Toastmaster of the Evening (TME)

The main duty of the TME is to act as a host and conduct the entire program,
including introducing participants.

If the TME does not perform the duties well, an entire meeting can end in failure. For
obvious reasons this task is not usually assigned to a member until he or she is quite familiar with the Club and its procedures.

Program participants should be introduced in a way that excites the audience and motivates them to listen. The TME creates an atmosphere of interest, expectation, and receptivity.

PRIOR TO THE MEETING

Check with the Vice President Education to find out if a special theme has been set for the meeting and if there are any program changes.
Call the table topics master to discuss his or her duties. Also provide the table topics master with a list of program participants to insure these people will not be called on for responses.
Call all speakers at least 3 days in advance to remind them they are speaking.
-Interview them to find out their speech title, manual project number, purpose to be achieved, time requested, and
-  something interesting which you can use when introducing them (job, family, hobbies, education, why this topic for this audience, etc.).
Call the general evaluator at least 3 days in advance to confirm the assignment.
Ask the general evaluator to call the other members of the evaluation team (speech evaluators, table topics master, timer, language evaluator and ah counter) and remind them of their responsibilities.
 Prepare the introductions for each speaker . A proper introduction is important to the success of the speaker’s presentation.
Most TME uses the “POETS” formula when introducing the speaker:

P – Project Title of the speech

O – Objectives of the speech

E – Evaluator: who is the evaluator of this speech.

T – The Title of the Speech to be given

S – Speaker’s introduction

Prepare remarks to be used to bridge the gaps between program segments. You may never use them, but you should be prepared to avoid possibly awkward periods of silence.
Remember that performing as TME is one of the most valuable experiences you may have. The assignment requires careful preparation in order to have a smoothly run meeting.
 

AT THE MEETING

 Arrive early in order to iron out any possible last-minute changes. Consult the VPE for last minute changes to the program.
Check with the speakers for any last-minute changes.
 Sit near the front of the room and have your speakers do likewise for quick and easy access to the lectern.
 

DURING THE MEETING

Preside with sincerity, energy, and decisiveness. Take your audience on a   pleasant journey and make them feel that all is going well.
 Always lead the applause before and after each table topics speaker, each prepared speaker, and each evaluator.
Remain standing near the lectern after your introduction until the speaker has
acknowledged you and assumed control of the meeting; then be seated.
 

THE MEETING PROCEDURES

1) SAA will call meeting to order, and upon finishing, introduce TME

2) TME take over/welcome speech /introduce President for Presidential Address(optional)

3) Thank President/Comment/ and introduce Table Topic Master/Handover to TTM

4) End of Table Topic Segment -- Thank TTM/ introduce Timer and to for timer report/at the same time tell audience to vote for best Table Topic speaker with the voting slip. (The SAA will help you to collate and tell you the winner)

Prepared Speech Segment:

1) Introduce speaker/handover/

2) Give short comments on the speech and thank the speaker/ introduce next speaker etc .

3) End of prepared speech/ ask for Timer report/ Vote for Best speaker for Prepared speeches

4) Announce Break and Refreshments - Break Time (normally 15 minutes)

Back From Break

1) Welcome back from break and introduce first Evaluator

2) Comment and thank evaluator

3) Next evaluator and so on...

4) Timer Report for Evaluators and vote for best evaluator

5) Introduce Language Evluator/Thank evaluator

6) Introduce General Evaluator

7) Call for timers report

8) Call upon President to give the awards

9) Hand the control over to President to close the meeting.

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