WEEK 2 Freestylin'

In our sessions this week we opened as usual with our warm-ups. Then we went into IMPROMPTU SPEAKING. Being able to speak at length on a topic without any preparation. Creative thinking is the precursor to impromptu speaking. You have to feel free and open to MAKE THINGS UP. It takes confidence and practice to call upon that skill set. In order to help us grow our creative thinking we played two games, Two Truths and a Lie, and then we proceeded to make Commercials about random products. This pulls from their experience; they have a scaffold upon which to build.

Stand up, neutral position, and convincingly tell us three things about yourself. Two MUST be true, ONE must be a lie. The audience has to guess the lie! There was much laughter! The exercise forces us to talk in front of a crowd but also makes us use our imagination, making it up! Practice helps us limit those times when we feel "stuck." I went first.

"When I visited Japan, I hugged Godzilla.
While climbing Machu Picchu in Peru, I almost fell off a cliff trying to take a selfie.
I've never eaten anything green."

Which is the LIE?!




We practice essential EYE CONTACT in our sessions. We rarely look into each other's eyes anymore even while receiving basic services like thanking your waiter for filling your glass with water or accepting change from the cashier with an audible "thank you." We have to look into each other's eyes when we talk. 



I rummaged random objects from my purse. A notebook, a pen, a child's umbrella, a battery charger, a cell phone, sunglasses, an eraser, an eyeglass case, Tic-Tacs! Then, students were tasked with picking an object and creating a commercial for it. Organically, tiny groups developed to perform these commercials as a duo. All on their own. 



Everyone really wanted to have a Tic-Tac! I said, "No! These were found waaaay at the bottom of my bag!"

Here we see a trio!



I like these inspirational quotations found at many of the schools. Mantras!







In this session kids spontaneously turned themselves into a recording crew. They mimed and used make-shift props!  ---we have a boom operator, two camera guys, the person who runs slate and an interviewer. They did this on their own. THIS is being creative. 



The teacher left this note on the blackboard when school let out. It helped reinforce the idea that public speaking is a matter of PRACTICE.






This duo is secretly plotting their commercial.



Often time, I strongly encourage and expect the high school staff to participate. They'll have to go on college interviews and job interviews. This is essential for them. Sometimes, they are more nervous and reluctant than the younger kids! Teen angst! They are good sports though and many have lead by example. I call them "college bound." "Come on, college bound, you got next!"



Here I am leading facial warm-ups. "Massage, massage, massage your face!"




Here we are doing clown circle, name & gesture. Again, this is about on-the-spot creative thinking. I ask, "Have you ever been in a situation where you didn't know what to say? You felt stuck or shy? Or you didn't know what to write about?" This is about forcing us to use our imagination. We don't do that enough.





















Here, Mr. Walker, the team leader of this school group, offers his experience and thoughts on the importance of public speaking!