Do you remember giving talks?

by klydia 39 Replies latest jw friends

  • klydia
    klydia

    Hi everyone, I'm trying to remember the process for giving a talk. I remember getting a slip with a topic on it, but what else was on that slip? Did it tell you what scriptures you should cite, or what book the talk was based on? I'm also trying to recall what marks you could get for your talk. I think it was either "good" or "needs improvement" but people very rarely got anything other than "good"! It's amazing how much I've forgotten! :)

  • Finally-Free
    Finally-Free

    I think I cancelled more talks than I gave.

    W

  • hambeak
    hambeak

    Yes I remember and during the hour talks I gave I had a summary with scriptures and I studied for a day or two before I gave it. I just ad libbed I tried to get the cong to get involved but they all looked like stepford folks. IT IS ALL CRAP AND THE SAME OLD THING!!!!!!!!!

  • restrangled
    restrangled

    Yes, I remember the dreaded talks as a publisher. For women it was a 5 minute presentation with a "householder"

    I remember given a theme, scriptures to cover and then you came up with the rest of it. It was a nerve wracking scenerio as you never knew if you could count on your assigned householder, and most times you couldn't locate them to practice before the meeting or you practiced over the phone. There was a stupid line up of things you were graded on after you gave the talk. Some of the items graded were timing and gestures...oh god this is making me sick.

    Then as a sister you had to worry about skirt length, arms exposed, chest exposed, being to flashy etc. too high of heel, too dowdy, butt hanging off the chair etc., etc., etc.

    What a friggen nightmare!

    r.

  • Amazing
    Amazing

    Yes, I remember all too well. I wish I could forget.

    Jim W.

  • Gregor
    Gregor

    I recall my first assignment, a Bible reading from Numbers, about 1 chapter, that required an introduction and conclusion. Total of 6 or 7 mins.(?) This was back when we used the King James and the reading was a challenge. It took me a long time to get out of the habit of pronouncing the "w" in the word 'sword'.

  • Virgochik
    Virgochik

    I remember, arriving at the Hall, waiting for Sister Nevergivesmethetimeofday, will she show up, or do I have to get Mom again? Heart thumping as you're up next, trying to arrange your skirt modestly as you take your seat on the metal folding chair. The microphone squawks and screeches if you get too close, embarassing. Sister Toosnootytorehearse jumps way ahead on her lines and you try to save the day.

    Nerve racking, is putting it mildly, and then the pressure to do an excellent job, just because you're elder's family. Ugh! I finally got so stressed out, I quit. My Dad found out about it from the school overseer. i promised I'd just take a break and come back. Still on break, 20 years later, haha!

  • blondie
    blondie

    They changed the material for talks a few years back.

    #2 Only read scriptures, no intro or conclusion, once a month the "student" reads only WT material

    #4 I think they only get a theme and no material. They actually have to research...I wonder how many cancel out on that one.

    I gave talks for almost 40 years....substituted almost every 2 weeks as well. I can give a 5-minute talk at a moment's notice...not a bad skill...but the content is better now.

    I remember sisters scripting their talks, as if you had a script to the person at the door.

    Blondie (least liked meeting--service meeting---or is that sales meeting?)

  • Mysterious
    Mysterious

    They significantly revamped the school as I was leaving. There was a new publication with "exercises" on speaking you were supposed to practice and lists of approved settings to use etc. I never really did get the hang of the new system though. I think I gave maybe one talk and then faked sick for the other one (topic in my profile) and after that I was gone for good.

  • choosing life
    choosing life

    Restrangled

    You really took me back. I could actually feel the panic!

    "Butt hanging off of chair"-hilarious.

    I too told the school overseer that I needed to take a break and never looked back. I was actually having panic attacks on the stage, but they thought I should continue on the school. Took the break anyway and never resumed. I can't believe they forced me to do something so insane anyway.

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