Public Speaking

Today, there was a story telling competition. "Túl az Óperencian" which Ili roughly translated as "Over the Ocean." I got to watch my kids, as well as kids from the 2nd, 3rd and 4th grades recite their stories.

This is when I realized how important memorization and recitation is here. The kids learn so many different things and are expected to be able to recite them at any time. I did not really understand much of what they were saying, but, I was so proud that they did so well.

At home, we do speech arts, but this does not begin until the 4th grade. It is similar, but I think there is more focus here on being able to speak in front of an audience.

This is an important skill that will help them later on. I have been told most exams are oral rather than written, so organizing your thoughts quickly in your head is important. I just wish I had the same preparation when I was a child.