The 197th Regular Meeting: Dec. 21, 2024 “Capture the Year End”

2024 年最後のレギュラーミーティング！ 年末をイメージして、会場は赤いテープで彩られToastmaster of the　Day（ミーティングのホスト役）のAnne さんも赤い服で華やかな雰囲気でした。

今回は、ミーティングの様子を少しご紹介。

１：My Senri Experience

こちらは、千里トーストマスターズクラブで行っているショートスピーチセッションです。会員がトーストマスターズで学んだことや感じたことなどを 1～2 分程度で披露します。

今回のスピーチは、一人の会員が千里トーストマスターズクラブに入るまでの不安から入ってからクラブの温かい雰囲気を感じるまでの心の動きを感じられるスピーチでした。過去のスピーチの一部はこちらから見られるので是非ご覧ください。

２：Prepared Speech

こちらはトーストマスターズクラブのメインディッシュ。５－７分程度で事前に準備してきたスピーチを披露するセッションです。テーマは、各自の人生体験やモノの見方や、ユーモアにフォーカスしたスピーチなどバラエティに富んでいます。

注目すべきは今月から会員になったYuriko の初スピーチ！初めてとは思えないほどしっかり、そして堂々と自分の事を話される姿をみて感銘を受けました！また今後どのようなスピーカーになっていくのか大変非常に楽しみです！

3：Evaluation Speech

トーストマスターズクラブの特徴は、Prepared Speech に対して会員同士でEvaluation を行い、お互いを高めあっていくことです。

推奨されている方法は『サンドイッチ話法』。　「よかった点（感謝）」　「こうした方がよいという提案」　「よかった点（今後への期待）」と話し、スピーカーは強みに気づき、改善点に気づき、自己肯定感を高めることができます！

４：Table topic Speech

このセッションでは司会がお題を振り、メンバーは1－2 分程度の即興スピーチを披露します。 今回のお題は「年末」に即したもの。「今年、一番後悔したことは何ですか？」、「今年のパリオリンピックの思い出」などなど、この時期にマッチした良いテーマです。もちろんスピーカーは即興力を鍛えられますし、オーディエンスも今年を振り返ることができる良いTable Topic Speech でした！

さて2024 年のミーティングは本日で終わりますが、もちろん我々の活動はまだまだ終わりません！

2025 年Public Speech 少しやってみたい！英語で話してみたいというこちらをご覧の方々是非、クラブのホームページにアクセスして例会に参加してみてください👍

(Kazu)

Special Meeting: Mentoring and New Learning Managemante System: Nov. 30, 2024

 A Productive Thanksgiving: A Recap of Today's Meeting: Nov. 30.

Today's meeting was a special one, filled with two insightful workshops. We kicked off the day with a session conducted by Yotchan on the new Toastmasters International Base Camp. She smoothly guided us through navigating the platform, highlighting key features like accessing paths and recording achievements. Yotchan's step-by-step demonstration was particularly beneficial for most of us who are first-time users, making the transition to the new system seem non-threatening and easy.

The second workshop on mentoring, led by Marily, focused on the important topics: personal goals, the mentor checklist, and the advantages of being a mentor. Most importantly, the session allowed for discussions about individual expectations, goals, and values.

Overall, it was a productive and enjoyable meeting, even on Thanksgiving Day. I'm thankful for the opportunity to learn, grow, and connect with our members.

Nanea, General Evaluator

The 196th Regular Meeting: Nov. 16, 2024

Senri Toastmasters: A Day of Ambition and New Beginnings

Last Saturday, November 16th, we had our 196th meeting, and really, was it exciting! Our theme for the day was "Ambition," and everyone really stepped up their game.

Tenten, our fearless Toastmaster of the Day, decided to ditch the notes and facilitated the meeting “freestyle”. The result? A super relaxed and friendly atmosphere that made everyone feel comfortable. And let's just say, the word "ambitious" was thrown around more times than we can count!

Horizon, a powerful metaphor, was used by Hiko to illustrate continuous improvement. It was a thought-provoking insight for all of us. No matter how many steps we take, the horizon can’t be reached. However, each step can bring us closer to our goals. He also emphasized vocal variety, gestures, and facial expressions in delivering an engaging speech.

Another Highlight of the Day was Madelyn, our newest member. She gave her first-ever speech, the Ice Breaker. We learned all about her unexpected experiences studying English abroad and how she accidentally stumbled upon our club at Senri Collabo lobby. This serendipitous encounter has led to a new chapter in her life, and we’re excited to see her grow as a speaker and leader.

Mune’s New Journey: Presentation Mastery. We’re excited to see Mune embark on a new path, Presentation Mastery. His speech was a real eye-opener, revealing his passion for baseball and soccer during his middle and high school years. His detailed descriptions of hard practice painted a vivid picture of his athletic past, making it hard to imagine the contrast between then and now.

Kama-yan’s Inspiring Speech showcased his skills as a storyteller. His vivid descriptions made it easy for us to picture him practicing hard to improve his backhand at Table Tennis. He thought deeply about his weaknesses and how he overcame them. We are looking forward to hearing this speech again after applying feedback from his sharp-eyed evaluator, >Momo.

We also had A Big Moment for Takashi, who took on the challenge of his first evaluation speech. He provided a thoughtful critique of Mune’s Ice Breaker, praising the clarity and organization of the speech. Takashi also offered some constructive feedback, suggesting that Mune could add more vocal variety and gestures to enhance the overall impact. Great job!

A Big Round of Applause is given to Tamiko for taking the challenging role of evaluating Mariko’s speech for the second time. Evaluating a speaker's progress and identifying improvements can be a delicate task, but skillful Tamiko handled it with grace and expertise. Terrific!

As we continue to inspire each other, we the members at Senri Toastmasters hope to achieve a fostering a supportive community where individuals can grow and learn together.

Anne, General Evaluator,  196th Regular Meeting

The 195th Regular Meeting: Oct. 19, 2024

"What an Impeccable Meeting!"

These were the right words to describe the 195th regular meeting at Senri TMC. 

The meeting went impeccably smooth starting from “Here’s My Trick.” This was a short friendly learning reminder of how to come up with one strong speech message. Just a recap of what was said (1) Use familiar words; (2) Storyline or content should be simple; and (3) Don’t pack too many ideas in one message.

The “Speeches” were impeccably prepared and impeccably delivered by versatile speakers. The topics ranged from learned personal experiences, trivialities of marital life, a heart-warming philanthropic act, and a cautionary speech on how to control one’s anger.

The constructive feedback during the “Evaluation Session” was likewise impeccable. Each experienced evaluator praised and gave clear and feasible suggestions to the speakers.

And the sometimes, “dreaded” “Impromptu Speech” proved not dreadful but with impeccably interesting topics that complemented both the speakers and the audience.

This impeccable club meeting has again empowered the dedicated members to be more effective public speakers.

By Rene

* You might be wondering why the words "impeccable" and "impeccably" appeared so many times in this piece. The answer is "Impeccable" was selected as the Word of the Day at this meeting. In Senri Toastmasters, a member serving as the "Grammarian/Word Master" selects a word as the Word of the Day, and members and guests are encouraged to incorporate that word or its derivative words in their speeches.

Special Meeting: Panel Discussion "Delight Obtained from Table Topics Speeches": October 5, 2024

今回のオンラインスペシャルミーティングの最大のハイライトは、何といってもTamikoさんによるパネルディスカッションでしょう。個人的にも非常に勉強になったので、今回はこのパネルディスカッションを中心にご報告します。ちなみに、トーストマスターズでは、通常のスピーチだけでなく、今回のようなパネルディスカッションのファシリテーション（進行）を行うプロジェクトを選ぶことも可能です。

今回のパネルディスカッションのテーマは「Table Topics Speech（即興スピーチ）」でした。即興スピーチが得意な4人のパネリストが、それぞれのスピーチで実践しているコツや考え方を惜しみなく披露してくれました。特に興味深かったのは、各パネリストのアイデアやアプローチが必ずしも一致していなかった点です。つまり、即興スピーチをまとめるために、それぞれが異なる方法を取っていることが分かりました。本当に色々なアイデアが披露されたおかげで、自分自身の即興スピーチでも大いに参考になるヒントがたくさん得られました。

今回のパネルディスカッションから学んだのは、即興スピーチに関することだけではありません。Tamikoさんのファシリテーション能力にも大変感銘を受けました。パネリストの選定、質問の内容や順番など、事前に準備すべきことが多々あったと思いますが、それらすべてが入念に準備されており、結果として非常に聞き応えのある有益なディスカッションとなっていました。やはり事前準備の重要性を改めて実感しました。

このパネルディスカッションの後に行われたMarikoさんのリードによるTable Topics Sessionでも、同様に準備の大切さを感じました。今回、Marikoさんが準備したTable Topicsのお題は「英語の慣用句」をテーマにしたものでした。スピーカーたちは、たとえ本来の意味を知らなくても、イマジネーションを働かせてスピーチを展開することができ、とても思慮深いお題だったと感じました。

今回のスペシャルミーティング、終始スムーズな会でした。やはり、Senri Toastmasters Clubのモットーである「チームワーク」のおかげでしょうか。 また、トーストマスターズは常に何かを学べる場であると改めて実感した会でもありました。

(Yoshiko)

The 194th Regular Meeting: Sept. 21, 2024

9月も末というのにまだ暑さが残る中、第194回例会が開催されました。

今回はいつも使用している建物ではありますが、会場はいつもの講座室ではなく、視聴覚室でした。さすが視聴覚室ということで、外部からの物音は一切聞こえず、集中できる環境でした。個人的には少し閉塞感を感じましたが、ただ、さまざまな環境で会を開催することは、どんな状況でも同じようにパフォーマンスを発揮できる練習にもなるので良い経験だと思いました。

今回の例会では4名がスピーチを披露しました。それぞれのスピーチはプロジェクトの目的に沿っており、内容もバラエティに富んでいたのでご紹介します。

一人目のスピーカーは、長年のペンパルとの心温まる交流について話しました。印象的なグリコのポッキーにまつわるエピソードから始まるストーリーに、最初から最後まで引き込まれ、思わず聞き入ってしまいました。

二人目のスピーカーは、日常にありがちな感情のすれ違いについて話しました。妻が1日の出来事を聞いてほしいと思っている一方、帰宅後はリラックスして食事を楽しみたい夫、というような身近なエピソードを通して感情のすれ違いを描き、共感を呼ぶスピーチでした。

三人目は、海外出張の多いスピーカーならではの旅行の工夫について話しました。例えば、機内では積極的に水分を摂取してトイレに頻繁に行くことで体を動かす、数日前から現地の時間に合わせて生活する、など実用的なアドバイスが盛り込まれており、私も次回の旅行でぜひ実践したいと感じました。

四人目のスピーカーは、最近クラブメンバーになった彼が、数字を使って自己紹介をするという斬新なスタイルのスピーチを披露しました。学生時代や仕事での経験、達成したこと、さらには恋愛についてまで、数字を交えて語ることで彼の人柄がよく伝わる内容でした。

トーストマスターズの活動では、自分がスピーチをすることも多いですが、それ以上に他のメンバーのスピーチを聞くことも非常に多いです。それぞれの人生が詰まったスピーチは、聞いている側としても非常に興味深く、楽しいものであると改めて感じた定例会でした。

Yoshiko

New member testimonial: Madelyn

1. Why did I decide to become a member?

I had been eager to study English since the beginning of this year and sought the most effective and suitable way for me.

Encounter with the Senri Toastmasters Club

I accidentally discovered an English speech club meeting being held in the same building when I went to the library. A sheet of paper with a member's photo, showing the location of the meeting, attracted me. At this moment, I had no idea what the Toastmasters club was. I became curious and took a peek at what people were doing from outside the room. The meeting looked professional as one person was making a speech in front of the audience with a monitor and a camera set in the middle. Although I had to leave there before the library was closed, I couldn’t stop thinking it must have been a very interesting place. 

Then I found a group of people from the meeting and I tried my best to speak to them. They were so friendly to me, a stranger who wasn’t even a guest at the meeting. I decided to attend the following meeting as a guest. This is how I got to know the Senri Toastmasters Club.

My first impression of the Senri Toastmasters Club

I was a bit nervous before entering the meeting room for the first time. But the friendly greeting and welcoming atmosphere eased my nervousness. Then, I was so surprised to see that the meeting had started in a very formal manner. The meeting proceeded with set phrases and formal expressions. They even used a gavel and, whenever the person came in the front, they shook their hands.

Each member has a role such as Ah-counter, Timer and Grammarian, Speaker, and Evaluator. All of them are evaluated by a General Evaluator. There is a ballot after the speeches and the Best Speaker, the Best Evaluator,  and the Best Table Topics are selected. The meeting is moderated by the MC, the Toastmaster of the Day.

It was a completely novel experience for me, and I found myself thoroughly enjoying it. I was called on to speak for the Table Topics, and my nerves were at their peak. However, warm support and smiles from the members lifted my spirits. I joined the meeting two more times. You can participate as a guest up to three times. This gives you time to think it over, so I think this is a good system.

I finally decided to be a member. The right balance between joyfulness and nervousness would surely keep me motivated.

2. What skills do I want to gain?

I have three skills I want to gain which are currently my biggest weaknesses.

The first is to organize my thoughts and clearly express what I want to say. When I try to write essays or even a few paragraphs, my mind goes blank. And I tend to speak without getting to the main point. I believe receiving training in the Senri Toastmasters Club would be the most effective way to get over these weaknesses.

The second skill is fluency in speaking English. I haven’t studied English for a long time, which contributes to my lack of fluency. I have a lot of words that I understand but struggle to use. Immersing myself in this club will help me improve this skill.

The third skill I want to gain is the ability to speak in public with confidence. I get very nervous when speaking in front of people, even at past kindergarten parent-teacher meetings. To conquer this fear, learning tips and practicing with supportive members would be greatly helpful.

3. What goals have I set?

I have been enjoying studying English because I like to communicate with people around the world, share thoughts and insights, and exchange cultural perspectives. However, I often get frustrated not being able to express myself clearly, and sometimes I just give up trying to make myself 100% clear.

I want to be a good communicator who can express ideas clearly and confidently in English, and connect with people from diverse backgrounds.