District 36 Toastmasters

What is Toastmasters?
Toastmasters is an international organization that supports thousands of local clubs and their members. Our purpose is to provide a place where individuals can learn the skills of public speaking and leadership in a supportive environment. Most Toastmasters meetings are comprised of approximately 20 people who meet for an hour or more. Participants practice and learn skills by filling a meeting role, ranging from giving a prepared speech or an impromptu one to serving as timer, evaluator or grammarian.
What do Toastmasters do?
Toastmasters meet regularly to practice speaking and to evaluate each other's skills. At a local club, besides gaining confidence in many aspects of both speaking and leadership, Toastmasters often gain new friends. There is no instructors at a meeting. Instead, each speech and meeting is critiqued by a member in a positive manner, focusing on what was done right and what could be improved.
Who are the District 36 Toastmasters?
There are approximately 4,000 Toastmasters in District 36. Our members belong to one or more of the nearly 200 clubs within our geographic location. Our borders include the Northeast and Northwest quadrants of Washington D.C., all of Montgomery County, Maryland, and part of Prince George's County, Maryland north of a line extended from the north-south dividing line of Washington D.C., eastward along East Capitol Street and Central Avenue to the county's eastern border.
Can I just show up to a meeting?
Guests are always welcome to visit a Toastmaster meeting! Some clubs due to their location or security policies require advanced notice that you are going to visit, and other clubs do not. It's best to contact a club by phone or email ahead of your visit to make arrangements. We do ask that you be on time and stay for the entire meeting.
Can I bring someone to a meeting?
Sure! Guests are always welcome at Toastmasters meetings. Sometimes its easier to meet new people when you bring a friend along.
What will happen when I visit?
You will be warmly greeted and provided with a meeting agenda. All of us remember what it was like attending a meeting for the first time so we will explain what is happening and invite you to relax and enjoy the presentations. You may be asked if you'd like to participate in the meeting (which you may simply decline). You may also be asked at the close of the meeting to share your thoughts (again, you may simply decline). You will be invited to attend the next meeting!
What happens at a meeting?
Meetings are filled with laughter, learning, listening, and, yes, speaking. One member, appointed as the Toastmasters of the Day (TMOD) or Evening (TMOE), presides over the meeting. Prepared speeches are given and evaluated by members. Impromptu speaking skills based on a question and answer format are practiced in the "Table Topics" portion of the meeting. Visitors are invited to participate in the meeting if they want to. Each prepared speech is evaluated along with he meeting itself. A meeting Timer lets everyone who spoke know how long they talked, and a meeting Grammarian gives feedback on how well people used the language. The Toastmaster of the Day wraps up the session and adjourns the meeting.
Do you just make up speeches?
You can customize the Toastmaster program to meet your needs. When you become a member, you receive the "Competent Communicator" manual. (We also call it the "Basic Manual.") It guides you through 10 speech outlines, each of which deals with a set of skills that a speaker should learn. The topic of each speech is up to you. The completion of the manual entitles the member to receive a "Competent Communicator" (CC) award. Beyond this manual, there are many advanced manuals for your ongoing professional and personal development.
How long is a typical speech?
Speeches for the Communication and Leadership Manual are usually between 5-7 minutes in length. Advanced manuals have projects that can run as long as 15-20 minutes.
Why do you have "Table Topics"?
Impromptu (or extemporaneous) speaking is a valuable skill in today's world. Table Topics is a way for us to practice thinking and speaking "on our feet." A Table Topic Master presents participants with questions or topics "at random" and you have 1-2 minutes to give a response. There are a lot of ways to respond to impromptu situations. You won't always "know the answer," but you can still answer in a relaxed, effective way. Table Topics are one of the most fun parts of our meeting.
How much does it cost to join a club?
Toastmasters is a non-profit organization, so the cost of joining a club covers necessary expenses only, and is very low when compared to for-profit seminars and other training courses. Toastmasters clubs collects dues from their current members twice a year, in April and in October. $27.00 of your dues is submitted to Toastmasters International to pay for membership materials, award certificates, processing fees, conferences and training. Anything above that goes into the club treasury to pay for room rental fees, contest prizes, gifts, postal costs, and miscellaneous office supplies. New members pay a sliding fee based on the month they join, and a one-time new membership fee of $20.00 to pay for registration and the new member kit.
When I become a member, what will be expected of me?
By joining Toastmasters, you are making a commitment to your own growth. You can give speeches at your own pace. We can provide a mentor to help you get started and successfully complete your goals. We are all here because we believe in the Toastmasters concept and want to learn better speaking and leadership skills by supporting each other
What else does Toastmasters have to offer?
As with many organizations, Toastmasters is what the members make it. District 36 Toastmasters have a commitment to helping each other improve our speaking and leadership skills. Involvement in the "Toastmasters Experience" can go well beyond that, though. You can compete in speech contests that, if you win at increasing levels, can name you the "World Champion of Public Speaking." You can become a leader at the club level, or a higher level, where your leadership affects many clubs and members along the East Coast. You can attend conferences to meet and network with fellow Toastmasters from other clubs around the world.
What do you mean by leadership skills?
Toastmasters is best known for the "learn public speaking" aspect of its program, however, leadership is just as important. Leaders are not the same as managers, so what makes a great leader? Toastmasters teaches about service leadership. This viewpoint suggests that the role of a leader, no matter what type of authority is involved, is to lead by helping or enabling others, not by forcing them. You can hone your leadership skills in various ways in Toastmasters: by leading meetings, becoming an officer of the club, or taking an active leadership role at higher levels of the organization.
Is there any training available for new Toastmasters?
Our district holds training sessions for Toastmasters twice a year. These sessions are broken up into training for club officers and general sessions about the program and other interesting topics. All training sessions are open to all Toastmasters and are free of charge. The locations, dates and times for training, called TLI (Toastmasters Leadership Institute) will be posted on the district Web site.
Is your meeting accessible?
If you need special accommodations such as handicapped parking or a ramp to access the building, please call the club ahead of time so that they can be sure to arrange for assistance. Other accommodations such as printed material formatted in Braille or for low vision should be requested at least a week in advance to make sure it can be secured from Toastmasters International.