“According to my waterproof watch with the Velcro band and digital read-out,” says Jeffrey McMillan, “I had been in the shower exactly 38 minutes, 42 seconds.  See, I planned to stay in the shower the rest of my life. That way, I wouldn’t have to go back to my fifth grade classroom and face . . . The Eye.”

What is The Eye?  Why is Jeffrey so frightened of it?  And will he ever get out of the shower?  In this sequel to Me + Math = Headache, join Jeffrey and his friends in their latest humorous adventure.

‘Jeffrey feels like the 'Moronic Marvel' when he's in front of a video camera at school; only nonsense comes out.  But reading about conquering stage fright enables Jeffrey to deliver a speech, complete with edible visual aids, that gets wild applause, as he triumphs over The Eye.’ – Booklist

The Story Behind the Story

“According to most studies, people's number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. Does that sound right? This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you're better off in the casket than doing the eulogy.” – Jerry Seinfeld

 

Lee Wardlaw says:

One night, when my brother, Scott, was a seventh-grader, he raced into my room, wailing:  “I have to write a speech!  And give it in front of my entire English class! Help me, Big Sis!”

“Sure,” I answered.  “When’s your speech due?”

“Tomorrow!”

“Tomorrow?”

What my brother lacked in punctuality, he made up for in drama.  “TO! MOR! ROW!  And it has to be a how-to speech. I don’t know how to do ANYTHING!”

“Sure you do,” I said. ‘You make the best peanut butter sandwich in the whole world.”

He rolled his eyes.  “I can’t give a speech on how to make a peanut butter sandwich!”

“Why not?” I asked.

“Because . . . because . . . “

And because he couldn’t concoct a good reason, Scott did exactly what I suggested.

He gave the speech, Skippy Peanut Butter and all.

He got an ‘A’.

And a standing ovation.

And that’s how I got the idea for The Eye and I.

Jeffrey’s & Scott’s Tried & True Tips for Giving a Speech

1. Choose a topic that’s important to you.  If you’re giving a how-to speech, choose something you do very well. For example, if you enjoy playing soccer, you’ll enjoy talking about it, too!

2. Use visual aides. They distract the audience, preventing them from focusing on you.  They also help you to remember what you’re going to say next.

3. Practice, practice, practice! The better you know your material, the more confident you’ll feel during your presentation.

4. Concentrate on your speech, not on yourself.  You have a choice:  to spend time and energy thinking about being scared, or giving a lively speech.

5. Before your speech, try a few stretching exercises to relieve tension.

6. If you make a mistake, don’t let the audience know.  Make the mistake part of the show!

Helpful Links:

Speech Writing: Tips from the Pros

Scholastic Teacher

How to Give a Speech

Public Speaking Tips for Young People

Digital Video in Education by Keith Lightbody

A site chockfull of info on: curriculum benefits, project planning, video production, buying/using camcorders, hardware/software tips, etc.
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