July
2008
|
by
Bertha
Leone
 Learning
at a young
age to
speak in front
of a group
can have an
impact on
children for
the rest of
their lives.
Such is the
strong belief
of a very
talented Del
Mar resident
with a history
of public
speaking who
has used her
skills for
the benefit
of children.
Melissa
Crothers became
interested in
teaching speaking
skills to children
when she realized
that kids who
learn to express
what they feel
with spoken
words are less
apt to resort
to “acting
out”.
Having attended
Pepperdine University
on a full speech/drama
scholarship,
and with many
years of speaking
experience with
Toastmasters
International,
Melissa had
the foundation
to act upon
her intuition.
Fearless
Speakers™ is
a program that
develops “speaking
confidence for
a lifetime”™.
For several
years, Melissa
has conducted
after-school
kids programs
in Solana Beach
elementary schools.
In Fearless
Speakers™,
she utilizes
an approach
that combines
that of a drama
and sports program.
Participants
are first shown
how public speaking
is done, and
then are given
the opportunity
to do it themselves.
The results
are that the
young participants
speak without
fear, and without
even realizing
they are being
taught.
Through
a variety of
techniques,
including telling
a joke, delivering
a motivational
message, speaking
impromptu, or
delivering a
prepared speech,
to name a few,
young speakers
learn to enjoy
speaking in
front of a group.
Some participants
have natural
speaking talent
and use the
program as an
opportunity
to practice
and shine in
the delivery
of informative
speeches or
eloquent off-the-cuff
presentations.
For others,
the program
provides fun
steps to get
them started
speaking in
front of a group.
The biggest
satisfaction
for Melissa
is seeing a
child get up
and speak who
previously was
brought to tears
by the mere
thought of it.
One of the features
of Fearless
Speakers™ involves
the participants'
creating a “giant
story”,
with each student
adding his or
her story line.
Melissa enjoys
telling the
tale of one
child who spent
the entire program
time avoiding
participation.
On the final “parent
night”,
the student
stood up and
spoke her ending
lines to the “giant
story” …. “And
the angel fell
from the sky!”… to
the resounding
applause of
all her classmates.
A
parent, who
admitted to
having difficulty
with public
speaking himself,
called to
enroll his
five-year-old
twins in the
program. Although
Melissa will
tell you that
speaking confidence
for a lifetime
begins at
an early age,
Fearless Speakers™ is
targeted for
fourth, fifth
and sixth
graders. Several
schools in
the area will
offer this
program in
the fall.
For more information,
visit www.fearlessspeakers.net .
© 2007-08
Del Mar
Community
Alliance,
Inc. All
rights reserved. |
