Down to the Wire

Summer is approaching all of us and I think I can safely say–many of us are tired.  I know I am, this semester has been the most difficult one of my entire school career. My speech class has helped me get through it. I’ve left some nights feeling so much better than before I came to class. Just because of something that someone shared.  So, on that note. . .

To everyone in my speech class,

I have learned so much from each and every one of you guys. I didn’t expect to make the friends that I did, have such a diverse group of people sharing with me about their lives. . .I didn’t expect any of the wonderful things that I received from speech.  I walked away from each and every class learning something new about everyone.  We are all so different but yet we bond with kindness and understanding, it’s strange but that is what I have loved about it all. Did I ever have to feel uneasy about what you all thought of me? Absolutely not. We all supported eachother in the class, and even shedded some tears together and made memories that I think we all will keep in our hearts. And if I never see some of you again, I’ll miss you. If I do, yay!

To Miss Basford,

Thank you for teaching us to respect one another, be kind to everyone and understand that no one is perfect.  In a way, you let the class teach each other instead of just standing in front of us for two hours talking by yourself. You had us interact, and for that I think we’re all thankful. We made new friends, cured some nerves and hopefully can take the memories from class and put it into other things in our life. I’m so happy for you and your new job opportunity, I hope you really enjoy it. And you will! Thank you so much, for everything.

 

Erin

Insights and Learning: Public Speaking

By reading the text, I have gained helpful tips about public speaking, including: using index cards instead of reading off material, connecting with the audience, understanding the audience as individuals rather than a blur of people who don’t care what you have to say and so on.  I already know more about public speaking then I did a week ago just by listening during class and looking through the text.  It is interesting to me that several celebrities have the same hardships with public speaking as I do.

I consider myself a decent listener and I try my best to think critically about what a speaker is presenting.  Communicating with my classmates and asking questions has informed me more about public speaking then I ever thought it would.  I believe that watching others perform their speeches will teach me the most.  Like most people, I consider speech inevitable when it comes to the real world and what most jobs call for.  You have to be able to speak clearly to others in order to get your point across.  People will never understand other people if they don’t practice giving speeches.  That is why I am excited for this semester and my speech class.

The only ‘experienced’ insight I have on public speaking is the fact that I have been assigned many presentations and projects in previous courses I have taken at Southern State, and at my high school.  In doing so, I have stuttered, talked too fast, spoke too quietly, rushed through things and almost passed out from complete nervousness.  Even though I advise most students not to do those things, they taught me a lot about how to present myself to an audience the right way.  I’m also not afraid to talk in front of people anymore.  I have never been terrified of public speaking, but having experience really does help.

Erin