Fish is Fish

C8 Speech, Add Impact to Your Speech, by Alan Lin, 2006/11/2

Madam/ Mr. Toastmaster, ladies and gentlemen!

This is a magic moment. Please pay attention to the balloon.

How could a balloon keep its expansion with an open end?

You cannot believe it because it conflicts with your common sense. In other words, you understand new knowledge based on what you have known.

A few months ago, for writing the proposal of my dissertation I read a storybook, titled "Fish is fish". Why did I read a children's storybook for my dissertation? That's a long story.

Now, let's begin the story about … about a fish.

Once upon a time, there was a pond at the edge of the woods. And there a minnow and a tadpole swam among the weeds. They were good friends.

One morning the tadpole yelled, "Look, look, I've grown two legs. I'm a frog!"

The minnow said, "Nonsense. How could you be a frog? If only last night you were a little fish, just like me!" They argued and argued until the tadpole said, "Frogs are frogs, and fish is fish, and that's that!"

Finally the tadpole had grown into a frog! He decided to go out onto the land. He said good-bye to his friend and promised to return and report on what he had seen to him.

Then one day, a happy splash shocked the weeds.The frog returned to the pond to meet his lonely friend. The fish excitedly asked, "Where have you been?"

"I've been around the world, hopping here and there. And I've seen unusual things."

"Like what?"

"Birds. A bird has wings, and two legs, and feather with many, many colors."

The fish saw the birds fly through his mind like large feathered fish.

"What else?"

"And people. They wear clothes and hats, and walk with two legs."

The fish saw in mind, a man and a child look like a huge and a big fish walking upright and dressed in clothing.

"What else?"

"Cows."

A black-and-white spotted fish with horns and udders chewed weeds and mooed on the fish's mind.

What was wrong? Between the frog's teaching and the fish's learning, something went wrong.

Isn't the frog a good teacher? Or the fish isn't a good student!

Maybe the frog was an earnest teacher. But an earnest teacher doesn't need to promise to be a good teacher. The frog forgot that fish is fish. He did his best to teach the fish based on the frog's own experiences, not on the fish's current knowledge. Remember, we use what we have already known to shape our new understandings, just as the fish did. That's an important viewpoint on learning. Do you agree?

Teachers have to begin their teaching from what students have already known. That's the conclusion I made from the storybook "Fish is fish". And that's why I read it for my dissertation.

Am I a good teacher, or just an earnest teacher like the frog?

Madam/ Mr. Toastmaster.

Alan's Ice-breaking

C1 Speech, By Alan Lin, 2004/8/4

Mr. Toastmaster, ladies and gentlemen, good evening!

I have good news to share with you. This afternoon, the President summoned my students for their outstanding performance in national science fair held in Kaohsiung County last week. My students won the first place Grand Award in Earth Science. They studied on the breaking wave. And I'm their teacher-sponsor.

So, you know, I'm a teacher. I like teaching science outdoors, but I'm not an Earth Science Teacher, I'm a Physics teacher. "Oh! Physics. Physics is a difficult subject." This is a common response from most of the people while they hear my introduction of myself. "I always fail in Physics." This is a second response to my occupation. Well, I have taught a subject named failure for twenty-eight years.

When I think of this, I feel discouraged. I have hummed so many lullabies in my Physics classes for twenty-eight years. I decided to change the situation. I made a decision to go back to the university three years ago, not only for learning how to teach Physics, but also for being the empty nest. Four years ago, my second son left us for university as well as his brother. And my wife went to learn Japanese for the better understanding of the TV shows on NHK. They all go to school but me. The Chinese proverb says that you will have a hateful appearance if you have no reading for three days. I have no reading for twenty-eight years. I looked at the mirror and found that I have a hateful face, then I went back to the school.

Three years is a long time for an old student like me. Sometimes I nodded my head as well as my students did in my class. Moreover, I found that I have difficulties in moving the information from the short-term memories to the long-term memories. Don't blame me! It's not my fault. With the increase of the age, I have to study hard to conquer the decrease of the synapses, which play the important roles of memory.

The month before Last month, I passed through the examination of qualification and became the candidate for Doctor degree. If you ask me what I have learned during the past three years, I could show you. Please pay attention to the ribbon. Do you believe in your eyes? Indeed, the ribbon is moving upward along the rubber string. Why? I major in magic education, oh no, I major in science education. If you are curious about it, please come to my Physics class. I'm sure you will love it.

Mr. Toastmaster.

Introduction in Chinese

Introduction (English Version)

歡迎加入左營英語演講勵進會
姜會長(2006-2007)給中油同仁的一封信 (2006/6/8)
各位同仁，在全球化與網路時代，英語是不可或缺的溝通工具，你想知道一種不用花錢，可以輕鬆學習與練習英語，還可以交到很多新朋友的好康所在嗎？在這裡為您介紹左營英語演講勵進會，他就是您所夢寐以求的解答。

國際演講協會（Toastmasters International） 是一個專為訓練會員溝通技巧與領導才能的非營利性組織，也是一個國際性的終身學習的成長性社團。1942年創立於美國加州，迄今全球八十個國家約設有九千多個分會，擁有會員20萬人。台灣地區總會已向內政部申請立案，於民國85年成立「中華民國國際演講協會」，目前在台灣地區約有八十餘個分會，其中80%使用英語。

左營分會成立於2003年，會址就設在左營高中，2004年10月起左營分會成為左營高中的合作夥伴，免費提供左營高中師生增進英語聽講能力的學習機會。

左營分會在每個月的第一及第三個星期三晚上七點三十分至九點三十分舉行例會，會議內容分為三個主要部分：「指定演講」、「即席演講」及「內容講評」，其他還包括：「每日一字」、「有獎徵答」、「文法時間」及「來賓分享」等。會議過程輕鬆活潑，全部採用英與進行，藉由觀摩與實際演練，激發個人對英語學習的興趣，對提昇英語溝通技巧及領導能力都有莫大助益。
左營英語勵進會特別著重輕鬆與友善氣氛的營造，讓您在沒有壓力的情境下自然開口說英語。如果您擔心英語程度不夠，本會會為您安排友善熱心的個人輔導員，幫助您輕鬆培養英語能力，還可以交到許多各行各業、不同年齡層的朋友。

入會
凡年滿18歲，了解本會內容及程序後，即可申請入會。會員需繳交入會費1000元（終生只需繳一次）及半年年費1500元。所收費用除部分上繳美國總會外（因總會每年會舉辦數次訓練課程，提供教材及Toastmaster月刊），其餘均使用於例會基本開銷（例如：茶點、資料影印、場租等），帳目透明，由會員自行推舉財務管理。

來賓
如果你未滿18歲或暫時不入會，也歡迎成為來賓參加例會，左營英語勵進會因為左營高中免費提供場地，因此來賓不收費（其他分會來賓大約收費100元）

例會地點
高雄市左營區海功路55號左營高中忠孝二樓（進門玄關上樓）教師會會議室。

網址
http://www.tyhs.edu.tw/campus/tytc/

部落格
http://tytc.blogspot.com/

聯絡人
石化事業部行銷室石化品貿易組姜繼文
※我是左營英語勵進會今年度新任會長（年度自今年七月至次年六月），竭誠歡迎中油同仁共襄盛舉，請跟我聯絡，我會盡力協助大家。

Inaugural Speech (2006-2007)

By Ivan Chiang, President 2006-2007

Dear IPP Angela and PP Grace, my dear fellow members:

I have never considered to take this job before Angela called me. And my first reaction was that Angela could bear it one more year. But Angela said it's illegal. And then, I recommended Alan Lin. But Angela said he is too busy working on his PHD. Angela thinks I will be the suitable candidate for this job because I am old enough not only in membership seniority but also in age. Even though I am busy too, I cannot reject her goodwill. Another reason is that I like this club and I hope to do something for this club.

Thanks all of you to support me and give me the opportunity to service for this club. I have thought over what can we do to develop our club more strong and beloved. I have some ideas to share with you and hope that you can share your opinion with me too.

First of all, I will try to invite more new members to joint us. I will try it in CPC, you know CPC has the potential ability to supply a huge numbers of member. And I will try on my supplemental go school, my classmates, my friends and my relatives. I ask you to try it too. To try to persuade all people you know to joint our club and enjoy the pleasure of progress and friendship.

The second important point is we must keep the quests stay and become our new member. I hope that every receptionist when receive a new guest must introduce him/her to president or PRVP, and president or PRVP will introduce a mentor for him/her to help him/her to understand the operation of our meeting. And this mentor will sit by him/her side and help him/her to feel comfortable in the meeting, and be sure that they can get needed information about the club after the meeting till he/she becomes our new member. So I need your help to work as a friendly and enthusiastic mentor.

Some of the quests coming first time will be amazed about our elder member's English ability and afraid that they cannot catch up. That is the time the mentors shall help them, to help them to make some simple self-introduction and/or feeling sharing. Every meeting all attendance shall have the chance to say something even only a few of simple sentences with the help of their mentors.

Above is my personal idea about improving our club's operation. I hope you will present your idea and share with us. Beside this, I will ask all of you to try your best to attend all kind of activities, like officer's training, outdoor or entertainment activities or sister club's activities, etc.

After all, I wish all members and quests will enjoy the meeting and obtain progress in English and leadership in the coming yearly period. Thank you very much.

How to Manage a Sweet and fortunate Marriage

Script for Division D speech contest, By Ivan Chiang, 2006/3/27

Toast master, ladies and gentlemen, before I deliver my speech I want to ask you a question. What kind of interpersonal relation in your life is most important? Please think over this question for five second. O.K. My answer is: "The most important and last longest relation is with your spouse. It can last over 50 years."

How will you manage this most important affair in your life? That is my topic today. I will give some advice here. But you may ask me: "Are you qualified to give any advice?" I must mention that among my colleagues and friends, my wife and I are famous as model couple. And I have had some experience to be consulted about the marriage problem. So I belief my advice should be useful and helpful.

My discussion will be departed to two parts: before marry and after marry. Before you get married you should know: "To choose a right person promises 50% success." How to choose your Mr. Right? I will present three main points below:

First, you must choose a good man but not an attractive man. Did you ever hear such words?
"Even thought my friends and relatives have bad comments on him, but I still believe he love me truly." Or "He has had many girl friends before, but he swell to me that I am the last and the only one." Do you believe it? Let me tell you: Love is blind, but marriage must be rational. Observe this man carefully about how he deals with other people, like his parent, his friends and weak fellows. You can find out if he is a reliable person or not.

Second "Personality suitable for each other is important." People's personality could be much different. Man can be romantic or realistic, generous or stingy, open-minded or reserved. I can't say that a romantic lady married to a realistic gentleman could have a happy marriage. Just image when the romantic wife cry for a touching love movie in the theater, the realistic husband still complain that to rent a VCD to watch at home will be cheaper.

Third "Only true love can make up the gap of education, wealth and social position between two families."

Will Cinderala be happy forever after she got married to the prince? I think it will depend on the attitude of Cinderala herself, prince and prince's family. Cinderala must have strong confidence on herself and prince. Otherwise the marriage could hardly be fortunate.

Following I will discuss how to manage the marriage after getting married. It will be much easier than to choose a right person. It needs not so much intelligence and insight, but a little more patience and understanding.

I will give three guidelines and four tips.

The first guideline is: "To respect your spouse's individuality". Most of people make a mistake that the closer relationship they have, the less respect they show to each other. People always ignore their spouse's individuality and regard them as their accessories. The first tip is a Chinese proverb: "The wife and husband shall respect each other like a quest".

The second guideline I must emphasize the importance of communication. Another common mistake people make is that they think families don't need to communicate. This is a terrible false. Communication is the best way to improve your love and understanding. And the second tip is: a hug and a kiss is another way of communication and the best way.

The last guideline is: "Family is not a place for rationality but a place for love". Every husband and wife will dispute, but never try to win the debate by rational argument, you must win by love. Here is the third tip: In a dispute, one who apologizes first is the winner and the fourth tip: Never say any words when you are angry or you shall regret after you calm down.

Remember that the most important and last longest relation in your life is with your spouse. Whether you can or not manage a successful marriage will determine your life being successful or not. You need to pay much attention to it. Wish all of you have a sweet and fortunate marriage. Ladies and gentlemen, toast master of the evening.

Never Stop Learning and Don't Fear of Learning

C10 Speech, By Ivan Chiang

Toast master, Ladies and gentlemen!

At my 50th years birthday I just passed last year, I was thinking about what is my comprehension of my life. I concluded it to a simple motto: That is: "Never stop learning and don't fear of learning." This motto can describe my passed 50 years of life and will be the guideline of my second half of life. I will share my experience with you.

I was not a smart student in my school days. I had no chance to enter top junior high school or senior high even through hard study. During the second year of senior high, I was pretty ill and miss the final exam, so that I am failed it and had to study one year again. In this second year, I studied very hard to keep my score at top of my class till I graduated. And then I passed the entrance examination for university and entered a famous national university.
To review my study procedure, it is not smooth, but since I never give up, I finally caught up with many smart and better classmates in the end.

In my job career it is the same, I was never a frontrunner at the beginning, but after ten or twenty years, I gradually started to move forward. I owe what I am today to one reason: "I never stop learning."

Another example for me is to learn go game. My father taught me go game at my high school days. After one or two years, my father could hardly win, so he did not like to play with me anymore. After I joined go club in university, I found that my go level was very low, something like nine Gi. When I worked in CPC, I joined CPC’s go club. CPC has a whole company's go contest. Kaohsiung refinery needs to select 5 contestants to participate in this contest. At first few years I could not get the top-five ticket. When I finally won the ticket, I participated in this contest from the lowest丁group. After that, every year I got the top 3 award and moved to an upper group from 丙、乙、甲till the highest Dan group.

I caught up all these players smarter and better experience than me just because they looked at go as a game but I studied it as a knowledge.

Ladies and gentlemen! Most of the adults stop learning just because they fear. They are afraid that people knows his ignorance. They only want to show what they know and never ask about what they didn't know. How frequently you say the three words: "I don't know"? Do you know a very interesting phenomenon that the more people knowledgeable, the more frequently they say this three words. What does it meaning? It means: knowledge comes from your admission of ignorance.

During every learning process people will face failure. Some adults come to my go school to learn go. But after several time lost to children, they gave up. Once I saw a colleague listening to a foreigner speaking. He nodded his head all the time. And after this foreigner left, I asked him what this foreigner said. He said: "I didn't understand a singer word."

Last month my family joined a skiing tour to Korea. We had a skiing course here. Half of the members dare not to learn. They even didn't want to try. Another half put on the ski, took some picture, tried some times. When they fell down, they gave up. Finally, only the one who fell down the most times can learn to ski.

Ladies and gentlemen! Learning is a whole life career, and absolutely not limited to in school. To keep learning make your career successful, make your life colorful, and make you always young. But understanding that is not enough, you must not fear of making mistake when you learn English, not fear of falling down when you learn skiing, and not fear of losing when you learning go. It's the only way you will be able to have a successful learning.

As my C10 speech, I present this motto to inspirit you and myself: "Never stop learning and don't fear of learning."

The powerful words we say

C5 Speech, By Paulina, 2006/12/27

We speak every day, but how much do you know about the power of words? Have you ever been angry with someone due to their criticism? Have you ever listened to someone's words, but never understand its meaning? That's the power of our words!

In ancient Japan, people believe in soul of words. That means the words we say has miraculous power. They believe when we give praise to God, the praise is not for God to hear. This is because God already knows your thoughts before you speak those words. The value for praising god is creating miraculous powers through your words. It is believed that things happen following your words, praise or curse. Therefore, they are afraid to wrongfully use words that may cause disaster.

We can also see the power of words from western religions. In bible, there is scripture about words powers. When Isaac was aware of his impending death, he prepared to give his blessings to his firstborn son, Esau. The blessing that a father gives to his firstborn son is particularly special, and regarded as being better and more powerful. Isaac's younger son Jacob wanted to get it, and he knew his father's eyes were too dim to tell them apart. Jacob pretended he was Esau and got his father's firstborn blessing. Jacob felt it was necessary to lie in order to steal the blessing. From here, we can see the power and allure our words can become.

I'd like to introduce the use of powerful words.

Firstly, we can speak words confidently to ourselves each morning. In the morning, when we wake up, we should loudly say: today is a beautiful day. This can give you an energy boost throughout the day. When you look into the mirror, you should say “Mirror, mirror, I'm the most attractive person in the world”. This can give you confidence. When you're going to deliver a speech, you should convince yourself you can make it. You will become less nervous. The stronger you say these words, the more confidence you will have. This can make things work out. In contrary, when we say negative words, it also affects us. If we tell ourselves we can’t do it, then it is very hard to be successful. When we say “No, I can't make it”, we will only find excuses through difficult trials. We won't try our best to find solutions. The words can lead our thoughts subconsciously. So, we can train ourselves by using words. Try to say positive words instead of negative words. Learn to actively speak in a positive manner.

Secondly, different languages, words, and intonation often reflect different meanings. For example, the traditional Art: hand-held puppet show: Only Taiwanese can show the complete artistic aspect of the puppet show. If you use Mandarin or English to present it, the feeling is completely different. Using the right language, proper words and intonation, your words will be suitable and understood.

Thirdly, we should pay attention to what we say. Sometimes, your words can change somebody, for better or worse. Have you ever noticed the words that hurt people are always quite short and heavy? Our words own different powers according to our emotion. Speaking is an art; w can use words to affect other’s mood, life, and attitude both directly and indirectly. I remember in elementary school, the topic of composition “What is the sentence which affects you mostly?” The common response is usually what their grandpa, grandma, father, mother, or teacher says to them……” When we speak negatively, it's just like hammering the nails into the wall. Each bad sentence is a single nail. Even if you take out the nails later on, you will still leave holes on the wall. Sometimes, we can't afford the result our words will cause. So, it's very important when you speak, to be extremely careful with your choice of words.Words are one of the most important tools for communication. We speak every day, and through this speech, you now know how important it is. It's just like a double edged sword where one edge can hurt someone and the other edge can protect someone. It all depends on how you use it.