Opinion/Resources/Teen Perspective
By Teen Opinion Contributor Maggie Verdught
Photo: Deposit
Last week, I had the opportunity to watch and participate in the State-level competition of Individual Speech!
In my state, we have Large Group and Individual Speech, two different seasons during the school year. I love to write, and I’ve realized that speaking isn’t always my strong suit, especially when it’s something more creative and stylistic. Last year, I did the “Spontaneous” category. This year, I stepped a bit out of my comfort zone, and I participated in the categories of “Storytelling” and “Poetry.”
This whole experience has made me reconsider the profound benefits of public speaking. I wanted to write about this because I am really passionate about bettering my generation, and I believe that public speaking is a powerful way to do that! My hope is that you will feel inspired to go outside of your own comfort zone and find opportunities for public speaking.
Why kids should be doing more public speaking
I don’t want to sound like a broken record, repeating what we already know, but I’ll mention it briefly: Modern technology has helped to diminish society in several ways. In my own life, I see this play out daily with my peers. We are not fully focused on real-life conversations, at least not as much as we used to be. Our attention spans are much shorter, and instant gratification is something we constantly seek. Patience is a virtue that most of us have thrown to the wayside. How does public speaking fit into this issue? Public speaking actively combats our apathetic culture. It’s a bold statement to make, but I believe that apathy is the biggest issue in younger, western generations today.
When one stands in front of an audience, however small it may be, they must consider the elements of a strong presentation. This includes appropriate tone, body language, volume level, and more. Presentations force us to be intentional, to step outside of our comfort zones, and to share part of ourselves with others.
I’m not saying that kids should be forced to write and give extremely formal speeches. There is certainly an appropriate age, time, and place for such things. But children have thoughts to offer the world, and they are developing themselves into who God wants them to be! Public speaking opens a doorway into learning more about yourself, through an instructive setting. It is a life skill, and kids are not incapable of this.
How kids can get involved with confidence-building opportunities
You may notice that I didn’t write “public speaking opportunities.” Yes, public speaking is my main point here. Yet there are smaller, daily, applicable ways in which children can develop confidence-building skills.
One example is when you are out with children in public. (In fact, one can still refer to this as “public speaking” because one technically speaks in public.) You might be at a restaurant, asking your kids what they want to eat. These interactions must be age-appropriate, of course, but when they respond, you can instruct them to speak for themselves. By encouraging them and giving direct, understandable instructions, they can order their food for themselves. This is a great example of how children can actively learn and practice their independence and confidence.
What happens when kids are raised without a stable environment to make mistakes, learn, and grow? They become anxious. They crack under pressure because they don’t know how to handle it. They turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms. They seek relationships that do not benefit them. As Christians, our hope and confidence is found in Jesus Christ. We do not fear man, because God is our sovereign King. We fear the Lord because He is worthy of all praise and honor. Kids raised in a Christian home should be more confident! They should know that their confidence and identity is secure, no matter how awkward they sound in a presentation. Public speaking does not come naturally for most people. It may be an uncomfortable reminder of our weaknesses. However, by pushing kids into the cycle and process of learning and public speaking at a young age, they will reap the benefits. Their personalities will shine through, and they will truly lean into the other gifts God has given them, too.
I’m going to list some examples of confidence-inducing opportunities below, because it is so important for parents and adults to encourage this!!
- Ordering at a restaurant/cafe/shop
- Talking to an older/elderly adult
- Intentionally speaking up in a class that is difficult/not liked
- Going to a job interview, prepared
- Giving a presentation in front of a group
Conclusion
I hope that you will seek out some of these opportunities to practice public speaking in your daily life! If you already do a lot of public speaking and confidence-building activities, encourage your friends and family to do so. It is worthwhile, and you will not regret it.
2 Corinthians 12:9
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
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Maggie VerDught is a high school student who enjoys learning about culture, news, and politics.
She is passionate about sharing the truth, especially with her generation. Maggie loves to run, read, and write poetry in her spare time.
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