public speaking
Carve Every Word The Imperative of Public Speaking at Cathedral School for Boys By Burns Jones, Head of School I “Speak clearly, if you speak at all; carve every word before you let it fall.” — Oliver Wendell Holmes
Cathedral School has been committed to teaching effective public speaking for decades, and in ways both informal and formal, boys routinely demonstrate their learning and their proficiency through presentations and public speech. More than anything, our dedication to the development of confident and effective communicators connects with our goal of graduating strong leaders. Communication skills are foundational to that effort. Nowhere is our approach to public speaking programing more obvious than in the cycle of reading and speaking competitions that we hold each spring. Made possible by a long-term relationship with the Frances K. and Charles D. Field Foundation, these competitions are designed to teach public-
suspect that anyone entering the classrooms of Cathedral School for Boys might make a few, common observations about the process of teaching and learning at our school. One would relate to student engagement. Our teachers know boys well and design lessons in ways that capture their interest and attention. Another might relate to the hands-on nature of our approach. We know that boys learn through doing, and our teachers make the classroom experience approximate the real world Public speaking represents another common, and important, element of our educational approach that is an obvious part of any boy’s experience.
20 | cathedral school for boys
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