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Forty-Eight Years of Collegiality

When my Mother drove me to my very first elocution lesson in 1954, neither of us could have imagined how that single moment would set the course for the rest of my life. I sat Grade Three at the end of that year and failed. I often think of J.K. Rowling’s inspiring words during her address to graduating students of Harvard University "The Fringe Benefits of Failure and the Importance of Imagination." She said "having the courage to fail is as vital to a good life as any conventional measure of...

Recollections of Examining

Looking back over many years of happy examining I remember not just the brilliant achievers but the unusual persons or events and their impact during the examining tour. One of these occurred when I examined a group of young pet owners in the sitting room of an old house adjoining and part of a school. It was Friday afternoon, and an eager group of pet owners was enthusing over a range of portable animals. One of these was a very pat-able cat, not too keen to come out of its cage but it was...

Fifty Years in the Speech New Zealand Family

Speech New Zealand is a family to me. I’ve been involved with the organisation in one way or another for nearly fifty years. The most rewarding moments for me have come from my being an examiner for Speech New Zealand and the many talented candidates I have met and what I have learnt from them. Often in a quiz situation I ponder as to where my recall has come from — lo and behold it has come from a candidate’s talk.  Over the years I have watched and listened to a demonstrat...

Working with High Needs Students

In the early 1990s, I was teacher in charge of a Special Needs Unit at a boys’ secondary school in Wellington. The unit consisted of 18 students with a range of intellectual disability, two teachers and several teacher aides. The students’ needs ranged from moderate to very high. Some students were almost entirely mainstreamed, while others spent the majority of their days on special programmes in the unit.  I was on the board of Speech New Zealand at the time. I discusse...

Speech New Zealand Memories

Speech New Zealand (SNZ) was always a term that held great power in my mind. Growing up it was the examining body — examiners always tucked away in the school chapel, and me, a bundle of nerves behind the doors waiting to be ushered in. I was always met with a smile and with pride would then present the exam work I had spent so long preparing. Following the exam I would go back to my teacher to debrief and share the questions we were asked along with any impromptu exercise topics. There was a ...

Perspectives

Pam Logan joined the New Zealand Speech Board of Trustees in 1992 and resigned in April 2022. During her 30 years, she has been Board Chair, Vice-Chair, and Chair of Examinations, as well as worked on countless syllabi, the Know Your Syllabus publication, and edited Clipboard for several years. She continues her involvement with Speech New Zealand (SNZ) as an examiner.  In July 2022, we asked Pam to give an account of her time with SNZ.***I first met Speech New Zealand (then New Zealan...