– Why we do it –
Many people have a fear of public speaking. The reason for this is undoubtedly that education has moved away from training students in this classical discipline. The person who is able to speak well in public is able to lead and not just follow. Words are powerful tools that can bring about peace or rouse nations to war. We want this powerful tool to reside with those whose lives are wholly devoted to Christ.
At OSNAS, we give our students ample opportunities to grow in their confidence and ability to speak in public because we recognize that we are called to live a public Christian life. Our task is to be a bright city on a hill and to share Christ without fear in public settings (Matthew 5:14; Matthew 10:19).
– How we teach it –
OSNAS students learn how to speak in public from the earliest grades. Every day, students in all grade levels recite their class catechism. By constantly repeating these catechisms, students easily memorize large amounts of material including poems, historical speeches and Scripture passages.
In class, students grow in their ability to articulate their thoughts through the practice of narration, in which a student tells back what was read or said in as much detail as possible. Upper school students participate in Socratic discussions which allow them to practice civil discourse with their fellow classmates.
Students compete every year in a Poetry Cup in which the top students from the upper grades and all the classes in the younger grades perform their poems and speeches in front of the entire school. Elementary students develop further confidence in public speaking through their annual Christmas play while middle and high school students perform in the Spring play.
In high school, students receive formal training through a course that is dedicated purely to practicing Public Speaking. As a classical school, the ability to speak well in public is not an elective or luxury; it is an essential skill for all students.
Our training in Public Speaking culminates with a year-long Senior Thesis course. In this course, every senior researches a topic of interest under the guidance of a thesis advisor. This paper serves as the basis for their public defense that takes place at the end of the year before a panel of experts.