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Ms. McDonnough is on a mission to get the one-semester speech requirement reinstated
WRITTEN BY WYATT NOVARA, PHOTOGRAPHED BY HENRY COLLIN
Imagine a class where the interpersonal connection was at the forefront. A class with a strong focus on community and empathy between classmates. Mrs. Krista McDonnough, the communication educator at Dexter High School, is on the cutting edge of this battle.
Only a portion of our students understand that this class already exists at DHS, primarily due to the hostile feelings towards its name: Speech. It’s a word that leaves such a bitter taste on the tongue for many. The current speech class is only an English elective, meaning that students have an option of whether to take it or not. Because of her view on the importance of this class, McDonnough has proposed that it becomes a one-semester requirement for all DHS students.
According to Mrs. McDonnough, speech class was a requirement in the past. It was eventually removed due to the “curriculum requirements and too much scheduling stress” for students when attempting to reach their credit requirements. With eight periods now and much more scheduling freedom, she hopes to pass the proposal for reinstatement.
While DHS currently requires World Literature & Speech, primarily for sophomores, the literature aspect is at the forefront of the curriculum. In the speech elective, students participate in many different speeches and learn communicative techniques. Easing into the class at first, classmates find themselves on a much more personal level with an introductory speech based on storytelling and connectedness. Then, there’s an informative speech and a sales speech, focusing on products and ideas but with a requirement to stay within the realms of personal experience. The semester then closes with the hero speech and the tradition speech, which establish the admirations of the student and the traditions that they partake in.
Sprinkled throughout the semester are the impromptu rounds. These speeches rely on each student’s ability to be personable, think on their feet, and be genuine and open with their peers. Students note the beautiful aspect of the class is the pure freedom the curriculum ensues. Topics can range to nearly anything imaginable, allowing the students to delve deeper and learn more about themselves and their classmates, all while developing necessary skills to use for the future at any given time.
In terms of the rationale for the proposal, Mrs. McDonnough says it’s twofold.
“Kids need confidence and communication strategies, as well as the ability to use their voice inside and outside the classroom,” she said.
Many who have yet to take the class are relatively unaware of the importance of speech; however, DHS students are growing beyond imaginable in this class. They say it is far from the speech class that their parents took, and there is an emphasis on the ability to listen.
Senior Gerzon Herter believed that the key was “becoming more comfortable around all of his peers and hearing their stories.” He holds a firm belief that the vulnerable topics in class caused the connection that came to fruition between all of the different students in the class.
“The class truly showed me that people are going through so many different things that you can’t see at face value,” he said, “and because of that, I believe that there should be a requirement for this class at a semester-length.”
Fellow senior Sefina Patterson believes that the class did wonders for her social confidence, specifically as a leader in groups.
“I believe that speech class is essential for juniors and seniors, particularly those who are or will be in leadership positions,” Patterson said.
As a committee chair in NHS and a member of the tennis team (among other leadership positions), Patterson believes that she has found herself conveying her thoughts and listening to others much better than she had in the past. Another note that she made was that she is much more comfortable talking to people that she doesn’t know, as communication is all about making a connection with others.
While Patterson believes that there would be more “entry-level speaking opportunities” if the class became a requirement, she still is certain that there would be many great experiences for students to broaden their communication skills in the classroom and beyond.
Finally, senior Daniel Delduca credited Mrs. McDonnough for making speaking something that he is “not only good at, but something that is fun as well.” He appreciated that the class was never “judgy” and that in just a semester the class was able to develop a “solid sense of camaraderie.”
According to Delduca, the key to the class is that it isn’t a traditional English class with books and essays. Instead, the ability to connect with his classmates made all the difference in his speaking confidence and communication skills. Even as a self-proclaimed “naturally talented speaker,” Delduca was nervous about his first speech; however, over the semester, he found himself easing into the process and speaking with more passion as a true storyteller.
What does the future hold for Speech being a one-semester requirement?
DHS Principal Melanie Nowak said the proposal will go through a multi-step process that she has very little control over. Every November, the school can make class proposals to the Board of Education. The board then can select a committee to either approve or reject the proposal, and the proposal goes back to the board for a final decision if the committee approves the proposal. The change is a district-wide decision that will affect all students that go through DHS, so the process may take a while to get through to approval if that is what the committee and board decide.
This proposal has been made before and was rejected, but McDonnough is steadfast in her pursuit of this speech class requirement. Why?
“This class connects with everything that the district has a vision for,” McDonnough said. “Communication is on the district helm, and there is an emphasis on culture, voice, and choice.”
