Public Speaking – ‘Prepared to Participate with Poise’
First and second places in the “Bear Pit Public Speaking Competition” hosted in NSW Parliament House this week - congratulations Archie Manns (Stage 2 Winner) and Mitchell Ward (Stage 3 Runner-up)!
How impressive! Mosman Prep boys gained two out of four trophies against Independent and Public School students from Mosman to North Sydney in the finale of this prestigious speaking competition!
What is also impressive is that all our boys from Years 3-6 participated in the competition, which progressed from a class round to year group and finally stage group competition, before the final two speakers were selected.
Public speaking is a crucial skill for children for several reasons:
- Building Confidence and Self-Esteem: Speaking in front of a group can be daunting, but it’s also incredibly empowering. Each successful presentation or speech helps children overcome fears and apprehensions, teaching them that they can face and conquer challenges.
- Fostering Social Connections: Communication is at the heart of social interaction. By developing public speaking skills, children learn not just how to talk, but how to listen, respond to feedback and engage in meaningful conversations. These are important skills for building relationships and working in teams.
- Enhancing Academic Performance: Public speaking skills are intrinsically linked to academic success. Children who are comfortable expressing their ideas aloud are more likely to participate in class discussions, ask for help when they need it, and present their work with pride. Public speaking also improves their critical thinking skills – the ability to organise thoughts, conduct research, and develop logical arguments.
- Preparing for the Future: As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, the ability to communicate effectively across diverse cultures, languages, and platforms becomes indispensable. Children who master the art of public speaking, learn not just to articulate their thoughts with clarity and confidence, but also to listen, inspire action, advocate for change, and make a meaningful impact on the community.
Mosman Prep prides itself on actively developing students that are articulate and confident public speakers.
Throughout their time at Prep, the boys are provided multiple opportunities to plan and deliver informal spoken presentations that suit varied audiences and purposes. From Early Entry to Year 6, boys deliver informative, persuasive, and entertaining speeches with familiar and impromptu content within the safe and supportive environment of their classroom.
Every experience enables the boys to continually grow their understanding of the elements of public speaking including how to adjust volume, pace, intonation, eye contact ,and content to increase audience engagement.
Senior students are also able to participate in the Debating program through Debating enrichment and the IPSHA Debating Team. In addition to presenting substantive content, they must actively listen to the opposition's argument and create rebuttals to argue against their propositions. They need a strong understanding of contemporary issues and must formulate arguments representing ideas that they don't always agree with. This year, Mosman Prep put forward four debating teams (more than any other school).
Just think where a strong grounding in public speaking and debating can lead…
“Dear Mr Grimes,
We haven’t met—I left in 2010—but I wanted to let you know that my debating career, which started at Mosman Prep, recently reached its pinnacle earlier this year when my teammate and I won the World Universities Debating Championship”. (full email below)
In our rapidly changing world, the ability to communicate effectively is more important than ever. It is foundational to personal, academic, and professional success. By prioritising the development of public speaking skills at Mosman Prep, we’re helping students find their voices, share their ideas, and connect with the world around them. In doing so, we’re equipping them with the tools they need to lead, innovate, and inspire for years to come.
Peter Grimes | Headmaster
Recent Email from an Old Boy
Dear Mr Grimes,
We haven’t met—I left in 2010—but I wanted to let you know that my debating career, which started at Mosman Prep, recently reached its pinnacle earlier this year when my teammate and I won the World Universities Debating Championship.
I am at Oxford in the second and final year of my BPhilosophy. Since winning the Hartman Cup back in 2010, I have been debating all through high school, Sydney University and now at Oxford.
It’s been a lot of hard work and a huge number of hours in training, but debating has very much paid off, metaphorically in the case of helping with clarity of thought and expression in all the essays I have written over the years, and quite literally, in that I personally credit it with helping me through scholarship interviews. It has also offered terrific opportunities for meeting fascinating people from all over the world, taking me to competitions in Malaysia, Bali, Thailand, Spain, Ireland, Bulgaria, and Vietnam in addition to the UK and Australia. Next month I’ll be going to New York for my final competition.
Many, many thanks to Mosman Prep for starting me on the debating path.
All the best,
