Was the TM School really any good ?

by Phizzy 22 Replies latest jw experiences

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  Phizzy

  Many of us were members of the Theocratic Ministry School for many years. Some say it helped them with public speaking, and maybe it did for some.

  But, when you look back at the quality of student it turned out, was it really any good ?

  Most Elders are crap Public Speakers, most R&F Bros are crap at reading aloud, most JW's are crap at selling their religion at the door, most JW's have scant real knowledge of the Bible.

  There are reasons for this, quite often the TMS overeer hasn't a clue how to teach a person to progress. Often not having the necessary skills himself.

  How can you teach what you do not know ?

  Also the role playing done in the sister's talks bears no resemblance to a real conversation in the DtoD work, so nobody in the audience, or the sisters themselves, benefit.

  All in all, the TMS is an epic fail.
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  Julia Orwell

  We had some people do very well at it and saw some improve over time. Like anything, practice makes perfect, and it got guys up in front people, having to make eye contact and use gestures. I don't know how it translated to the door to door work, but I saw some really good speakers from the R&F come and go. The TMS book actually has some good simple things on the basics of public speaking, simple things I pulled out and stuck onto a handout for when I taught public speaking. Those things weren't unique to the TMS book, but they were handy. Most of the TMS book is fluff, but some was good for general use.

  Think about it: Most JWs on the school were average joes who didn't have a lot of education, so that book was the only thing on public speaking they would have seen, and these guys who didn't finish high school and wash windows don't need complex stuff to boost their skills.

  The sisters' parts were stupid though. I tried to make mine as realistic as possible, and many times I had to work on 'conclusions'. My objection to the one who counsels you after the meeting: "Real conversations don't have conclusions! I'm trying to make it realistic!" And I'd fail until I gave them what they wanted...
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  punkofnice

  In fairness I think I did benefit in some way.

  I was on the TMS at a very early age. Frightened to death and reading from something my Dad typed out for me.

  Giving talks would really ruin my week as I waited in fear for the dreaded pratform.

  I learned how not to be nervous when speaking in front of crowds. I learned to structure speeches.

  Oddly enough I remember preparing a talk about 'other religions' when I was a teenager. I realised that when I was trying to share the information that it was coming over as purely 'name calling'. I was able to be more objective in my approach. I didn't realise it at the time but I was resisting the WBT$ mind control.

  I think I woke up many more times than I realised along the way but just turned over and went back to sleep. I was born in and didn't know any other way. I thought it was me just being 'spiritually weak(TM)'.

  As my American cousins might say: 'Go figure!'
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  Julia Orwell

  I thought it was me just being 'spiritually weak(TM)'.

  Me too! A part of me wishes I had've woken up, and a part of me is glad I didn't because I met my husband. First time I saw him on the TMS he was practically shaking. He wasn't born in and was new in when I first met him. He did learn to relax on the TMS a teensy bit- he was so shy, but determined to give it a go.
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  SophieG

  Julia: And I'd fail until I gave them what they wanted... What the heck??? That’s crazy!

  The TMS has had some benefit to some people. I have seen really bad speakers…even those who stammer, become great speakers. When I first signed up for the school, I liked it because it allowed me to be the actress the org squashed. My talks were fun or funny…I mean…me and the householder bouncing in the chairs to simulate witnessing on a bus!!! Now, where is my Oscar?

  But towards the end, I grew to dislike it, ESPECIALLY that blasted assignment where all you had was a reference point and had to build on it. The SO always assigned it to me. I got to the point where I was just reading straight from some publication…with me doing most of the talking and the HH reading a scripture and nodding.

  My last memory of the TMS was having a quiet riot with the SO who was like a big brother to me. He was trying to hand me a slip and I refused to take it…him begging me to fill the assignment…me saying: “I want off the school…”. I felt bad that I was letting him down, because up till then I always filled my assignments, but my brain was mush and I just could not do it anymore.
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  ?evrything

  I was always an excellent reader and also a good speaker and I do not attribute any of it to TMS. Attribute it more so to my education. TMS DEF did not help me in field service which is its main goal.
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  Ding

  Looking back on it now, wouldn't you love to have seen a simulation where the householder brought up the false prophecies, Russell's pyramidology, comments from CoC and the like?

  Attendance at the KH the next week would either have been really high or really low...
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  princecharmant

  Schools work that way, anyway. Some turn out bright pupils, some don't. Some teachers are awful, some are genuises. Problem with the TMS was, you never could "graduate"!

  It helped me in public speaking and honed my ability to respond unfazed at questions thrown at random. Have not failed one job interview; and if I wanted to, I could spin a yarn.

  OK, maybe I have some natural abilities that I could have developed without the TMS. But the TMS was a good thing to have.

  pc
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  jookbeard

  I think it is one of the biggest fallacies that the TMS makes people excellent public speakers, some of the very worst public speakers I have ever heard in my life were men with decades of service of it,unless you have a real talent for it ,I found that my latter years as a Dub I'd feign all sorts of excuses to get out of giving talks I found the prospect boring and dull, and a vast percentage of Dubs are petrified of getting on the stage, looking back I knew many die hard ones that refused point blank to join the TMS.
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  sir82

  I think the main benefit of the TMS is that it gives an opportunity to those with natural speaking abilities to develop them.

  It certainly doesn't "teach" anyone to become a good speaker - the 80% or so of elders who are absolutely atrocious Sunday after Sunday are evidence of that.

  But for those who have innate or latent skills, it "forces" them to get up in front of people on a regular basis.

  I used to get highly nervous before presenting anything to a large group. I eventually got onto the rotation for circuit assemblies, and regularly addressed crowds of 1000 or more.

  Since then, in my work, when I have to make a presentation, I am perfectly comfortable.