Jerry Seinfeld said, “According to most studies, people’s No. 1 fear is public speaking. No. 2 is death. Death is No. 2.
Does that sound right? This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than doing the eulogy.”
I realized how true Seinfeld’s words are. The art of rhetoric has been revered since ancient times. Along with grammar and logic, rhetoric was considered part of the “trivium” in Medieval institutions of learning. I believe the main reason so many people are afraid of public speaking is because oratory is not emphasized in the classroom.
Learning to speak and participate in a civil debate are useful talents. It is sad to learn that schools across the state are slashing budgets for forensics. Districts such as Edmond and Putnam City Public Schools, are diverting students away from acting and debate in order for them to take Advanced Placement classes.
This kind of classroom shuffling is degenerative considering the concentration of high GPA’s, National Merit Scholars and elevated test scores evident in high school speech classes. Instead of encouraging students to have tangible skills, school districts are pushing purely for test scores.
One of the best examples of how debate culminates in the classroom is the work of Martin Glendinning, Teacher of the Year for Edmond Schools.
The former debate coach teaches Advanced Placement American History at Edmond North. According to the Edmond Sun, the pass rate of his students on the End of Instruction test was 99 percent in 2007. Glendenning told the Sun, “Even now, as an AP U.S. history teacher, the key skills of my class are critical thinking and reasoning.” These two skills form the foundation of the art of debate.
Glendinning was in charge of last weekend’s 2008 State Speech and Debate Tournament for Oklahoma high school students. Competitors were from schools big and small. These students have worked tirelessly to get to the State “tourney.”
Tournaments happen nearly every weekend starting early in the morning and ending late at night on Fridays and Saturdays. The regional and state tournaments run for three days. In order to get to State, the competitors have to qualify at a local tourney, then participate in the regional Tournament and finally place there.
My favorite event, Extemporaneous, involves drawing questions on social or political issues. Competitors have 30 minutes to construct a 7 minute speech answering the question. The speech is given from memory.
It is a dichotomous event- one section deals with domestic issues and the other with foreign affairs. The performances are incredible. I cannot imagine most college students or adults being able to give a coherent and in-depth oration on topics such as the clash between democracy and Islam, the looming U.S. economic crisis, the violence in Nepal or the Mugabe dictatorship in Zimbabwe; and the list goes on.
Often, the delivery is humorous. The speakers are articulate, offer actual analysis and give a researched oratory — all with smooth transitions including an introduction and conclusion.
The prowess learned in speech class greatly affects students’ abilities in other disciplines. Construction of an argument is very similar to writing a proper paper. You must have a thesis, evidence and explain the impact of an action. Everything must link and be presented in a coherent fashion.
By encouraging this analytical thought process we can bring about the return of intellectual enlightenment. Isn’t that better than enjoying the casket?
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