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The Proof is in the Pudding; So Much More Than A Good Speech
By Sarah Hitchings O'Connor
Last week, I was lucky enough to watch
a whole Grade 6 class transform. My
son had been doing a public speaking
course called Yellow Lantern at his school.
It is an innovative course that brings
even the shyest child out of their shell.
My Bill wasn’t one of the shy ones, but
on graduation night he forgot to bring his
speech. He knew if off by heart but with an
audience in front of him he froze. Amazingly he handled it with a grace I had never
seen before. Instead of bursting in to tears
he said “give me a moment” before going
behind a partition to pull himself together.
Luckily his dad went to the rescue and had
his speech there by the end of the night. Bill
got up, did the deep breathing exercises he
had practiced in the course, and delivered
his speech like a champion.
The focus for all the kids isn’t about being the most composed or not making mistakes, it’s about being your
true self to the best of your ability.
When the onus is taken off of the performance itself the children just shine.
I’m not the only one who sees the fantastic
Rachel,
benefits
in
whose
such
a
daughter
program.
Aisha
did the course last year, told me.
pace. The kids feel like they have someone
“My daughter was always a pretty confi-
walking beside them rather than dictating
dent public speaker so I wasn’t sure what
to them and this has made the world of dif-
she would get out of the course. I was so
ference.”
wrong. She learnt a new level of empow-
What
erment and self-belief that translates well
the
beyond the scope of public speaking. It has
“The Yellow Lantern approach to pub-
put her in such good stead as she navigates
lic speaking is gaining traction in schools
the challenges of high school”.
across VIC, NSW and QLD. We plan to have
I spoke with Nathalie Brewer, Direc-
this program available in each region of
tor of Yellow Lantern about the rea-
Australia within the next 3 years and there
sons she has devised this much need-
is already talk of it being available in the
ed program. “I created Yellow Lantern
USA. We also offer after school coaching
because I saw a need for an alternative
programs for smaller groups”.
to traditional public speaking programs.
For me, the proof is in the pudding so to
The truth is, piling a heap of rules on a
speak. Yellow Lantern caters to children of
young speaker, such as hand movements,
all abilities and is a wonderful program for
pause breaks and the worst one of all “nev-
giving kids self-confidence and inner hap-
er say um” is in my experience counterpro-
piness. I have seen children too scared to
ductive, and in some cases damaging”.
get up at assembly, doing their speeches
“We teach kids how to express from
proudly and with a smile on their faces.
their
What more could you ask for?
heart,
make
mistakes,
breath
are
future
Nathalie’s
of
Yellow
goals
for
Lantern?
powerfully and be themselves in front
of an audience. However that looks.
The results are so much more than the ‘ability to give a good speech’”.
Tanya Cooke, principal at Menzies Creek
Primary School shared her insight into
the Yellow Lantern program with me.
‘We are delighted with the Yellow Lantern
Course as it commences from a basis of
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