Check List for Toastmaster of the Day

When you're the Toastmaster

BEFORE THE MEETING:

1. Make sure you know who is scheduled for each role (timer, ah-counter, speakers, table topics, general evaluator, evaluators). If you're not sure, check out the web page or contact our Vice President ofEducation.

2. Decide on a theme for the meeting. You can make the theme whatever you want (within the boundaries of "good taste", of course). Often the theme is related to the time of year, or a current event, but if you're creative you can pretty much go wild with it. Think of a question related to the theme that you could ask the other participants.

3. Email the other participants by the Wednesday before the meeting. Your email will be asking the participants the theme question, and also asking for information that will enable you to give them a proper introduction.

Your can find out the following information from roster, which can be used to introduce the participents:
* occupation/employer
* how long a Toastmaster
* how many speeches completed
* answer to the theme question.

In addition, you should ask the speakers:
* which speech project they're working on
* objectives of the speech project if you don't have their speech manual
* title of the speech

You may need to follow up with participants if they don't respond to your first email. You should make the general evaluator (GE) aware of the evaluators' responses, since the GE will be introducing the evaluators. Note that in the event of a Speakathon, there will not be a GE for the meeting, and you as Toastmaster will be introducing the evaluators.

4. Occasionally, someone who has volunteered for a role, such as Timer, Ah Counter, Table Topics, GE, or an evaluator will not be able to make the meeting. When this happens, it's that person's responsibility to find a replacement. You might end up helping that person find a replacement, which could mean sending an email out to the membership asking for volunteers. In any case, you should be aware of any changes to the agenda. You should communicate any changes to the VP of Education, so he can update the agenda.

5. Prior to the meeting, make copies of the agenda, and be prepared to distribute them at the meeting. There will be a printer-friendly version of the agenda available on the website. If for some reason you are unable to produce copies of the agenda, please let the Club Officer team know ASAP, one of the team members will help you and provide copies for the meeting.

6. Make sure you know how to pronounce the names of the people you will be introducing. If you are not sure about someone's name, consult the pronunciation guide on the roster or ask that person prior to the meeting.

7. Make enough copies of the agenda. Try to arrive at the meeting by 5:50pm, if possible, so you can distribute the agenda and iron out any last second issues. The meeting should start no later than 6:15.

8. During the meeting, you will be making several trips to the lectern. When you arrive at the lectern, always shake hands with the person you will be replacing, and by the same token shake hands with the person who will be replacing you. Do not leave the lectern unattended at any time.

AGENDA:

1. The President will introduce you after her business report.
2. You should do a brief opening (a couple of minutes), during which time you reveal the theme for the meeting.
3. Introduce the "watchtowers" for the meeting:
3a. Introduce the timer. Stay at the lectern while the timer describes his/her responsibilities.
3b. Introduce the ah-counter/grammarian. Stay at the lectern while the ah-counter describes his/her responsibilities.
4. Introduce the first speaker.
5. Assume the lectern from the first speaker, thank the first speaker, ask timer to time one minute break for audience to write comments and introduce the second speaker.
6. Continue in this fashion until all speakers have completed their speeches.
7. After the final speaker, ask audience to vote for the best speaker. Then introduce the Table Topics Master and/or the Debate Master.
8 . Assume the lectern from the Table Topics master and/or the Debate Master, and introduce the GE. The GE will introduce the evaluators, get the watchtowers' reports, and provide evaluation of the meeting as a whole. Note that for a Speakathon, there will not be a GE, and you as Toastmaster will introduce the evaluators and get the watchtowers' reports.
9. Assume the lectern from the GE, and give out the awards (best speaker, best evaluator, best table topics).
10. Introduce the VP - Education.
11. Sit down, take a deep breath, and smile - you're done!