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Free Report Page 3 BIG MISTAKE:
Getting The Wrong Kind Of Getting testimonials and references may seem like something that is obvious but I can tell you that many schools simply do not do this. I am amazed at the number of schools that hire presenters based on what the presenter tells them and nothing else. I stongly believe that before you bring ANYONE into your school, that you should without a doubt have tons of testimonials from other schools. If the presenter you are interested in cannot or will not provide these references to you, it often times means one of two things:
1. The presenter is inexperienced and has done enough assembly programs to have great references.
2. The presenters programs are not really all that great and schools have not given the presenter high marks for having a top notch program.
Think about it for a moment: if a presenter does a fantastic job and schools rave about their program, wouldn't they want to share those experiences with other schools? What I am tryng to say is that all assembly presenters should have a truckload of testimonials that they can share from other schools who have hosted their programs. You should never settle for anythng less!
Yes, references are critical. The sad fact is that there are new assembly presenters popping up everyday and after only doing a few programs, they call themselves professionals. My belief is that what other schools have to say about a program and presenter is far more important than anything the presenter can tell you. If another school loved a program, they are going to want other schools to know about it as well.
The sad fact is that many presenters today make up their testimonials. Not only is this unethical but it's also illegal. It is not uncommon in the performing world for presenters to say and do anything to make themselves look good. What makes it so easy for presenters to do this? Simple: most people don't even stop and think that the testimonials could be made up. They automatically assume that they are true and so they don't even give it a second thought. The easiest way for you to find out if the testimonial is true is for you to contact the person that made the quote.
Another scam that I have heard about is that some presenters will try to give schools references that have no relation whatsoever to performing in schools. They will try to offer a testimonail from a birthday party mom that hired them to entertain 15 kids in a living room. They may have done a wonderful job at a birthday party but does this mean that they can handle a group of 500 school children and motivate them with a successful assembly program? This is something you should really think about!
Presenting school assembly programs takes a special person that really knows what they are doing. The presenter should have a program that is both ENTERTAINING and EDUCATIONAL at the same time. They should be able to motivate the children on a certain topic or subject and be able to really get the attention of the students. One the most important parts of finding an excellent presenter is in their ability and their "know how" to hold a group of several hundred students at the same time. Does the presenter know how to take control of the program so that the students pay attention and do not talk? You must consider these things before you decide on any presenter!
Discovering the truth about a school assembly presenter is easier than you might think. The best way to do it is to ask for references from SEVERAL schools and ONLY from schools. Do not settle on references from a birthday party or from a nursing home. These simply will not do! If the presenter cannot produce references with the names of school administrators and their telephone numbers, you've caught them! Also, make sure that the references are recent. If it takes a presenter having to go back a few years to find a satisfied school, something is without a doubt wrong.
Bottom line: you need to put a lot of weight on getting testimonials and references before making your decision. It's important that the presenter you are dealing with is honest and ethical and has a TON of satisfied schools that you can contact.
BIG MISTAKE:
Hiring Someone Without Experience On The problem with many presenters today is that what they call an "educational" and "motivational" program is nothing more than a complete waste of time. Not all presenters do this but there are quite a few that think by calling their program something like, "I Love To Read" and telling the kids that they too can learn to do magic by reading books at the end of the program makes them an educational presenter. While it may be true that kids can learn to do magic by reading books, this simply is not strong enough to justify an assembly program. Instead, the students need more to motivate them and really teach them.
I have heard of many horror stories through the years from school officials about these so called "educational and motivational" programs and how all the presenter did was regular magic show and at the end they simply told the students something like, "remember to always say no to drugs." This is not an educational program. The way to motivate and inspire children is to present real messages and show examples. Sure, the program needs to be funny, silly and down right crazy to keep the students interested but it also needs to contain material and messages that offer a real "tie in" so that the students understand exactly what the program is all about, even when it's all over. The way to motivate students is not by simply saying, "say no to drugs." This is not good enough!
My suggestion to all schools who are looking at hosting an assembly program is that they ask questions about the presenters credentials before saying, "yes- we want you." If the presenter is really great and professional, not only will they be able to give you a detailed description of their program but they will also be able to provide you with examples of how they get their message across. In other words, everything they do should be a direct "tie in" to the theme and topic you are trying to get across.
An example of a great school assembly presenter is someone who knows and understands not only what the students like but also what the teachers and principals want in a program. For example, in my programs I use a ton of magic, age appropriate humor, music, live animals and even puppets to get my message across. Everything I do has a real reason for being in the program and it all fits in and ties together to create a wonderful and motivational experience for the students and teachers. At the end of ever trick I present, the students have learned something from what I just did. Guess what? It works! I do not do a regular magic show if I am trying to get students to become good readers, stay away drugs, deal with bullies or have positive self-esteem. I know that I am being brought into the school to motivate the students and this is a job that I take very serious. Through the years I have taked with many principals, counselors and teachers about what they looking for when it comes to school programs. I've taken their thoughts and suggestions and turned them into reality.
One of the most important things to also take into consideration is that the presenter you are interested in not only has a lot of experience on whatever topic you are trying to get across but also that the presenter can effectively control a large group of several hundred students at a time. Some presenters prefer to only work with small groups of 100 students are less. This can result in you having to have several programs throughout the day. For best results, I suggest that there be no more than about 350 students or so per assembly. This way those sitting in the back can still see and hear what is going on.
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