Delivering a speech to recently announced high school
students, who are still dealing with the emotions of their college entrance
exam results, presents a significant challenge. How can we quickly deliver a
speech that not only provides reassurance but also inspires them? As someone who
usually delivers
speech to adult within the corporate world, this was truly a new challenge for
me. However, it seems I did well! As one student put it, "I walked into
the audio-visual classroom with tears still in my eyes in the morning but left
with a satisfied smile" (quoted from student feedback). There was even a
student who expressed in their post-session reflection, "Your words gave
me great motivation and inspiration... It's a lifetime blessing to have the
opportunity to hear your speech!" (Reflection shared on Facebook, rest
assured it has nothing to do with grades XD). How was this type of learning
experience created? Let me recreate the scene and break it down step by step,
so you can understand my thought process behind delivering a speech. Perhaps in
the future, you will also have the opportunity to create remarkable speeches or
courses for different audiences.
Change Perspectives, Predict Outcome
Before every class or presentation, I always take a
moment to imagine, "If I were a student sitting in the audience, what
would I be thinking? What takeaways would I hope to gain from this
experience?" Adopting this perspective can be highly beneficial when
planning and setting goals for the session. Reflecting on my own high school
days, I imagine facing a middle-aged speaker on stage and contemplating:
"Who is this person? Is their content worth
listening to?"
"Are they here to preach at us?"
"Can I apply their experiences to my own life? How
would it benefit me?"
"Can I realistically achieve what they're sharing,
or is it only attainable for a select few?"
With this exercise in empathy, I quickly realize that the
content I previously prepared for corporate training programs wouldn't resonate
with high school students. It would seem too distant from their current
reality. Having just finished their college entrance exams, they may not even
know which university they'll attend. Sharing workplace or societal experiences
would feel far removed. If I were to proceed with such content, they might
acknowledge my expertise, but it wouldn't be helpful to them. Therefore, I need
to consider the points of connection and reflect on the influential concepts
that shaped my journey from high school to the present. Instead of lecturing, I
must engage them by inviting their participation in key decision-making moments
in my life. Through interactive discussions and simulations, they can gain a
more authentic and relatable experience.
Lastly, it's crucial to provide practical everyday techniques
that they can genuinely use and take with them, rather than leaving it as a
mere lecture.
With these thoughts in mind, I begin investing time into
designing this two-hour presentation.
Grabbing
Attention and Establishing Credibility
Whether it's high school students or professionals, the
first few minutes of a class or presentation are crucial in immediately
capturing everyone's attention. Otherwise, distractions like smartphones may
make it difficult to regain their focus. It's not just about grabbing
attention; it's also about establishing credibility and conveying the value of
the session, making everyone feel like it's worth their while.
I showcased several guest speakers I had invited before,
including dietitan, dentist, orthopedicist, Spanish teacher and physical therapist. By refreshing
everyone's memory and mentioning these individuals, I pointed out two
commonalities: first, they are all friends of mine, and second, they have
attended my training courses, which essentially makes me "their
teacher" (please forgive me, esteemed teachers, for the effect I created
in front of the students XD). With this introduction, everyone's eyes lit up.
Next, I engaged the audience by asking them to guess
which of the teachers in the pictures, including myself, had the worst grades
in high school. The answer, of course, was me! I showed pictures of myself
during my vocational college years, as a construction site supervisor, and as
an insurance agent, followed by a comparison with my current appearance (quite
a contrast, don't you think? I mean, in terms of physique XD). The students
found it more interesting and quite a drastic change. Some even exclaimed,
"A- fu used to be
so skinny!" (Come on, I quickly replied, "I'm still skinny now! Just
with an additional 30 kilograms! Don't laugh, my dear classmates, you'll become
a 'well-rounded' adult just like me in 10 years!" XD).
With such an opening, students became curious about my
"superstar" teachers and how I went from being an underachiever in
high school to where I am now. Their attention immediately focused on me,
didn't it?
Decision-making and Constructing Learning
When we were young, we often carried a rebellious
attitude, thinking, "I already know all this... Stop nagging!"
Despite our well-intentioned advice, it was often perceived as preaching. I
don't want to spend my time in high school listening to a nagging uncle! Words
spoken may be forgotten, but what about active participation in
decision-making? Perhaps that's what helps us remember things better?
With this idea in mind, I turned several important
decision points from my youth into multiple-choice questions with three
options. For example, during my first year in vocational college, I was
interested in computers and seriously considered, "Should I change my
major?" The options were "Definitely switch," "No, it would
be a waste of a year," and "Double major." I posed the question
to the high school students in the audience. The discussions erupted with
everyone expressing their opinions passionately! Some said, "Definitely
switch" (now I know the answer, but back then, I had no clue!), and others
said, "Double major" (if only I had been that serious when I was
young!). Finally, I revealed my choice: "No, it would be a waste of a
year." The students found it amusing and thought I was naive (Wait, wasn't
I their teachers' teacher?!). However, it helped them understand that everyone
has limited perspectives when they are young. Instead of lecturing, the
students could experience and deeply feel it themselves.
Similar decision-making scenarios included "Finding
my first job," "Whether to switch jobs," and "My mother's
opinion." Instead of providing the answers upfront, I invited the students
to participate in the decision-making process. Afterward, we revealed the
actual answers. It didn't matter if their choices were right or aligned with
mine. Every decision became a learning opportunity. The group decision-making
and learning process fostered tremendous engagement and joy among the students!
Condensing
Experiences, Summarizing Key Points
To enhance the focus of learning and ensure that students
take away what I want them to, I not only involve them in decision-making but
also share my life experiences. In the end, I condense these experiences into
"one sentence" to provide children with a concentrated and essential
learning point.
For example, I shared how even though I couldn't bear to
waste a year during my vocational college years by switching to an
information-related major, I continuously learned about computers, built
websites, and authored computer books. Eventually, when I approached the age of
40, almost 20 years later, I went back to school and earned a doctoral degree
in "Information Management." Seizing the moment when students
expressed astonishment, I condensed it into one sentence: "Don't let a
degree limit your learning!" I hope that regardless of the degree they
pursue or the school they attend (as I know their high school exam results have
just been released), they won't allow external factors to restrict their
learning. This sentence became one of the most memorable phrases in the
students' reflections.
In alignment with career choices, I mentioned the
importance of being brave but not impulsive, and of gaining the trust of family
while following one's own path. After sharing experiences and showcasing real
photos, I emphasized and condensed these key points. From the students'
reflections and takeaways following the speeches, I knew they took something
with them. Here are a few examples:
"I loved the sentence 'You don't have to fall in
love with school, but never stop learning.' It's my favorite from this speech,
and it resonates deeply with me." - Student Dai.
"To be honest, I wasn't in the mood to focus and
listen attentively to this hard-earned speech. But magically, after hearing
Uncle Fu's humorous opening remarks, I gradually shook off my previous
unpleasant mood and followed A-fu's step
by step into his three moving stories." - Student Du.
"Listening to A-fu's speech helped me gain a clearer direction for my future university
choices." - Student Chang.
"What impressed me the most was the choice to be
brave but not impulsive." - Student Shang.
"However, after A-fu started his speech, the atmosphere he created instantly drew me in, causing me
to forget my previous unhappiness." - Student Wang.
"This speech was different from others that are
usually very serious; it made me laugh while teaching me lifelong
lessons." - Student Ye.
"After listening to A-fu's speech, I became more certain of my own willpower and affirmed my own value.
Your words gave me great motivation and inspiration."
Pre-class
and Post-class Implementation Exercises
I am well aware that sometimes there can be a disconnect
between being moved in the classroom and taking no action once back home. To
ensure that students truly take something away from this speech, I collaborated
with Fairy Teacher to design different learning activities for both before and
after the class. One of these exercises was the "50 Life Dreams"
practice. If it were only discussed in the classroom, it would merely be
glanced over without deep understanding. So, I asked Fairy Teacher to treat it
as a worksheet and had students practice writing their dreams before the
speech. Here are some student reflections:
"The exercise of 'writing down the 50 things I most
want to accomplish in life' made a deep impression on me, and it made me want
to work hard to achieve them. I stopped at around 40-something dreams..."
"The seemingly easy worksheet ended up taking me
nearly two hours. I thought I could finish it easily, but by the time I reached
the 36th dream, I couldn't think of any more. My mind was completely tied
up..." - Student Liu.
"While writing the fifty dreams, I remembered my
desire to study in Germany... Staring at the remaining empty spaces, I took a
deep breath and told myself, 'Give it a try, write it down.'" - Student
Liu.
Of course, I also want to express gratitude to Fairy
Teacher for encouraging students to think broadly, and through the process of
inviting me, they did their own homework and even made thoughtful cards. The
focus isn't on the external forms, but rather on designing activities that
engage students' hearts. This approach leads to better overall learning
outcomes.
Conclusion
In this brief reflection on the speech given to high
school students, I revisited the reflections written by the students and even
read the heartfelt thoughts of teacher yu's daughter,Ann, who
wrote, "Our success is determined by ourselves, and no one can decide
everything for us." She also noticed, "I discovered that Uncle Fu and
our mom are alike. They both divide the groups, choose group leaders, and
select a student responsible for keeping score. They almost use the same
approach"(Haha, you caught me!). It made me realize that the effort I put
into preparing for this speech was truly worthwhile.
The important question is: Did you notice which learning
theories we applied throughout the entire speech? How did we guide the students
into the learning context? Why did these actions prove effective for students
who were feeling down and not in the best state of mind after their examination
results? And how can we explain it using learning theories?
We will delve into these topics in future articles, so
stay tuned!
