Public speaking is one of the most valuable skills a student can develop—and one of the most underemphasized in modern education. For many adults, the idea of standing up and speaking in front of a crowd is anxiety-inducing. But what if your child could grow up feeling at home with public speaking—confident, composed, and clear?
At Carden Memorial School, we believe communication is not a peripheral skill. It’s foundational. Our classical Christian education model doesn’t just prepare students academically—it trains them to speak truth with clarity, lead with integrity, and show up with confidence in every setting.
In a world that increasingly rewards the loudest voice, we teach children how to use their voice well. Through consistent daily habits, structured opportunities, and a nurturing environment grounded in faith, our students learn not just to speak—but to speak with purpose.
This blog explores how public speaking is woven into the student experience at Carden Memorial and how it helps build lifelong leadership skills from the inside out.
It Starts with the Everyday
Morning Devotions as Foundational Practice
Each day at Carden Memorial begins with a handshake and a structured devotional. These moments—simple, personal, and consistent—become a quiet but powerful stage for public speaking.
Students take turns leading prayer, reciting scripture, and reading aloud meditations. These aren’t performances. They’re daily rituals. But in these rituals, students gain poise. They learn to use their voice clearly and reverently. They stand up in front of their peers—not to impress, but to lead with humility.
Over time, this daily practice builds more than speaking ability. It creates calm in the face of attention. It breeds comfort with being heard.
Recitation and Reading Aloud in the Classroom
Public speaking isn’t limited to formal presentations. It’s built into how students interact with texts and with one another. At Carden Memorial, students regularly recite poems, scripture passages, and classic literature aloud.
This repetition, rooted in our classical education approach, teaches diction, rhythm, and confidence in delivery. The emphasis on oral recitation helps students internalize the material, but just as importantly, it helps them become comfortable sharing ideas aloud.
Confidence doesn’t come from a single moment. It comes from many small ones. Recitation is where that begins.
Small Group Instruction Creates Safe Spaces
Speaking Confidence Grows in the Teaching Table Format
Our unique teaching table model allows students to receive instruction in small groups, creating a natural, low-pressure environment for speaking. As students answer questions, explain their thinking, or read aloud, they are practicing communication skills every day.
The intimacy of these groups fosters self-assurance. When children feel known by their teachers and classmates, they feel safe to speak—and to make mistakes.
This structure also allows teachers to give individual attention to tone, posture, and clarity—skills that reinforce not just academic comprehension but confident presence.
Drama Class as a Stage for Courage
Every grade at Carden Memorial participates in drama productions, giving students formal opportunities to speak on stage. For some, this is thrilling. For others, it’s terrifying. For all, it’s formative.
Memorizing lines, projecting their voice, working as a cast—these experiences help students develop courage and collaboration. But even more, they learn how to control their voice, express emotion, and connect with an audience.
No matter how small the role, the act of standing before others and delivering lines plants seeds of boldness that carry into every area of life.
The Role of Teacher Feedback
Public speaking instruction isn’t outsourced at Carden—it’s integrated. Teachers coach students through every speaking moment, whether it’s a classroom answer, a devotional reading, or a drama performance.
Students receive ongoing, personalized feedback on posture, articulation, and eye contact—training that helps them feel not just prepared, but confident.
Leadership Opportunities Build Poise
Speaking Through Service
Public speaking takes root when students are given something meaningful to say. At Carden, leadership and service opportunities provide just that.
Whether introducing a guest at Veterans Day, presenting a project at the Science Fair, or sharing reflections during a chapel service, students are frequently invited to speak to their community.
These aren’t graded performances. They’re real contributions. And when students speak in service to others, they learn to focus not on their own nerves—but on the message they’ve been trusted to deliver.
Community Events as Practice Grounds
Seasonal traditions like the Thanksgiving Feast, Christmas Choral Concert, and Blue and White Day offer additional chances for students to use their voices in front of a larger audience.
Whether it’s reading aloud during a program or singing in harmony with their classmates, these moments reinforce the idea that every voice matters—and every voice belongs.
Public speaking becomes less about performance and more about participation. That shift is profound.
Encouragement from Peers and Parents
Parents and peers play a critical role in shaping a child’s confidence. At Carden, we cultivate a culture of encouragement. Students cheer each other on. Teachers affirm progress. Families celebrate growth.
Because when a child knows they are supported, they are more likely to try again.
A Classroom Culture That Supports Confidence
Small Class Sizes Make a Big Difference
Carden’s intentionally small class sizes ensure every student has a voice. In an overcrowded classroom, it’s easy for quiet children to fade into the background. But here, they are seen, heard, and called by name.
Teachers have the time and attention to invite each student into discussion—helping even the shyest child grow comfortable speaking in front of others.
A Faith-Based Environment Encourages Courage
As a classical Christian school, Carden helps students ground their identity in something greater than public opinion.
They learn that their value doesn’t depend on applause. They don’t have to be perfect—they just have to be faithful. That shift changes how they speak.
Confidence grows when it’s rooted in purpose.
Communication as a Life Skill, Not a Performance
Real-World Applications
The goal of public speaking at Carden isn’t to create future TED Talk stars (though that wouldn’t surprise us). It’s to prepare students for life.
Job interviews. Presentations. Sermons. Conversations. These moments all require clear communication, poise under pressure, and the ability to think and speak on your feet.
We’re not just teaching students to speak. We’re teaching them to lead.
Lifelong Benefits of Speaking with Confidence
Students who grow up speaking regularly in front of others are less likely to fear leadership roles. They’re more likely to advocate for themselves. And they’re better prepared to navigate college, career, and community with confidence.
This is a gift they’ll carry for life.
How Public Speaking Strengthens Other Academic Skills
Verbal Expression Reinforces Critical Thinking
When students are asked to speak, they must also think. Organizing thoughts, connecting ideas, and articulating a point—are essential components of classical education.
Speaking out loud helps students deepen their understanding and sharpen their reasoning.
Integration Across Subjects
At Carden, public speaking doesn’t live in a silo. It’s integrated across subjects.
In science, students explain their experiments. In history, they recite famous speeches. In literature, they perform Shakespearean scenes.
This cross-disciplinary approach makes communication an essential, daily practice—never an afterthought.
Confidence Starts Early
Junior Kindergarten Sets the Tone
Even our youngest students are included in recitations and stage performances. From their first days, they are learning how to listen, speak, and contribute to a group.
It’s not too early. In fact, it’s the best time to start.
Students Who Lead by Example
By the time they graduate, Carden students are seasoned speakers. They’ve read, recited, and presented for years. And they do so with quiet strength and self-possession.
These eighth graders become role models for the younger students—proof that confidence is possible and worth building.
The Role of Tradition in Shaping Confident Speakers
How Carden’s Time-Honored Practices Provide Structure
Carden Memorial School isn’t trying to reinvent education — we’re protecting what works.
The strength of our classical approach lies in its structure. Through well-established routines, students know what’s expected. They feel prepared, not pressured. And with predictability comes courage. Students are more willing to speak up when they know the rhythm of the room.
Daily recitations. Orderly classrooms. Thoughtful transitions. These aren’t just logistical choices. They’re confidence-builders.
Anchoring Speech in Faith and Meaning
One reason our students speak with such clarity is because they know the deeper purpose behind their words.
They are taught that speech can edify, encourage, and honor God. This belief shapes how and why they communicate. They speak not for applause but to share truth. Not to impress, but to uplift.
This anchoring gives public speaking a spiritual weight, and students learn to approach it with reverence, responsibility, and resolve.
Character Formation Through Communication
Speaking Well as a Reflection of Inner Virtue
At Carden, we believe what comes out of a child’s mouth reflects what’s in their heart.
That’s why we don’t just teach students to speak well—we teach them to speak honestly, kindly, and respectfully. Communication is never divorced from character.
In every classroom and conversation, students are expected to show gratitude, patience, and self-control. These virtues carry into their tone, their volume, their content. As they grow in virtue, they grow in verbal strength.
Lifelong Integrity Starts with Daily Practice
Teaching children to speak thoughtfully isn’t just about school performances. It’s about preparing them for future conversations that will shape friendships, family relationships, and careers.
When students learn to speak with both courage and humility, they carry that into adulthood. They become the kind of people who listen before they speak and choose their words with care.
And that’s a rare and beautiful strength in today’s world.
Conclusion
Public speaking doesn’t have to be scary. At Carden Memorial School, it becomes second nature.
Through daily practice, personal encouragement, and meaningful opportunities to speak, students grow into confident communicators who know how to express themselves with clarity and grace.
They don’t just learn how to speak. They learn they have something worth saying.
Carden Memorial School
If you’re looking for a private school in Salt Lake City that nurtures your child’s mind, heart, and voice, Carden Memorial School may be the right fit for your family.
Visit cardenmemorialschool.com to schedule a tour, explore our classical education model, and see firsthand how public speaking, leadership, and confidence are built into every day.
Because your child deserves more than just a seat in the classroom. They deserve the confidence to stand up and be heard.
