“Moments of Truth” Special Online Meeting: August 29, 2026

“Moments of Truth” – this was how the Senri TMC August 29th online meeting agenda was named. It pertains to the 6 categories that assess the impressions and experiences of guests and members alike as to the club’s functionality and quality. This assessment tool, “Moments of Truth” has (1) First Impressions (2) Membership Orientation (3) Fellowship, Variety, and Communication (4) Program Planning and Meeting Organization (5) Membership Strength and (6) Achievement Recognition.

Being led into 2 breakout rooms, members enthusiastically and actively participated in the discussion on two aspects - “Enjoyable, educational meetings” and “Positive and helpful evaluations.” Members decisively pointed out the club’s strengths, the needs for improvement, and the current practices that have been a part of the club’s image and legacy. Being completely aware of the “strengths” gives way to a positive outlook and energized motivation. Offering constructive feedback and addressing the “needs” will surely pave the way to personal growth and achieved goals.

The meeting didn’t end with only decisive outcomes and choices. “Decisive” was also the Word of the Day as introduced by Tamiko. Oh… what an apt word for this special meeting!!!

And lastly as a regular treat, members did hear from engaging speakers and supportive evaluators.

Speaker Marilyn’s speech content had a balanced comparative speech structure of toastmastering and her new passion for the woodwind instrument - recorder.

Speaker Hiko did give us a backgrounder of “Moments of Truth,” a guided evaluation on each category, and targeted recommendations.

The reliable Evaluators Kamayan and Yuriko cited motivational comments with specific points and concrete examples but not forgetting to give one or two recommendations for speech refinement.

The “Moments of Truth” meeting was foremost educational, enjoyable, and realistic as to how the club caters to guests and members’ expectations.

(by Rene)

Table Topics Special: Speak, Learn, and Repeat — June 6, 2026

This meeting was held entirely online and focused on Table Topics Speech (TTS). A TTS is a short speech for one to two minutes. Its most striking feature is impromptu delivery; the speaker must respond to a topic given on the spot. It felt as if we were thrown into a TTS boot camp.

Idea Shaped into a Clear Program

Kama-yan, Toastmaster of the Day, introduced a new idea of the combination of TTS and evaluation. He successfully shaped it into a clear program:

Participants’ TTS → Immediate Evaluations → Participants’ TTS on the same topic → Second Evaluations

Through this cycle, we could see the improvement from the first attempts to the second. It was truly the process of “Speak, Learn, and Repeat.”

Before and After

It was the evaluators who led the first speech to a more organized and more empathetic one. We could see the improvement from before to after.

The first evaluator, Jinyoung, delivered crystal-clear evaluations, accurately identifying the core message of each speech.

The second evaluator, Tenten, offered persuasive and instructive evaluations.

Generalizing: elevation of specific facts into universally understandable truth.

The impact of one word: how one well-chosen word can open the world the speaker is leading us into.

Calm Voice Magic

TTS is one of the most challenging activities for many Toastmasters. Eri, Topics Master, introduced each topic and appointed each speaker with a gentle, calm voice that created a relaxed atmosphere for everyone.

Teamwork

This busy and complex program succeeded because of strong teamwork: two Grammarians, two Ah-Counters, two Timers, and two Vote Counters. Everybody appreciated their precise and supportive performances.

We were able to enjoy another meaningful meeting.

(By Hiko)

Science Fiction Meeting – May 30, 2026

May 30th Senri TMC Special Meeting had a theme of “Sci-Fi”, which was set by our Captain of the Starship (Toastmaster of the Day), Anne, and brought a total fun time, in spite of the minimum crew of only 8 attendees. When it launched on time, I, the Chief Analyst (General Evaluator) was still driving home, connected by the modern science benefit of smartphone, without feeling "alienated" (Word of the Day from Mats), and managed to slip into the Starship in 30 mins.

Our Communication Scanner (Ah-Counter) Kankan suddenly got very sick and had to cancel her boarding, but our President Eri kindly and swiftly took her place. I believe it was not only me who was looking forward to Kankan's "Here's My Trick," but it will surely have another chance before long (with a larger audience!)

Today's three main projects (prepared speeches) were more than great. The first project commander Tenten showed us interesting comparisons between "Two Approaches" of a space station staff (contest staff) and an astronaut (contestant). The second project commander Marylin gave us truly practical and beneficial hints of "Managing Anxiety". And the third project commander Jinyoung guided us into an amazing tour of South Korea!

The following analyses (the Evaluation Session) was offered by a team of acrobatic aviators. Eri evaluated our most skillful speaker Tenten very well after speaking as President and Ah-Counter, Tenten evaluated Marylin's 15-min-flight after his own flight, and Marylin evaluated Jinyoung's 25-min-tour after her own 15-min-flight!

The Table Topics Session was conducted by Tenten, who had prepared lots of topics about science fictions. He wisely warned us beforehand that we could be called on twice, so we remained thrilled and on guard until the end of the session. Among the speeches, all of which were eligible(!!!), Marylin's exhortation to a Black Hole Tour in 2050, full of humor and suspense, quoting her own prepared speech, was literally out of this world. No wonder she won the double crown of the best table-topics and prepared speaker! (She might have won even a triple crown if her evaluation speech had not overtimed again( ´艸｀).)

Today's captain's goal as TMOD was to create an energetic sci-fi atmosphere while still keeping the meeting professional and organized, which was undoubtedly achieved and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you everyone, for your full team work. Mission completed!

(by Momoko)

Online Meeting Highlights: Rhetorical Tools — April 4, 2026

4月4日のオンラインミーティングはバラエティに富んだ内容でした。Eriの日本語でのスピーチの発音についての紹介、Anneの“Rhetorical Tools”のプレゼンテーション、HikoのDistinguished Club Programについてのプレゼンテーション、Tenten のVice President Education （教育担当副会長）の役割醍醐味…Toastmasters のメンバー向けの内容も含まれていましたが、リーダーシップスキルとスピーチ・プレゼンテーションスキルに関する内容がバランス良く含まれていて、トーストマスターズがどんなところか、というところがある意味凝縮されていて、来てくださったゲストにもわかりやすく楽しんでいただけたのではないでしょうか。

さて、その中から一つピックアップしてご紹介しましょう。
Rhetoricalな手法ってご存じですか？修辞法…一見（一聴）難しそうですね？

Anneのスピーチでは、実際の例と共に、いくつかの修辞的な技法が紹介されました。

• Anaphora –　首句反復　文頭で何度も同じフレーズを繰り返す。
  Martin Luther King Jr. の “I have a dream!”が代表的な例だそうです。
• Metaphor – 比喩 – “You are my sunshine”
• Hyperbole –　誇張　（この読みは「はいぱぼりー」） “ I can eat like a horse!”
• Personification – 擬人化　“Wind whispered…”　

今回のAnneのProjectは、単にこのプレゼンテーションをする、ということだけではなく、話し好きの人がコメントを長々としたり、おしゃべり好きの人が私語を挟んだり、といった邪魔者をさばいていく「Managing Difficult Audience」というミッションを持ったものでした。
私自身も、持論を延々と述べる役を仰せつかったため、しっかり聞いて内容を理解しつつ、どんな邪魔をしようかと企むことになり、なかなか濃密な時間になりました。

そのあとは、2-3人ずつ分かれてDiscussion。例文を作ってみたりして定着を図りました。
修辞法をマスターして、更に魅力的なスピーチが作れますように！

千里トーストマスターズクラブでは、スピーチやプレゼンテーションを実際にやってみたり、他の人からTipsを学んだり、また、リーダーシップスキルについても学んでいます。
実際にどんなことをしているのか、体験してみませんか？
見学のお申込みはWebsiteのCONTACT USからどうぞ！

(Marylin)

Special Meeting: Education Series – Presentation and Table Topics Contestant Practice | February 7, 2026

Participants at our February 7 meeting

On February 7, our Toastmasters club held a special meeting, titled “Better Speaker Series; Presentation and Table Topics Contestant Practice.” It aimed at our skill up in presentation and Table Topics speech, and especially for two Table Topics contestants.

Prepared Speech Session

This session opened with a presentation by Hiko, whose title “Knock Out Impromptu Speaking” had a playful atmosphere. The presentation, however, was based on the serious research, so the visual aid greatly helped the audience to better understand it. We look forward to members’ knocking-out speeches.

The second speaker was Ten Ten, who presented on “Your Body Speaks.” He said, “Your body speaks far louder than your words, therefore your speech can be improved by the repetition of training and your body language becomes natural. You’ll get the freedom to speak naturally.” This may come from his hands-on practice. His presentation had a profound meaning.

Table Topics Session

Sora’s choice of topic, "The Olympic Games or winter sports," was timely. Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games began on February 6, 2026. She gave her own comment to each speech and enriched this session.

Evaluation Session

The two evaluators, Rene and Kazu, greatly attracted our attention in their comments including suggestions. How to project the speaker himself with the visual aid and what is the good priority to beginners. These suggestions benefited us, too.

Table Topics Contestant-Practice and Feedback Session

Given topics, the two contestants (one is in English and the other in Japanese) delivered impromptu speeches twice. To each speech, other members gave feedback speeches. In a tense atmosphere, this pattern was very fruitful and beneficial to both the contestants and the members giving feedback. A chance like this is rare but desirable for all the members.

As a general evaluator, I report that the special meeting ended meaningfully, thanks to the great control of the Toastmaster of the Day, Marylin and all the other members’ dedication.
(Tami)

Education Series Special Meeting : "Successful Club Series" － January 31, 2026

Spotlight on Marylin's Speech: What will improve your skills

The January 31 Serni Toastmasters meeting featured three strong Prepared Speeches, but the one that left the deepest impression was Marylin's What will improve your skills. Her message stood out because it reframed something familiar —Toastmasters roles—as a powerful engine for personal growth.

Marylin explained that every role in a meeting carries a specific learning purpose. The Toastmaster of the Day builds facilitation and leadership. The Evaluator sharpens analytical thinking and constructive communication. The Timer and Grammarian strengthen observation, precision, and awareness. Rather than seeing roles as routine assignments, she encouraged members to view them as structured training modules designed to develop different skill sets.

What made her speech compelling was the clarity with which she connected these roles to real-world improvement. She emphasized that growth does not come only from delivering speeches. It comes from participating fully in the ecosystem of the club, observing others, supporting the meeting, and reflecting on what each role teaches. Her examples illustrated how even small responsibilities can lead to meaningful progress when approached with intention.

Her delivery was calm, thoughtful, and grounded in experience. The audience was reminded that Toastmasters is not just a place to speak, but a place to practice leadership, listening, and collaboration in a safe and supportive environment. By the end of her speech, members were inspired to take on roles more actively and to appreciate the hidden learning opportunities embedded in every meeting.

Marylin's message set the tone for the rest of the session, offering a foundation of “learning through participation” that resonated throughout the meeting.

(by Mune)

Evaluation Workshop - A Day of Learning and Growth : December 6 , 2025

On December 6th, our Toastmasters club held a special Evaluation Workshop meeting that brought together members for an enriching learning experience focused on one of the most valuable skills in public speaking: delivering constructive and motivating evaluations.

The Power of "Evaluate to Motivate"

The session opened with an insightful presentation by Kazu, titled "Evaluate to Motivate," which set the foundation for the day's activities. This keynote emphasized the importance of delivering evaluations that not only provide constructive feedback but also “push” speakers to continue improving their craft.

Test Speech by Eri

Eri delivered the test speech that would serve as the focus for our evaluation practice. Prior to the meeting, Eri kindly shared her evaluation form, including her project and speech purpose, allowing all participants to better understand her objectives and prepare thoughtful feedback.

Hands-On Practice in Breakout Sessions

The heart of the workshop was the practice breakout sessions, where every member had the opportunity to deliver their own evaluation speech. Participants were divided into four breakout rooms:

• Breakout 1: Rene, Tenten, Takashi and a guest
• Breakout 2: Anne, Mune, and Hiko
• Breakout 3: Marylin, Tamiko, and Kazu
• Breakout 4: Eri, Kankan, Ma-chan

Each group practiced delivering evaluations while sharing observations about what they found effective and any points for improvement. Each member had their own perspective of what part of the speech they liked best. This session provided valuable insights from different angles and experience levels. After an intensive 30 minute practice session we had a nice 10 minute break with an impromptu jam session of ukulele and flute recorder playing.

The Evaluation Session

Following the break, the workshop transitioned into a dynamic evaluation session that demonstrated the multi-layered nature of feedback in Toastmasters. Tenten provided feedback on Kazu’s opening presentation, while three evaluators, representing their respective breakout rooms, evaluated Eri's test speech. In a unique feature that demonstrated the profound (Word of the Day) depth of our learning process, four additional evaluators then evaluated the evaluation speeches themselves, creating a rich learning loop that benefited everyone present!

Supporting Roles

The meeting ran smoothly thanks to our dedicated meeting role takers who kept us on track as Kankan served as Timer, Ma-chan served as Ah-Counter, and Eri took on the triple role of test speaker, Grammarian and Zoom Master. Thanks to their dedication, the workshop remained sharp throughout the session.

Closing Thoughts

This special meeting reinforced a fundamental spirit of Senri Toastmasters: evaluations don't just critique—they motivate, inspire, and help fellow members reach their dream to become better speakers and communicators.

We look forward to seeing how the skills practiced during this workshop will enhance the quality of evaluations at our regular meetings.

(Anne)

Table Topics Competition & Grammarian Workshop : November 1, 2025

Great job!
At our special meeting on November 1, I served as the Chief Judge of the Table Topics Competition and the General Evaluator of the Grammarian Special meeting. This has been a hectic few weeks, but it has surely been rewarding. In this entry, I want to focus on what goes on behind the scenes of a Toastmasters speech competition.

In Toastmasters, we run our speech contests by ourselves, led by two main players: Contest Chair and Chief Judge.

Contest Chair  &  Chief Judge

 This time, our President, Eri, served as the Chair, and I served as Chief Judge. We first solicited competitors, and five members signed up for the English Table Topics Competition and three for the Japanese one. Then, we had a Zoom chat to list the tasks to cover: to assign members to roles, recruit Toastmasters guests to help run the competition, and prepare the necessary documents. I contacted 12 Toastmasters members outside our club, and four of them agreed to help. I appreciate their help.

Next, we sent the competitors and judges the documents they had to complete and submit, collected and checked the documents, and conducted briefing sessions for competitors and competition officials. I joined the competitor briefing as the Zoom Master because, in the Table Topics Competition, every competitor except for the first one is taken to another room so that they won't hear the topic beforehand. As we held this competition online, we wanted to have the competitors experience what to do when they come back from the breakout room to the main room. In addition, I conducted the judge briefing, where I explained the judging criteria, which are significantly different from those for the International Speech Contest. I also had briefings with counters and timers. They took their roles very seriously and performed almost flawlessly on the competition day, with some slight hiccups when collecting the judges' ballots.

On the competition day, the Contest Chair opened the competition with well-prepared opening remarks, which boosted our morale. The competition went exceedingly smoothly, with some hiccups when collecting the judges' ballots. The Japanese Table Topics Competition, which followed the English one, ended exactly when it was supposed to end. Great job, everyone!! And congratulations, Yuriko and Hiko, on your victory in the English and Japanese Table Topics Competitions, respectively!! They won a chance to represent our club in the Area C3 Table Topics Contests on February 28, 2026.

English ＆Japanese session winners

After a 10-minute intermission, we held a Table Topics Session, where we had three members pay attention to the speakers' language usage as Grammarians. During the Table Topics Session, members who competed as competitors in the first half served as the facilitator of the session and functionary role-takers to provide members who helped run the competition a chance to practice impromptu speeches. After that, we enjoyed the distinctly different reports from three Grammarians. I was really thankful as the Chief Judge, General Evaluator of the event, and Vice President Education of the club, for all the participants' tremendous contributions. Great job, everyone!

Author: Tenten, Vice President Education

”Vocal Variety Special" : September 6, 2025

Our meeting today specialized in the theme “Vocal Variety.”

Thanks to our wonderful host, Temma-san (in a Toastmasters club, we called this role the “Toastmaster of the Day”), we gained precious theory on how to boost our vocal variety skills and immediately applied them in the later session with the participants.

He secretly shared the tips.
First, use your pause for engaging the audience and adding emphasis.
Second, utilize Pace, Pitch, and Volume for emphasis and depicting scenes or characters well.
Third, by differing your tone, you can depict the emotions effectively.🎵Are you curious about more details?

Then please reach out to the Senri Toastmasters Club.  You can, for sure, hear how to nicely deliver with “Vocal Variety”. Of course, there are other areas of public speaking that we work to improve. If you are interested in, please feel free to join the meeting!!

Jinyoung, General Evaluator

”Vocal Variety” & "Moments of Truth" Meeting: August 30, 2025

今回のミーティングは「Vocal Variety Presentation」と「Moments of Truth Discussion」の二本立てで開催されました。

 前半の Vocal Variety Presentation では、Tentenさんによる、Vocal Variety（声の多様性）に特化したキーノートスピーチが行われました。自身がコンテストに出場した際の経験を踏まえ、パブリックスピーチにおけるVocal Varietyの極意を、非常にわかりやすく紹介してくださいました。特に「Pause（間）」「Pace（速度）」「Pitch（音程）」「Volume（音量）」「Tone（音色）」の5要素に分けて説明されたことで、聴衆にとっても整理しやすく、すぐに実践できる内容となっていました。

 後半は Moments of Truth セッションです。これは年に一度、クラブの課題についてメンバー間で討議する重要な機会です。事前に役員によるアンケート調査が実施され、ミーティング当日はその結果をもとに議題が設定されました。「新会員を迎えるにあたり、クラブをどう改善していきたいか」「メンバーがより成長を実感するために何ができるか」などのテーマについて、数人ずつのグループに分かれて意見交換を行い、各グループの代表が内容を全体に共有しました。

 私たちはスピーチクラブですので、共有の場もまた、限られた時間内で要点を伝える練習の機会として活用しています。限られた時間で深い議論を行うためには、やはり準備が重要です。今回は、役員の方々が事前にアンケート結果や説明資料を配布してくださったことで、活発な意見交換が実現しました。

 「段取り八割」という言葉がありますが、まさにその通り。役員の皆さんの準備のおかげで、非常に充実したミーティングとなりました。

 ご興味のある方は、ぜひ一度クラブにご訪問ください。会員一同、心よりお待ちしております。

 This meeting featured a two-part program: the Vocal Variety Presentation and the Moments of Truth Discussion.

 In the first session, we enjoyed a keynote speech by Tenten, focused on Vocal Variety. Drawing from his own experience competing in speech contests, he shared practical insights into how vocal variety enhances public speaking. His explanation was especially clear and actionable, as he broke down the concept into five key elements: Pause, Pace, Pitch, Volume, and Tone. This structure made it easy for the audience to understand and apply the tips from now on.

 The second session was our annual Moments of Truth session—a valuable opportunity for members to discuss the club’s strengths and areas for improvement. Prior to the meeting, club officers conducted a survey, and the results were used to shape the discussion topics. In small groups, members exchanged ideas on themes such as “How can we improve the club to better welcome new members?” and “What can we do to help members feel a stronger sense of growth?” Each group then shared their key points with everyone. 

 As a public speaking club, we also treat these sharing sessions as opportunities to practice delivering concise and impactful messages within a set time. 

 To establish deeper discussions within limited time, preparation is essential. Thanks to the officers’ efforts in distributing survey results and materials in advance, we were able to have a lively and productive exchange of ideas. 

 Generally speaking, “Preparation is 80% of success.” This meeting was an expressive example of that. The officers’ thoughtful planning made it a truly fulfilling experience. 

 If you're interested, we warmly invite you to visit our club. All members look forward to welcoming you!

Kamayan, General Evaluator

Impromptu Speech Practice Meeting: June 7, 2025

It was a suuuuper special meeting where all participants could join and share our stories on the spot.

Toastmaster of the day, who led the meeting, set the concept of today’s meeting with the theme “Story bank,” preparing stories in advance and delivering a speech like a prepared impromptu speech with some stored stories.

As you can see in the picture, we actively applied this tip in our speeches and truly enjoyed the meeting. Look at those smiles. And I also appreciate all the role-takers who put in their efforts to facilitate the meeting.

See you at the next meeting! Our meeting is always open to newcomers

Written by Jinyoung

Getting Ready for Impromptu Speaking: Special Online Meeting: May 31, 2025

Today, on May 31st, Senri Toastmasters Club held a special online meeting, entirely focused on impromptu speaking. This unique session was produced by our creative member, Tenten, and thanks to his thoughtful planning, we all walked away feeling more confident and better prepared.

Today’s Word of the Day, "Elaborate," introduced by Rene, turned out to be surprisingly relevant. As the meeting progressed, we saw how our impromptu speeches became more developed and expressive, thanks to the techniques we learned. Even impromptu speeches can become elaborate when built on our own messages and stories.

Can We Actually Prepare for Impromptu Speeches?

That was the question many of us had. Impromptu speeches are, by nature, unprepared. We are given a topic on the spot and expected to deliver our thoughts immediately. But today we learned, there is a way to prepare to build a foundation for the impromptu speeches. Tenten gave us a simple assignment before the meeting: Prepare at least three personal messages and three stories. This planted the seeds.

Stories and Messages

Tenten encouraged us to “Think about the message that comes to your mind often. Then think of stories related to the messages that are important to you.” During his workshop, Yuriko volunteered for the demonstration. Thank you, Yuriko! With her willingness to participate, we all learned how a prepared message or story can connect with an unexpected topic. After her demo speech, we discussed how it could be enhanced. This collaborative analysis deepened everyone's understanding.

Table Topics Session

Then came the real test, the Table Topics Session! Yuriko, our Topicsmaster*, prepared engaging questions for us. Thanks to Tenten’s workshop, we were all able to elaborate on our responses more naturally and confidently. What I loved was that Tenten quickly volunteered to take over as Timer when Mune-san, the Timer, was selected to speak. This small act of support perfectly captured the spirit of teamwork that defines our club.

Evaluation

One of the most valuable aspects of Toastmasters is the evaluation. After Tenten’s workshop, Jinyoung gave a concise and insightful evaluation. His comments were clear and to the point, making it easy for everyone to understand what worked and what could be improved.

Recognizing the Smiles Behind the Screens

At the end of the meeting, Tenten awarded the Smile Prize to Jinyoung. Despite the distance of an online setting, his warm, constant smile and engaged nods supported every speaker. Being a good audience—listening with a smile—is an essential ingredient in creating a positive and uplifting meeting.

Behind-the-Scenes Contributors: Ah-Counter and Grammarian

Let’s not forget the importance of roles like the Ah-Counter and Grammarian. Tamiko, our Ah-Counter, carefully tracked filler words like "um", "ah", and "you know". These can distract listeners and break the flow of speech, so identifying them helps us improve. And Rene, our Grammarian, provided helpful corrections to improve our English. As a native speaker, her input was incredibly valuable.

This Impromptu Speech Workshop was a worthwhile session, offering us practical tools and confidence. So next time we’re asked to deliver an impromptu speech, we won’t panic. Tap into our story and message banks and connect it to the topic. With what we have learned today, let’s elaborate on our skills and take on impromptu speeches with a bit more confidence and natural flow next time.

Written by Eri

Table Topics (Impromptu Speech) Special: March 29, 2025

Managing Online Meetings

This meeting was special in that one of our members, Hiko, took the challenge of organizing and facilitating an online meeting. As our regular meetings are conducted in a hybrid style with some members joining in person and others joining online, Hiko decided to work on a project called "Manage Online Meetings" at this special meeting, which was to be held solely online. This is a project, or module, in our education program "Pathways" that requires a member to plan and lead either an online meeting or an online webinar lasting for 20-25 minutes.

Hiko decided to conduct an online workshop focused on Table Topics, the term Toastmasters uses to refer to impromptu speeches. First, he made a presentation on some tips we can use when trying to make an impromptu speech. These included changing our mindset, buying some time,

To tackle our anxiety, we should change our mindset from telling the truth to engaging the audience. using a format of PREP (Point, Reason, Example, and Point), using entertaining or unusual taste, and staying on topic or going off topic. Then, he stressed the need for practice.

Practice Makes Perfect

After Hiko's presentation, we went into our breakout rooms to practice Table Topics speeches, where each participant delivered a speech and we had a discussion to look back on our speeches afterward. After the breakout, one member from each breakout room delivered a speech they practiced during the breakout session, followed by an interview by Hiko. It was unique that he incorporated an interview session to discuss the members' experiences, and this proved to be productive, deepening our understanding of what Hiko shared in his presentation. I'd say this was a beautifully manaaged online meeting.

In Toastmasters' education program Pathways, there are projects like this one, which provide us with opportunities to build and/or hone our skills other than public speaking skills. Some give us opportunities to lead a team to complete a project to a success, giving us some hands-on leadership training.

To learn more about these, join us at one of our meetings and see it for yourself.

Author: Tenten

The Club Speech Competition: Feb. 1, 2025

The recent club competition at Senri Toastmasters Club was a remarkable event, highlighting the exceptional skills of our members. This time, we had four outstanding competitors: Tami, Munesan, Tenten, and Hiko, each delivering speeches that truly impressed the audience.

Members put the knowledge acquired at the previous workshop into practice as voting judges. This provided them with a hands-on experience, which helped members deepen their understanding of effective speeches.

During the interview session, we had the privilege of exploring the backgrounds of our competitors' speech crafting. It was enlightening to hear about the inspirations and meticulous preparations that went into their presentations, offering valuable insights into their creative processes.

We were also thrilled to see our newest member, Yuriko, actively contributing as the vote counter. Her enthusiasm and dedication were evident, and she played a crucial role in ensuring the smooth running of the event.

The competition was held in a hybrid format, allowing members outside of our home base to join, including one participant from Seoul.

Overall, the event highlighted Senri Toastmasters Club's supportive community. We look forward to more such enriching experiences in the future.

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

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)

Mastering Impromptu Speaking: Hula and Public Speaking: August Special Meeting, August 3, 2024

Our recent online Mastering Table Topics Meeting was a blast! We shared fun stories and unexpected discoveries while practicing impromptu speaking.

In Toastmasters, Table Topics is a segment where participants are given a surprise topic and asked to give a 2-minute speech on the spot. This exercise helps us develop the ability to think on our feet and respond confidently in real-life situations.

During our breakout room, I was asked, "What do you enjoy doing during your spare time?" My first thought was Hula! I then realized I could connect Hula to public speaking by pointing out that both involve storytelling and expression. One with the hands, and one with words.

This experience helped me see how impromptu speaking can be fun and engaging. With practice, anyone can master the art of impromptu speaking!

Key Takeaways:

• Impromptu speaking can be a fun and engaging way to improve your communication skills.
• Practice is key to mastering the art of impromptu speaking.
• Connecting unexpected topics to your interests can help you develop creative and engaging responses.

I hope this blog post inspires you to try impromptu speaking! It's a valuable skill that can benefit you in both your personal and professional life. Guests are welcome at Senri Toastmasters Club!

Anne

Words and Phrases found: May Special Meeting, May 25, 2024

 Today, I served as the Grammarian and found many nice words and phrases. Let me introduce some of them.

1. attentively
Marilyn used this word in "attentively listen to the speech." This word means "paying a lot of attention" and is similar to "carefully."

2. cookie-cutter
Momo used this phrase to describe something being used too often resulting in it losing its impact.

3. protagonist
Eri used this word that means the main character in a story when she talked about a program in her speech about the differences between Showar and Reiwa eras.

4. bring about interest
Hiko used this phrase to mention that Eri's speech title intrigued him.

5. meager and mediocre
This is not a set phrase, but was a nice twist on the Word of the Day at the meeting, "mediocre" used by Rene. Now, what's "Word of the Day"? It's the word that we encourage participants to use during that particular meeting. This has two purposes as I understand it, (1) to help members build vocabulary and (2) to help participants to train themselves to become more flexible. We are encouraged to incorporate the Word of the Day, which is not always easy. You have to be felxible to achieve that.
I like the combination of these two words, meager and mediocre, because they share similar meanings and complement each other. Also, they start with the same consonant creating a good rhythm.

We learn from other members' speeches a lot of things including how we can make an impact by using the language effectively. If you want to see it in action, pay us a visit! You can always sign up for a meeting on our website at https://senri.toastmastersclubs.org/

Meeting Full of EVALUATIONS: April Special Meeting, April 13, 2024

The Special Online Meeting on April 13th featured a succession of “EVALUATIONS.” Evaluation is said to be vital in Toastmastering. As a consequence, a “Mini Workshop on Evaluation” by Rene initiated the meeting agenda. The workshop mentioned that an evaluator’s tone and feedback content had a great impact on the speaker’s self-esteem and self-confidence. An evaluator was also not a master but a peer who simply gave his or her own opinion to the speaker’s speech and some specific recommendations for improvement.

Toastmasters’ evaluation considers the “Sandwich Approach” as an effective way to motivate and to educate a public speaker. This approach enables an evaluator to give a personal opinion in a friendly, direct, and non-threatening manner. The evaluator’s suggestion for improvement is “sandwiched” between two positive comments. Thus, comparing speech evaluation to a sandwich, the top piece of the bread gives praise and congratulations. The fillings like meat, cheese, and vegetables refer to weak areas and constructive suggestions. The bottom piece of the bread is devoted to encouragement. The way an evaluator finishes his evaluation determines whether the speaker will be motivated and eager to begin his next speech.

The second of evaluation was the “Test Speech” of Mariko. All member attendees had to watch closely, listen attentively, make notes on the evaluation guide, and put into words their ideas and opinions of the speech entirety at the breakout rooms. It was a good learning opportunity to let everyone evaluate, to listen to other members’ evaluations, and to choose the breakroom representative evaluator.

The third of evaluation at the meeting was Tenten’s “Active Listening Project.” He served as Topicsaster, who gave clear, concise, and Toastmasters-related questions. Tenten demonstrated his active listening skills by commenting on each speaker’s Table Topics speech. The evaluation comments for all speakers were specific and concluded on a positive note.

The last in the succession of “Evaluations,” was the regular Evaluation Session. There were three evaluators for Mariko, and one for Tenten. They evaluated on different criteria: on how they reacted to the speech, the effect it had on them, the areas Mariko and Tenten did well, and specific recommendations. The members enjoyed the warm atmosphere conducive to “healthy” learning, interacting, and evaluating.

To be at the Special Meeting on April 13th was a rewarding experience!!! Who could ask for more!

Rene

How to Introduce Others with Flair and Grace (Jan. 13 & 20)

Can you imagine what these beautiful English words were used to describe,  “Trailblazing,” “Gracious,” “Righteous,” and “Glittering.”?

They are the adjectives that the Toastmaster of the Day (the meeting MC), Anne, used to introduce the role takers of our January 13 meeting. Her introduction with these charming words delighted the members who were introduced, created a warm and friendly atmosphere, and helped us to get to know each other better. Anne’s skill of introducing others courteously was superb.

On January 20, one of the experienced members, Rene, gave a splendid speech based on the “Deliver Social Speech” project. The objective of her speech reads “a speech to honor an individual (the presentation of an award).” Rene’s introduction of a fictional award recipient, John, was amazing. Thanks to Rene’s wonderful introduction speech, we were able to know the wonderful life's ups and downs that John overcame.

The skill of introducing others is very useful for all of us in our daily lives. We cannot do it without noticing the good points of others. In January meetings, thanks to these experienced members, we were able to learn not only the skill of introducing others with flair and grace but also the beautiful expressions to do so. Thank you!