Theo Min School and Public Speaker Training Outdated...

I used to think that the Theocratic Ministry School was extremely valuable.

And I think it does have it's value.

But I think public speaking has changed so dramatically the last few years.

Last time I went to the KH... the public speakers were speaking at a very "low" level.

I think part of the thing the current crop of religious speakers (like Joel Osteen, etc... They are so dynamic.

And even speakers like Tony Robbins...

I think the style of speaking for Witness speakers has become old school.

Granted - yes...  they have an audience that is "obligated" to listen to them. But they have not evolved at all as public speakers - and probably is getting worse.

Most public speakers aren't glued to an outline...

Just a thought...

In my experience, the WT has always  been critical of anyone who puts any real feeling into the way they present their material. I can still remember brothers visiting from other congregations being SCOLDED by the local elders for raising their voices or being too emphatic. But what can one expect from closed minded numb-nutted fools who told us that the Washtowel and Asleep magazines were, "THE NEW SCROLLS" to be used in the new order. 

I think I noticed it more the last time I went to the KH.

Actually the OLDER talks - the one in the 70's - where we used to have boot leg cassettes... those were the best.

It was really hard to sit through now.

Depends on the man.....

Our WT conductor could give lessons to the GB he soo good!......outline, he don't need no stinking outline (ditto for our previous CO).

Our COBOE...... he manages to mangle even a straight outline presentation......he just a nervous nelly. A 14 yr old dubbie bred boy could deliver better then him. 

REMINDS ME.......I propose that SD-7 rewrite the outlines for parody!

Where is SD7? His stuff was priceless !

The Theo. Min Sch was not very good at teaching technique, unless you were the kind of person who picked up on things that were not spelled out,

I remember a couple of good speakers over the years, and hundreds of piss poor ones.

The best advice I ever heard given was by a C.O ,who was Scottish, and he was remarking how dull a lot of talks were and said :

"If ye cannae put fire in ya talk, put ya talk in the fire !" (provide your own scottish accent as you read this)

I guess it is very difficult to get enthusiastic over the same old same old, also the outlines are really, as our Scottish C.O would have said "Dour"

As a sister giving a 5 minute talk every 6 months, I learned absolutely nothing except to move my hands around when I spoke.

When I took a college level speech course, I got a 'C', everything being so new to me. 

That oxygen deprived red speech book taught nothing compared to the college class. 

The class taught me how to write and deliver a speech.

The KH "class" taught me that in that 5 minutes I was up there, I needed to move my hands more.

No comparison.

WD- As a former Theo. School Conductor the only counsel I can give is if you wear a tight skirt keep your knees together or else you'll give the Elder and his 12 year old assistant a clear shot to China    

Lol... oxygen deprived red book... That was kind of my point White Dove... Anyone that does public speaking in real life - can't really get by on what they teach you at the Theo School. It's really inadequate.

And most of the public speakers today aren't glued to a podium anymore.

Maybe if they had telepromters they would be classified as good speakers too. I learned absolutely nothing by being in the school and dropped out after awhile. I got tired of hearing really lousy talks and then the student being told they did a good job (say wha???). In smaller congs. you see the same people over and over again, some of them never seem to learn anything, and the others are just as bored with the talks as we are/were listening to them.

My skirts were theocratic skirts: T-length and floral! 

I was righteous. 

The Outstanding Speakers that came out of the TMS were those who already had the natural ability to excel at Public Speaking.  The TMS never "produced" anything other than perhaps help make someone comfortable with speaking in front of a crowd.

The last couple of Public Talks I attended were some of the poorest speaking I have ever heard.  Monotone. Poor grammar.  Incoherent.  I see it as an indication that anyone with "talent" is no longer bothing.

Doc

                   Ministry School prepares you..

     For better comprehension of WBT$ Literature..

                                                                               .....................;-)...OUTLAW

Being a born in (now a "bored out") I can earnestly say that I never learned a thing from the ministry stool. All I've ever seen are a bunch of people forced to go against all natural inclination, get on a stage in front of everyone and speak on a subject they know nothing, and could care less, about. The organizations one size fits all strikes again!

Everyone has different natural abilities, some just do not speak eloquently or simply have stage fright; forcing such one's to learn to be a public speakers is pointless. Even if you aren't fearful of having an audience, to be an effective public speaker you must first know how to properly speak your own language. This means understanding punctuation and the fact that when it is written it must also be spoken in such a manner, I highly doubt God meant the bible to be drawl and monotone. Next you must understand your material, if you don't, what right do you have trying to teach it to anyone else, get it straight first then present it. Finally you must convey yourself and your message in an appealing manner, to do so you must somewhat like or believe in your material or it's all a complete waste of time. The whole point is you are trying to convince your audience of something, if you don't believe they'll know it, if you're faking they'll see it and if you aren't enthusiastic they'll get bored and lose interest.

I never learned any of these things from the ministry stool.

I've got the gift of gab, but I learned to speak publicly because of my job. 15+ years of business management and retail sales taught me more than my entire JW experience ever could, something I love to rub in the smug stool oversneers face every time he gives me council on a talk.

I joined Toastmasters to learn how to speak.  KMS is the most lacking program around.  The only surprise about Toastmasters is that they never graduate!  The first meeting I went to people had been in there 17 or 19 yrs.