Benoit Joly
Club Toastmasters de Charlesbourg
We know how important the timer task is during a Toastmasters meeting. Timing helps guide members through Table Topics, speeches, evaluations, and also enables meetings to end on time.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, we used a timing device with three bulbs: one green, one yellow, and one red that the timer turned on at the right time. However, since we are in virtual mode, with the Zoom software, we can no longer use this system. People who took on the timer role improvised coloured objects to display on-screen. We saw peppers, lemons, bananas, firefighter helmets and boxes as timer props, which demonstrates the great ingenuity of the members. We also saw situations caused by technical difficulties.
To remedy the situation, Club Toastmasters de Charlesbourg developed a series of videos that greatly facilitated the timer role.
One video in the series is for a 7-minute speech. The timer simply needs to import the “7 minutes” video and launch it when a member starts their speech. The timer’s virtual background automatically turns green at 5:00, yellow at 6:00, and red at 7:00. No more worrying about the stopwatch or chasing after objects to put in front of the camera lens! The timer can then listen to the speech in peace without stress or fear of making a mistake.
Here are the images displayed during the timing video.
We know how important the timer task is during a Toastmasters meeting. Timing helps guide members through Table Topics, speeches, evaluations, and also enables meetings to end on time.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, we used a timing device with three bulbs: one green, one yellow, and one red that the timer turned on at the right time. However, since we are in virtual mode, with the Zoom software, we can no longer use this system. People who took on the timer role improvised coloured objects to display on-screen. We saw peppers, lemons, bananas, firefighter helmets and boxes as timer props, which demonstrates the great ingenuity of the members. We also saw situations caused by technical difficulties.
To remedy the situation, Club Toastmasters de Charlesbourg developed a series of videos that greatly facilitated the timer role.
One video in the series is for a 7-minute speech. The timer simply needs to import the “7 minutes” video and launch it when a member starts their speech. The timer’s virtual background automatically turns green at 5:00, yellow at 6:00, and red at 7:00. No more worrying about the stopwatch or chasing after objects to put in front of the camera lens! The timer can then listen to the speech in peace without stress or fear of making a mistake.
Here are the images displayed during the timing video.
The videos can also be used in different ways. For example, during an in-person Toastmasters meeting the timing video can be started on a smartphone or tablet and turned toward the speaker, or a member who wants to practice their speech using the same stopwatch as in a meeting can also use the timing video.
To use this timing video, visit the website of the Club Toastmasters de Charlesbourg at www.toastmasterscharlesbourg.org. On the page “Documents pour les rencontres en ligne,” are the step-by-step instructions and files for timing Table Topics, speeches, and evaluations.