please explain the grading system for talks

carla

Someone mentioned giving a 'w' to an elder's wife. Please explain the grading system for the talks. I take it the report cards stay local and do not make it to NY but possibly the PO or CO? Is he entire cong privy to the 'grades'?

BabaYaga

Ah, so many years ago!

Each talk you would have something specific to work on: Timing, audience contact, using scriptures, and that sort of thing. I have no idea how far "up" these went, an ex-elder will have to reveal that mystery.

If I remember correctly, a "G" for good, a "W" for work on it, and an "I" for... either improved or needs improvement... I don't know what the "I" was for. There is no room for "I" in the Assimilation!

SPAZnik

I always remember this because, as someone once pointed out to me, the PO was bald and almost always graded as WIG (Work on it, Improved, Good) no matter how well a person did on each of three subsequent talks. (Sometimes I wondered if he even listened, his strategy was really that predictable.) Not sure about the behind the scenes scoop as to where the records end up, but yes, the 'grade' and accompanying 'counsel' was generally given, in 30 seconds or so, at the end of the talk in front of the entire congregation. [Although sometimes they would tell you privately if they were short on time.] Beyond that, though, each 'student' pretty much had to learn for themselves from reading the 'guidebook' if they wanted to actually glean much from the experience. Everyone generally clapped no matter what. It's kind of funny looking back.

WTWizard

First talk: No counsel. They look for the person's strengths and weaknesses to base a grading on. And they decide which point to start the person on, with the default being the first one that traditionally shows up (when I was in, it was point 21).

After that, you get graded. The first time, you get a W (meaning you have to work on it again) or a G (meaning you did good on that point, and move on to the next point, usually the next one in the book but it could be one that you need work on). The next time, if you got a W, you may also get a I (meaning you improved on it, but still need work).

My favorite one: Blowing them off.

Witness 007

It was W. I .G Watchtower....Idiot .....Goon......we all strived to be goons one day.

blondie

Actually, when I first started out in the school, W = WEAK, that was changed to make it more political correct.

Confession

My dad put me in the school when I was eight, and later I was the school overseer. It seems like most people usually got G's (for Good,) but once in awhile a W (for Work on This) would be given. I found that usually an I meant "Improved, but you still need work on this," but some overseers thought it meant "Improved, so we'll move you to your next point of counsel." I never saw any indication that the elders, Circuit Overseer or the Society in general paid much attention to these counsel slips. I never heard of these things ever being actually sent to Brooklyn, nor do I ever remember the body or the CO looking over them when contemplating brothers for appointment as ministerial servant or elder. It was just something that was supposed to monitor a person's "progress" as a public speaker.

OnTheWayOut

I was a school overseer until they dropped this W. I. G. grading system. I think it stopped
in 2001. I actually paid attention to the talk and whether or not they worked on the specific
point. A good talk could still be lacking on the point, or a bad talk could still be good on the
speaking point. Most of the women worked very hard on their point and received a "G" the
first time. If they didn't work on it, they could still get a "G" the next time without going
through the "I" for improved. Many men and boys didn't bother to read the point in the
guidebook and just gave a talk. The guys more often got "W" then "I" then they finally would
work on the point and get a "G." Women would sometimes be distraught if they got a "W"
but men didn't really seem to care.

The old TMS guidebook had a series of speech points and
there were usually a couple of them tied together, so you would be working on two related
points at the same time. (Stuff like "using an outline" and "audience contact" and "reading
scriptures with emphasis" were the points.)

I actually told the congregation that as long as you tried to work on a point, the worst you
could get on your counsel over several talks was a World War 2 (W. then W. then I. then I.)
I wouldn't keep you on the point anymore after that- just move you to another one.

The entire thing was useless. Nobody really cared what your counsel slip looked like. I
think the C.O. would look over some before appointed an MS, but that was rare.

The Missus

I actually paid attention to the talk and whether or not they worked on the specific
point.

I wasn't a school overseer but I did this too just to entertain myself in the audience. I would try to see if I could guess what point they were working on. The gestures and voice modulation one was hilarious sometimes because it was SO obvious.

SnakesInTheTower

OTWO:

I think it stopped
in 2001.

end of 2002 for certain.... that was when the story I shared occurred..it was the last month for the old brown guidebook before going to the red book. I couldnt understand why we were using the old brown in MTS when they knew we were going to the new guidebook the next year....so much for "new light" in the "special MTS"

Snakes ()

please explain the grading system for talks

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