Page 18 - VIS - Newsletter

October/2023

THE MORNING ASSEMBLY

‘Most students dreaded the phrase "morning
assembly" in my old school. Just imagine standing

still in the hot sun and having to listen to
someone going on and on, on the microphone.
Sometimes, it would seem like an endless rant.
It's different in VIS. Of course, we often have
chairs arranged for us to sit in the place outside
of the classrooms, in the academic block. But
what’s special about our assemblies is the activity

of public speaking, which is open to all grades.
Our students come forward to the lectern and
present a short talk on their chosen topic. The
topic could literally be about anything: current
affairs, or sports, or it could be about things most One fine Thursday, I decked up for the assembly
people in school haven't even heard about! to give a talk on a compound called propranolol,

introducing it as “A Drug to Cure Fear”. As soon
One of the main motives behind the morning as I went up to the lectern, I realized that if I
assemblies at VIS is to encourage students to wanted to give a good talk, I had to speak
effortlessly make a brief and understandable confidently and freely, as though it were a
presentation. Public speaking is a small but a conversation. I spoke to everyone just out of
very life-changing skill to have. Not only do you what I had understood and I made it interactive.
begin to feel confident talking at the lectern in

front of a sizeable and familiar audience, but you At the end, as I was wrapping it up, I asked the
also begin to open up in different social audience if they wanted to ask me a question or
environments. comment on anything I'd said. From the youngest
kids to the teachers, there were many responses.
It was here at VIS that I got my first public They all asked different questions: some answers
speaking opportunity. Earlier, I had only spoken I knew; others I didn't. But as I interacted with the

briefly, like saying the thought for the day, the audience, I realized, with some satisfaction, that
quote for the day, or the word for the day; but many people had actually understood what I'd
here, for the first time, I presented a 15-minute talked about.
speech at the morning assembly!
There's a process to be followed, if you wish to After the assembly was over, there were many
present a talk at the assembly. First, you have to people who complimented me for my speech. I felt
talk to one of our teachers, who provides you glad because I felt contented with my

with articles on your chosen topic so that you can presentation, and because the audience had
go over them to absorb the knowledge, build the enjoyed it too!
required perspective and make notes. Then you
polish off your talk with a rehearsal and go for it! Laaceya (9B)