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Masters Of Opportunity
Toastmasters International club # 3634 in Schaumburg, Illinois, USA |
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Questions and Answers
When you visit our club or our website and you have a question about meeting roles, club positions, or our club, don't hesitate to ask us in person or via email.
We will do our best to answer them all and even post them here for the future visitors and members. Your input is very valuable to each one of us.
Visitor and new member questions:
Q: When can I start giving speeches?
A: After you register with Toastmasters International as a member of our club.
Q: How do I register?
A: Talk to the club president or VP of Membership (email on Contact US page). Copy of the application can be found under Albums link.
Q: How much does it cost to become Toastmasters International member?
A: The membership fee at our club is only $96 per year (in semiannual installments) which includes CC and CL manuals, meeting room rentals, awards, etc.
Q: How can I get a mentor?
A: Ask a VP of Education or club President who can pair you with a mentor.
Q: How can I help the club?
A: Participate in the club's meetings, attract new members, and volunteer for club's positions.
Q: How can I get the most from Toastmasters?
A: Everyone comes here with different goals. Talk to club's officers and senior members to find your how you can achieve your goals.
Q: How can I achieve Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) designation?
A: It is a long and fulfilling adventure to become Distinguished Toastmaster.
Besides completing all manuals in both Communicator and Leadership tracks, you have to fill out club and district positions.
At least, you will have to be a Club President or VP-E for a year and then fill out Area Governor position for a year to qualify
for DTM. You can probably achieve it in as little as four years but it is not recommended (see comments on CC award below).
Q: How long does it take to achieve Competent Communicator (CC) award?
A: From the time you are officially a club member you can in theory achieve your CC in 4 months (10 speeches = 8 at our club + 2 at
another area club).
We do not recommend such tempo, however, for the following reasons:
- Each speech takes time to prepare (as per the CC manual instructions) and practice. When the speaker rushes unprepared through the speeches it cheats him/herself
of the full advantage of the Toastmasters educational program and fellow club members of well-prepared speeches.
- High achievers who run through the manual at such a high speed, will burn out, get discouraged or otherwise quit our club. We would like
to have members stay with us for a long time. Senior members bring us stories that encourage new members of the potential that can be achieved.
- There are more speaking and leadership opportunities at the club and district level than you can see at a first glance. Please ask a club officer for help and directions.
Q: How long does it take to achieve a Competent Leadership (CL) award?
A: CL takes a long-term planning and preparation which could take at least 6 months to fill all required positions and roles (see comments above on CC award).
Please ask our VP-E to help you plan and achieve your CL award.
Q: Can I download CC or CL manuals?
A: Toastmasters International HQ regulations do not allow posting e-version of the manuals.
Meeting roles questions:
Please note that the instructions below are only suggestions.
Q: What is the meeting Toastmaster's role?
A: It is the most important position before and during the meeting.
Before the meeting:
- Signs up for next meeting as the meeting Toastmaster
- Picks up the next meeting agenda from the sign-up table.
- At least five days before the meeting, sends email about next meeting and ask club members to sign up for any unfilled positions. Asks members giving speeches for speech number, title, and short description.
- Prepares short introduction for the meeting and short speech for each speaker.
- A day before the meeting, sends final email with meeting agenda and makes enough agenda's copies for everyone.
At the meeting:
- Distributes meeting agenda to all present before meeting starts.
- Toastmasters is introduced by the presiding officer (ie Club President).
- Gives short introduction speech at the beginning of the meeting.
- Introduces each person filling out a role.
- Introduces each person giving speech.
- After each speech, asks everyone to fill out a short comment for the speaker. Collects the comments and delivers them to the speaker.
- After all speeches, asks everyone to vote for the Best Speaker, collects the ballots.
- Asks all members to fill out roles for next meeting and encourages visitors to sign to our club.
- Calls for short recess (10-15 minutes).
- During the recess counts the ballots and hands them over to the presiding officer.
- After recess, introduces Table Topics Toastmaster.
- After Table Topics Toastmaster finishes, introduces General Evaluator Toastmaster.
- With the presiding officer, announces and hands awards to the Best Speaker, Evaluator and Table Topics winners.
- Asks for feedback, comments and suggestions from members and especially visitors.
- Hands over voice to the presiding officer.
Q: What is Sergeant-At-Arms (SAA) role at the meeting?
A: SAA is a person who opens and closes the meeting as follows:
- Hangs the club banner
- Distributes ballots and pens/pencils
- Meets and greets members and especially guests
- When the meeting is about to start, SAA hits the gavel to call attention
- Opens the meeting with opening statement and/or Toastmasters' Promise
- Introduces the presiding officer
- At the end of the meeting, hits the gavel that announces end of the meeting.
Q: What is Word Master's role?:
A: Word Master activities:
- After being introduced by the meeting Toastmaster, gives brief speech on Word Master's role and presents Word of the Day.
- Hangs or glues the word in a prominent place.
Q: What is Joke Master's role?:
A: Joke Master's activities:
- After being introduced by the meeting Toastmaster, presents Joke of the Day.
Q: What is Grammarian's role?:
A: Grammarian's activities:
- After being introduced by the meeting Toastmaster, gives brief speech on Grammarian's role and what will be measured.
- Measures and records style, grammar, "ah" and "uhm", as well as other figures of speech of each speaking member and guest.
- Close to the end of the meeting, Grammarian is called by General Evaluator to give Grammarian report.
Q: What is Timer's role?
A: Timer's activities:
- After being introduced by the meeting Toastmaster, gives brief speech on Timer's role and how speeches and table topics will be timed.
- Measures and records time of Main speeches and Table Topic speeches.
- Close to the end of the meeting, Timer is called by General Evaluator to give Timers report.
General questions:
Q: When was Masters Of Opportunity founded?
A: On May 1, 2000 at the Sunderlage Farm by our club's Five Founding members.
Q: When are the club dues due?
A: On April 1st and October 1st. Club Treasurer or President will collect them.
Q: When does Toastmaster year start and ends.
A: Our Toastmasters year starts on July 1st and last until June 30th. Before the end of the current year, current members of the
club are asked to submit their nominations for Club Officer positions and are voted in.
Q: Can you post club constitution and club by-laws on the website?
A: Toastmaster HQ denied permission to post our club constitution and club by-laws on the website.
Q: Who can I talk to if I have questions about my club or TI organization?
A: Any club member can ask our club President or a club officer about our organization. If a question is regarding our Area, Division, or District, typically the club President or VP-Ed communicates directly with their Area Governor (AG) who'd seek to answer your question. Members can also post questions on Toastmasters International Linkedin group.
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The information on this website is for the sole use of Toastmaster members for Toastmaster business only. It is not to be used for solicitation or distribution of non-Toastmasters materials or information.
The names "Toastmasters International," "Toastmasters," and theToastmasters International emblem are trademarks protected in the United States, Canada, and other countries where Toastmasters clubs exist.
Unauthorized use is prohibited.
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