A Typical Meeting

Typical Meeting Agenda
Durham Toastmasters meetings start promptly at 6:30 PM on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month. The typical meeting agenda appears below.

Meeting Opening
Call to Order	Club President
New Business	Club President
Introduction of Toastmaster	Club President
Introduction of Meeting	Toastmaster
Introduction of Guests	Toastmaster
Introduction of Roles	Toastmaster
Humorous Story / Joke(s)	Humorist
Word(s) of the Day	Grammarian
Impromptu Speeches
Table Topics	Table Topics Master
Timer's Report for Table Topics	Timer
Break for Speaker/Evaluator Coordination & Greeting of Guests	All
Prepared Speeches
Prepared Speech #1	Speaker
Prepared Speech #2	Speaker
Prepared Speech #3	Speaker
Prepared Speech #4	Speaker
Timer's Report for Speeches	Timer
Evaluations
Introduction of General Evaluator	Toastmaster
Introduction of Evaluators	General Evaluator
Evaluation of Speech #1	Evaluator
Evaluation of Speech #2	Evaluator
Evaluation of Speech #3	Evaluator
Evaluation of Speech #4	Evaluator
Timer's Report for Speeches	Timer
Grammarian's Report	Grammarian
Evaluation of Meeting	General Evaluator
Meeting Closing
Comments from Guests	Guests
Awards	Club President
Meeting Adjournment	Club President

Meeting Roles

Evaluator: People join a Toastmasters club to improve their speaking and leadership skills, and these skills are improved through evaluations. As an evaluator, you will deliver a verbal evaluation as well as a written evaluation in the speaker's Communications manual. Your evaluation is an opportunity to practice such leadership skills as listening, critical thinking, feedback, and motivation. Your purpose is to help the speaker become less self-conscious and a better speaker. Your overall evaluation should be encouraging and motivating the speaker to improve.

General Evaluator: The General Evaluator is responsible for the evaluation portion of the meeting. After being introduced by the Toastmaster, you will introduce each of the Evaluators who will evaluate the prepared speeches. You will also call for the Grammarian's report, and then you will give your general evaluation of the meeting.

Grammarian: Being grammarian is truly an exercise in expanding your listening skills. You have two basic responsibilities. First, you introduce a word or words of the day. These should be new words or terms that help expand the vocabulary of club members. Second, you are to comment on the grammatical use of English during the meeting as well as the use of "crutch" or "pause filler" words.

Speaker: A major portion of each meeting is centered around three or four speakers. Their speeches are prepared based on assignments in the Competent Communication or Advanced Communication manuals. Preparation is essential to your success as a speaker and your growth in Toastmasters.

Table Topics Master: The purpose of Table Topics is to have members "think on their feet." As the Table Topics Master, you will prepare and issue the topics for this impromptu speaking portion of the meeting. Originality is desired. Each speaker may be given an individual subject or a choice of subjects may be presented from which the members can draw at random.

Timer: One of the lessons to be practiced in speech training is that of expressing a thought within a specific time. The timer is the member responsible for keeping track of time. Each segment of the meeting is times. You should explain your duties and report to the club clearly and precisely.

Toastmaster: The main duty of the Toastmaster is to act as the host and conduct the entire meeting, including introducing participants. Program participants should be introduced in a way that excites the audience and motivates each member to listen. The Toastmaster creates an atmosphere of interest, expectation, and receptivity.