecting their speaking skills. Many have done intensive research to write their speeches. All have endured the pressure that competition brings, and have performed well intellectually under such pressure. They’ve made connections and friendships with other high performing peers. All of these behaviors are excellent predictors of success on any leadership team.”
In my family, most people tend to think of us as Interpers. However, it has been a requirement that everyone of our children tries each of the skills offered at a Speech and Debate tournament. Some have enjoyed Debate, others can take it or leave it. But I believe there is value in participating in both Speech and Debate, together! It has been a positive experience and it only has enhanced their overall education.
You think you have a good speech... No it's going to be a great speech! You have big plans for this speech, you can't wait to sink your teeth into it. It's going to be the most epic speech ever! You get sick, or something else unexpected happens (it's called life), and you don't have as much time as you originally thought. The Speech Tournament is just around the corner. Ahhhh! Panic begins to set in. You don't get as much time as you want to work on your speech. You head to The Speech Tournament with wishful thinking.... But the speech falls flat, you stumble through it, it doesn't go as planned... You don't break. You want to give up. Do you forget all the plans you had for it? Will this be a one and done speech? I think you know by now, what my answer is...
At almost every tournament I go to, people don’t feel qualified to judge. Spectators say to me, “I’m not qualified to judge,” or, “I don’t know what to write,” or even “You can find someone else better to judge, rather than me.” Parents, can also, often feel the same way- whether they are judging at a tournament, giving feedback at club, or working with their own student! My friend, Julie Sanders spoke to the moms of her club on the value of giving feedback. She and her family participated in Speech and Debate for 8 years with their three boys. “I learned and gained so much from our time with NCFCA.” Here is what she had to say on giving feedback…
“Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.” Prov. 27:6
Why do we need feedback?
We need to give constructive feedback to our children/students/competitors so they will learn and grow as communicators. How else are they going to grow? Feedback gives us a connection between what we are doing and saying (something we have control over) and the impression we are making on the audience (something we don’t have control over). Feedback gives insight on whether we are hitting or missing the mark. When it is given in the right spirit, we can improve in areas in which we may or may not be aware of our weakness. Just like having spinach in your teeth, you want to know about it, even if it’s embarrassing or uncomfortable. While many moms feel insecure to give feedback, we can help the students through being uncomfortable and learn to do better next time.
Critique vs. Criticize.
Critique is to evaluate (a theory or practice) in a detailed and analytical way. Not ignoring the good points, a critique is a thoughtful, detailed evaluation. Criticize is to indicate the faults of someone or something in a disapproving way. You criticize when you state your opinion with no positives.
My friend and speech coach, Tim Downs says, “Work with what they’ve got – don’t overturn what they’ve done. Find something in what they are doing that you can improve upon. You don’t want to recreate someone in your own image. Don’t want to say, ‘What you’re doing is wrong, so I’m replacing it.’ Don’t do it.”
How to Share Critique
Give OREO critiques – sandwich the suggestions between two positives.
First give one positive and be encouraging, even if the only thing the student did well was to stand in front of you and say a few words. Oftentimes, I point out that the first time is the hardest time. Now that’s behind them! Don’t give empty flattery (i.e. an enemy’s kisses). Don’t say it’s good if it’s not. The students need to know where they stand to learn and grow.
Positive observations need to be:
Specific – articulate the specific gesture, bit of content or moment where the student did well (i.e. I liked when you smiled when you talked about your dog. You really looked sincere.)
Personal – talk about the way you felt as an audience member. Let the student know the impact he/she made on you.
We all have areas to improve and have blind spots (i.e. wounds of a friend). Knowing what to work on helps us to focus our energies on where to improve. It also keeps us humble. Be careful not to make it so the student feels like a failure.
Needs Work Suggestions need to be:
Specific – articulate what exactly needs work, not generalities (i.e. Say “Your eyes need to stay focused on one person for a complete thought,” NOT “You need to work on your eye contact.”) This even applies to seasoned communicators.
Objective – ask questions about what you observe to draw out the feeling of the student. Talk about the element, not the person or how the speech made you feel. (i.e. Say “Your gestures need to be bigger and more descriptive, NOT “You looked nervous,” or “I didn’t feel like you really meant what you said.”)
Finish with another “Well Done!” or reiterate the first praise with sincerity.
When a student comes to you for feedback, ask him what he wants help with. It’s usually too much to try to tackle delivery and content in one coaching session. Either way, when you’ve given some feedback, have him repeat his speech with improvements—applying the things you’ve suggested. With experience, comes confidence. Give students a safe place to build confidence.
How to Give Feedback on Delivery
Subtle messages are passed to our audience through the non-verbal communication of your delievery. Many communication theorists would say non-verbals are close to 90% of all communication. Through your feedback, you want to help students get rid of distracting non-verbal habits so the message of their speech comes across unhindered. It’s easier to coach delievery if you break it down into parts. Two primary aspects of non-verbal delivery (there are others) are:
Eye Contact – Coach the student to deliver one thought or phrase per person. If he shifts eyes during a thought, he will undermine his effectiveness as a speaker. That’s the first place to start with anyone. Solid eye contact builds confidence in the speaker and keeps the audience engaged during the speech.
Incorrect eye contact includes scanning the room, looking at someone briefly and darting back again, and looking only at one person.
Movement – Coach students to move purposefully. Move at the start of a point or during a transition from one point to the next. The student can also move to emphasize a point for clarity. Be sure to have the student start and finish her speech “center stage.” Stand with straight posture, arms at her sides, feet apart about shoulder width and even distribution of body weight.
Incorrect body movement includes swaying, shifting weight, standing on one foot, sticking the heel or hip out. Help students become aware of annoying habits and train them to stand still and speak.
To help coach a student with movement, so it looks natural, have her practice like this. First, ask her to stand in the center to deliever the introduction. At the beginning of the first point, she needs to make eye contact and then walk toward a person in the audience to the right or left. This provides connection with that person and helps him understand the point. It also gives the speaker a reason to walk – to make a connection. Then the speaker should stay in that general area of the stage while she is sharing an example or story to illustrate the point. Her eye contact can move naturally to other people on that side of the room.
At the start of the next point, coach the speaker to look at a person on the other side of the room and walk toward that person while speaking. She should stay there while illustrating that second point, making eye contact with others in that area. In general, if they let their eyes drive the movement, it will look natural and will support their content, not detract from it.
How to Critique Content — Platform Speech
Consider the Audience – Many times students chose a topic for a speech based on what they like. Help them realize that “what they like” is a good place to start, but if they stop there, they will be neglecting one of the primary reasons to give a speech. To communicate means to “have something in common.” So when we communicate through a speech, we are seeking to have something in common with our judges by the end of the speech. We will only accomplish that when we get our audience to care about our topic.
So coach your students by asking, “Why do I care about this?” Help the student to understand how to make you care by asking questions.
For example, if you have student come to you for coaching and he wants to give an Informative on video games and how to play them. You could ask, “Why should parent judges care about videos games?” He could answer, “Well, they should care about what makes their kids happy. Or maybe they care about ways to connect with their kids while gaming.” You could say, “That’s a great point! Parents do want to learn ways to connect with their kids. Can you think of other ways to help parents learn how to connect with their kids?”
Now, you’ve coached that student on his topic and taken it from something only he is interested in to something a parent judge could be interested in.
Make a Point – Just sharing examples of something isn’t giving a speech. Brainstorm with students to figure out what to say. Tie the story to the points. The speeches need to challenge, inform, or persuade the audience. Understanding is the responsibility of the speaker. As the coach, you get to help them make sure their speech connects and makes sense so their audience understands them.
They can practice with Impromptu as a mini version of a 10-minute speech. Students should have 2-3 points for their topic. Then, they need examples to illustrate their points. They could tell a personal story or use examples from books, news, etc. Be sure the examples connect to their points. If your students aren’t making clear points in the impromptu, talk this through with them, then have them try again.
In conclusion, don’t forget to tell your students the things they are doing well. Tell them often the things you’d like to see more of. Encourage the good; correct the distracting, but only as the students feels comfortable. This will help them to own their work. The goal is to help our students improve—providing specific, objective feedback and giving them time and space to practice the new skills. Learning comes through practice and as coaches, we are charged with making sure the learning is done in a safe, encouraging place.
It starts with feedback.
It's Thursday and so far I have coached SEVEN Biblical Presentations this week! It's going to be a great year! God is revealing some great stuff to these kids! Biblical Presentation is in it's second year with NCFCA. Let me remind my readers with a short recap of what a Biblical Presentation is...
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