Hobby Show Teaching Presentation Skills

Congratulations on a successful Hobby Show!

A parent of a 1st grader shared these thoughts on the Hobby Show which is an annual tradition to teach presentation skills in 1st grade.

[sic] I want to say that it was very touching to see not only how well and confidently the 1st graders presented their reports and took pride in their projects, but also – and especially – how generously and thoughtfully the other “upperclassmen” CLS students contributed, asking thoughtful, age-appropriate questions, encouraging the first graders, showing genuine interest, and helping the younger ones practice presentation skills.

This was also something I noticed the very first time I visited CLS and that impressed me: how personable and confident the students are as a whole.

One of the things that I often see with college students, and it is getting worse and worse every year, is a real lack of skill at self-presentation and general discomfort with talking to others, which negatively affects their ability to do public speaking and also their ability to collaborate with peers. There is still a gap between the K-8 and college, but I think part of the problem is that many of the K-8 schools are not providing practice with those skills early on. Relatedly, one of the other things I appreciate about CLS is that ALL the kids participate in the Christmas and spring shows – not just those who have “opted in” for band or chorus. I like that all of them get practice in group collaboration and being in front of a crowd – because I see so many college students struggling with that.

So, kudos! I know it doesn’t come without thought, effort, and intentional design.

~ A proud 1st grade mom