 |
|
 Charlie Knox26, m, resident of spa, northern ireland, a thinker, who tries to be real, enjoys the company of nala(left), indebted to jesus for his grace and instruction in life and whose, amongst other things, studying sports science at UUJ. enjoy rugby a whole lot! |
|
|
|
|
Thursday, November 27, 2008 Coincidence  I've been giving my Year 8's at Shimna an introduction to the Bible as part of their RE classes over the past few weeks. Just today we looked at some of the key steps in history that led us towards the range of bibles we have today (i didn't show them this one!!!). These steps included the massive impact of Gutenberg's Printing Press and the determined actions of 'heretics' like William Tyndale who took it upon himself to have the bible translated in English knowing that it could cost him his life (as it turns out it did!).Having just finished the lesson, it was interesting when i checked out the BBC website at lunchtime and found this article!! Interesting stuff. posted by charlie | 3:16 PM | Friday, November 14, 2008 The I get to do public speaking every now and then, although intentionally I do a lot less these days than i have in the past. Sometimes i speak in churches, sometimes in schools and occasionally at one off events, like last summer when i delievered speeches at a couple of the weddings I was involved in. I hope it doesn't sound too vain to say that i enjoy speaking in public. Like Eric Liddel, the olympian whose story was told in the movie Chariots of Fire, and who said 'God made me fast and when I run I feel his pleasure' , I feel God has given me some natural ability to speak in public and when I do, it feels right. However, that definitely doesn't mean its without effort, work or even a few recurrent nightmares!! I constantly wrestle with questions about the whole public speaking thing (and incidentally I think thats the way it needs to be. A mate recently quoted Erwin McManus saying 'you should find what comes easy in life and then work hard at it.'). I ask questions about whether public speaking is effective - do people remember anything? can i remember much from any of the public speaking I've listened to lately? is that the point? is it about the longterm effect or the effect it has in the moment? is it about these small effects adding up as you listening to lots of public speaking over a period of time? I ask if we too often confuse public speaking with teaching, particuarly in the church? I ask what effect public speaking has on listeners - does it passify them? numb them? make them angry? make them bored? make them feel unspiritual becuase they are bored? make them excited? make them want to change? make them want to go home? make them think about what they're doing afterwards? make them think differently? make them question? make them feel like the person at the front is more important? make them feel like poor listeners? make them feel part of something bigger? I ask questions about what type of public speaking is most effective - how long? how funny? how many stories? how many quotes? stand still or move about? visual aids or good word pictures? detailed notes or none? how to start? how to finish? how much silence? audience participation or not? The questions are unending.... and of course so will be the answers. Anyway, the thing that got me thinking about all this stuff (when i should be lesson planning!) was an article that Stevie P sent me today. It's written by some leadership consultant called Mark Sanborn. I think the questions he encourages Public speakers to ask are spot on: Did I stick to my allotted time? Did I develop and present purposefully? Was I thoroughly prepared? Did I capture attention at the very beginning? Did I positively influence listeners? Was I appropriately entertaining, or at least not boring? Did I end only once? In the article, Sanborn also provides a few reasons why speakers should ask these questions. As his title suggests Sanborn reckons that following these questions should keep one's public speaking 'flop proof'. While I wouldn't share his confidence in that regard, asking these questions would help public speakers, including myself become more sensitive and accountable to the people who graciously lend their ears each time we stand up. thanks stevie. posted by charlie | 1:06 PM | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
||||
|
|||||
