God Speed

I agree with what a lot of my fellow classmates have said regarding the respectful team work of this class. I can not remember when I have been in a class that sparked so much emotion, but no ill will towards anyone. I believe our fearless leader (Candee) helped set the tone for this atmosphere of mutual respect. It could have easily been contentious if it were not for the class as a whole, allowing everyone the right to belief and express what ever their point of view might have been. I hope everyone can keep this open-mindedness as we move forward in our respective fields, and each and every person their due right of free expression. These are the things this magnificent nation was founded on, let freedom reign now and forever.

 

God bless too all, and God Speed.

 

Mark

The Light at the End of the Tunnel

The end is here.

I honestly never thought those words would escape me as I came into this quarter.

I came in terrified, thinking “How in the world am I ever going to pass this class?” and as some of you remember, I am graduating next Friday and put this class off for two very long years. I guess maybe I was hoping they’d take it off my list of requirements?

I can now say that I’m glad they didn’t. I have learned a lot this quarter. I have learned that public speaking is really not so bad. I have learned how to accept myself and to take what I have to say seriously. Sometimes you think people really don’t care what you have to say, but in all honesty, they do. And they listen. And sometimes what you say can help them and/or even teach them.

There have been so many wonderful speeches this quarter and I , personally, have learned a lot. I never knew what Anna’s Army was, I never knew Patty’s great tips for decorating, I never knew that Jamie howled at the moon, and I never knew that Hannah made such fantastic cupcakes. I also never knew that Clinton was absolutely hilarious, no matter what the speech topic was. I never even knew that I’d actually be interested in what these people had to say because all I was worried about was just making it til June.

Well June is here and I am so glad and grateful to have taken a class like this. I have met some great people and even made a friend or two along the way. I have learned more than I ever thought possible out of one class. I have even learned how to come out of my shell a little bit.

In the end, this class will be one I will never forget. Thank you Candee.

 

Jennifer

The Golden Rule

I loved sharing with you about the Golden Rule.  Do unto others as you would have done unto you.  I am thankful for all of you listing so intently during my speech.  So many times we are so busy and are always late for something because we have so many activities planned in our day, that we just pass people by as if they were not even there.  We don’t make eye contact with people  we pass by because we don’t want them to stop and try to have a conversation with us.  That would take up too much time and I’m already late for something is usually our excuse. 

Our genetic make up is to be with people.  Not just people who you sit next to who we don’t even know their name.   Think about how good it makes you feel when you are talking with someone instead of sitting all alone somewhere.   When you take a few minuets out of your day and do something for someone or just listen to them talk, it does wonders for the other person. 

I like spending time with an elderly lady in my neighborhood.  We go grocery shopping together, run errands, and sometimes we just put puzzles together.  I enjoy listening to her stories and she gets to re-live the best times of her life.  My friend thinks I am stupid and a sucker for doing it but I don’t look at it that way.  I am only giving a small part of my myself to her and who knows but maybe she enjoys my visits also. 

Just look around and smile or say hi.  Get involved and BE THE CHANGE!

 

Tina

Thank you everyone in this speech class

When I delivered my speech I was unsure how people would feel about me afterwards.  I have been hiding behind the fact that I have had people throw a lot of things in my face about my religion.  I was really pleased to see that I found support from the most understanding  groups of people. This too had me teary eyed because, for once I took the time with this class to get to know everyone, and seeing how diverse we  really are but seeking out the goal of an education.

Thank you everyone,

 

Danielle

“Coming together, sharing together, working together, succeeding together” (author unknown)

As I reflect upon my experience in Speech class, this quote sums up how I feel.

We have formed a very supportive unit during this quarter.    As we went through the introduction process, we all had varied explanations as to why we were taking Speech.  Some were excited about the class while others were apprehensive.

As the weeks went by and we began to deliver our individual speeches, we learned that listening was just as important as delivering the speeches.  From what I read in the posts of others, it seems the majority agrees that the atmosphere is one that is safe and accepting.  Some expressed concerns as to how their speeches would be received and afterwards discovered thru the evaluations that what they had to say was embraced (ability to listen without pre-judgment and be open-minded).  All seemed to agree that their classmates were supportive.

I have learned thru researching one of my own speeches that when we give a genuine smile to others, it sends a non-verbal message to the recipient that they are accepted, and they fit in.   I found this to be true for me when I was on the receiving end of my classmates’ smiles.  I think this is part of what Candee was trying to get across when she was talking about our responsibilities as listeners.

In the classroom before class begins you might hear us supporting and encouraging each other.  Sometimes we try to help each other come up with an idea for a speech.  Sometimes we share experiences, thoughts and reservations about upcoming assignments.  Sometimes we just socialize.  No matter what the conversations are, they are friendly and engaging.  To me, this is speech at its best:  relating to each other, communicating, sharing.  The bonus is that it is all in a safe and positive atmosphere.

As this class draws nearer the end.  We are all delivering speeches and we are all “succeeding together”.

“Coming together, sharing together, working together, succeeding together.”

Pamela B.

The Act of Listening

Last night I completed my second speech (the informative speech).  The topic of my choice was what my father taught me through the unusual vessel of Alzheimer’s disease.

The main points discussed were creativity, unconditional love and patience.

It was less stressful than the first speech.  Everyone was so kind.  There were still errors in my delivery, I could not find my card with the closing statement (it was right in front of me), and I caught myself leaning on the podium at one point; nonetheless, I was able to complete my speech and things seemed to go fairly well.

I just can’t get the faces of the audience (my classmates) out of my mind.  It felt as though they were opening their hearts and minds to hear what I had to say, and it was a very humbling experience.  As I was delivering my speech, their eyes were so expressive and the body language changed for several of them.

I am still processing and struggling to find the words to describe my experience.   One thing I know for sure is that if my speech was to be considered successful, it was not because of me.  It was because of my supporting classmates, there are none better.

Pamela B

A journey of a thousand miles…

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

– By Confucius

Whenever I think about Speech class, I keep finding myself returning to this quote.  Then I think about my walking stick.  Okay, maybe that doesn’t quite make sense.  Let me back up a little to explain.

I have a plain, simple wooden walking stick that my sister, Sharon, made for me two years ago to represent the journeys taken in my life and the future ones I will take.  She had cut down a young sapling and used a pocketknife to etch a few references to bible verses on it.  As she presented it to me, she encouraged me to continue etching encouraging words on it.  I have.

To me, it is beautiful and holds great value.  It has many scars from the etchings, but they are scars created as a result of love and a desire to encourage.  When I hold it in my hands and fix my gaze upon it, my fingers always seem to tenderly caress its surface.  Each etching reminds me that my life has purpose and that there is a reason for my existence. I am reminded that often the things in life most worthwhile are accompanied by difficult times.   I am also reminded that if I trust the Master’s plan and trust in the process that “all things work together for good”(Romans 8:28)—not necessarily in the timeframe I want, but in the timeframe that He knows will allow the most growth.

When I registered for Speech Class, a new journey had begun in my life:  A journey that reveals my scars through the nervousness and self-doubt, a journey in which discomfort is felt.  I am gradually learning this, too, is a process and that, if  I thru trust,  place myself in the hands of the Master who has graced my life with a capable instructor, by the name of Candee, that all things can and will work for the good.  I am learning that, as I see the beauty in my walking stick, there is beauty to be discovered in me—scars included; however, any journey must begin with but a single step, then another and another, until one day (no matter how small the steps may seem) you can look back and see just how far you have come.

I have only taken just a few steps on this journey called Speech, but I know, like all other journeys traveled thus far, it will lead somewhere.

Pam

Breaking News…

Breaking news…Geologists have confirmed rumors that a major fault line runs directly under the speech podium at Southern State Community College.

A reporter was sent to the southern branch of SSCC today to interview people who may have heard about this phenomenon.  One woman by the name of Pamela Burton was reported to have said, “It doesn’t surprise me at all.  When I stood behind the podium today, I felt the tremors.  When I placed my hands on the podium, my entire body began to shake, and I feared for my life, afraid that the ground just might go ahead and swallow me up!”

This wasn’t really what happened and there was no breaking news today about a fault line, but to some extent it felt that way.

Tonight I actually came to class with two manuscripts.  One was an excerpt from the book entitled, Don’t Miss Your Life, by Charlene Baumbich.  The other was my own journal.  You see I had completely prepared and practiced the first one, made delivery cues, and had everything timed.  Something kept bothering me about it.  The book, Don’t Miss Your Life is about learning to accept and embrace the ‘real’ you.  The entire time I was practicing this reading,  Candee’s words kept echoing in my mind about being earnest, honest, and talking about something you are interested in—being authentic.  In fact, the handout for tonight mentioned, being authentic—it doesn’t get much clearer than that for me.

During the period prior to my speech, I was actually quite comfortable.  The other speakers made it easy for me to forget about my issues.  They were interesting and I loved listening to them.  That is my favorite part, listening.

Then came my turn.  Reality hit me hard.  I began to sweat, my mouth was dry, and I could not stop my hands from shaking.  As I approached the front of the class I had not one but two prepared speeches in my hand—be yourself—be earnest—be authentic.  My inner voice was having an argument trying to rationalize why I should not make my self so vulnerable as to let people see who I really am.  Then I looked at Mark, the one introducing me, and somehow felt reassured that it would be okay.  So, I set the first speech down on the front table and continued toward the podium with only my journal in hand.  He probably doesn’t know just how important it was for me to see a supportive face at that moment.  Thank you, Mark, for being you.

As I began to talk I could feel my voice quiver and my hands began to shake again.  Thanks to the text and Candee, I had written two very large delivery cues on the first page:  Breathe and Relax.  I also put red dots throughout my paper to remind me to keep breathing and to make eye contact, because for some odd reason, I cannot think straight or read simple sentences when I am in front of a group.  This helped me tremendously; I would see the cues and stop for a second to take a breath.  When I looked at my classmates, I was so thankful for the friendly faces and supportive atmosphere.  Thank you all, from the bottom of my heart.

Thanks to my classmates and a supportive teacher who has somehow found a way to make her words echo in my mind long after class, I made it through my first speech.  I was still very nervous during the speech, my hands still shook, and by the time I walked back to my chair my shirt was wet half way down from sweating so much.  But, nonetheless, I made it–with help from my new friends.

Pam

Critical Thinking & Critical Learning

So far in speech class we have read over chapters 1,2, and 3.  We are in our second week of class and after reading through those chapters and taking out the key things that mean a lot to me as a speaker critical listening and critical thinking are the two topics that have really stuck out to me.

Listening is an art.  Listening can help guide you in every aspect of your life.  You will do more listening in your lifetime than any other form of communication.  Critical listening can also help you in preparing for your speeches.  You are the speaker you are the one who is presenting the information to an audience so you want to make sure you know and fully understand the ideas and information you are expressing to your audience.  If you do not clearly understand every aspect of your message you may unintentionally offend your readers.  Misunderstandings happen when you do not make your point clearly enough for the listeners to comprehend.

Critical thinking as well as comprehensive listening are excellent ways to enhance your skills as a critical thinker.  Skills involved with critical thinking are summarizing the information, recalling the facts, distinguishing main points from minor points, separating fact from opinion, spotting weaknesses in the speakers speech.  These things are incredibly helpful when listening to a classmates speech.  When you have disciplined yourself to become a critical listening and thinker then speeches whether you are giving or receiving will seem much easier to understand.  When you can break these speeches down and pick out these main points it makes following a speech easier.  When listening to my classmates speeches I am going to consider these skills she see if I can’t pick them out myself.  I think that learning the critical thinking skills will make understanding speeches, for me anyways, easier.

 

Kellie

Just the Beginning

Hi, my name is Ryan Beasley. I am 19 years old and currently a freshman for Southern State Community College.  As of right now this is just the beginning of the class, being on the second week of the quarter.  This is when all the blogs and essays are starting to be assignments.  Coming into this class I was nervous and terrified of the talking in front of others.  Already in two weeks we have spoken at the front of the classroom about what we have found in various chapters and why we thought the things we found were interesting and useful.  I know from what I have read in three simple chapters that there is a lot of effort needed to be put forth in speeches.  But, not just those speaking, listeners as well have to put forth effort to either; understand the message of the speaker (comprehensive listening), listen to provide emotional support for the speaker (empathic listening), listening for pleasure or enjoyment (appreciative listening), and listening to evaluate a message for purposes of accepting or rejecting (critical listening.)

I like that there are many key components in speeches that make a speech either excellent or not so good.  These key components are: pausing, volume, pitch, and the rate of which one speaks.  Pauses are important because they can put emphasis on certain words.  Volume of ones voice is important because if the speaker is too loud the audience will think your boring, but if you’re too soft in how you speak then the audience may not understand what you’re saying.  Pitch is important because it puts meaning to words or sounds.  And then there is rate, this component is important because if your too slow then you will lose the audience’s attention, but too fast then words wont be able to sink into the audience.  The rate at which speakers give their speeches depends on the vocal attributes, the mood being created, composition of the audience, and the nature of the occasion.

Ryan

My Thoughts on Public Speaking.

I came into this class thinking I was going to be taught how to speak clearer, like I have a little accent and thought I would get rid of it.  Instead, the first day of class I learned it was on Public Speaking.  I do not like to speak in front of people or crowds.  When I am called on to read aloud or answer a question, my face and neck turns red, my palms sweat and my mind goes blank.  I almost go into a panic attack just thinking I am going to have to stand up and actually speak.

There have been many life changing events that have happened to me over the past year and half, so I am going into this knowing I will be getting a lot out of it.  See I am going to be an Intervention Specialist (a Special Ed Teacher) and I am going to be speaking in front of people.

I am not a very confident person but that is something I am working on.  I know since taking this class people are interested in what I have to say.  There are so many good tips and lessons that I have already learned in just this past week and I can’t wait to learn more.  Learning to show an audience that I am not nervous is my favorite so far.  I’m learning not to panic when my name is called.  Telling myself everyone is nervous before a speech helps too, take a breath, it will be ok.  Be positive and be excited about giving a speech.  Don’t expect to be perfect. No one is.

There is a lot to listening.  When I ask the kids are you listening to me? I get the usual yea mom what did you say again?  I am going to share some listening tips with them.  Sit up straight and don’t take your eyes off the person talking is what I remember from school about listening.  Well you can do that and not think, at least not think about what the speaker is talking about.  When I listen to people now I will be using my new-found listening techniques.

Thanks and have a good day.

Tina

Informative Speech on Divorce

Taking about my parents divorce is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. The pain and anger about what happened to me whenever I was seven years old, still exists in my heart and my life. I don’t think I can ever figure my dad for tearing apart my family the way that he did. I chose to do this speech because, I wanted other people in the class to understand how major it is to decide to settle down with someone and start a family. You should not have kids with someone who you don’t see yourself being with in 10 years. In the long run, it puts the kids through hell.

I have to admit that I would not be the person I am today if it was not for my parents getting a divorce, they made me the strongest teenager by making the decision to split up. But, at the same time, they made my life an emotional rollercoaster that will never stop. They put me through stuff that a child should never have to do through. Stuff that I could never do to my own kids or even imagine having to watch another kid go through. I feel their pain and I completely understand what they are going through. The emotional pain of this subject gets to me, and it really did in front of the entire class whenever I was trying to present this speech. Although I did cry, I really hope that it showed the people in the class how important deciding to have children without considering the kids first really is. So, the thing I was trying to inform people of was the fact that in the end, the kids come first! Do your very best to have kids with someone you plan on staying with and you can see yourself growing old with. Every couple has problems, I understand that, but, once you have kids, make it work for them. Please!

A thing that I personally learned from this speech was the support that I receive from my classmates. They understood how close this topic was to my heart and respected the fact that it was a hard thing for me to talk about. I got positive comments from all of them & it really helped me realize how great all of the people in my class are.

Jeanna.

My First Speech!

So I gave my first speech the other day in my speech class, and it was very exciting yet nerve racking at the same time!  As most of you know I read two poems; one I wrote for my sister’s wedding and another that I found on the internet that I thought said a lot about sisters and how important one is to the other.  I know I already told you some things about my sister and me but I thought I would tell you a little bit more.  So my sister is AWESOME!  Yes, she has her flaws but I hardly see them.  She has always been there for me and I have a feeling that she always will be there in the future.

This past year has been difficult for my family and I. My sister was always there to pick me up if I ever got down about something!  I have always looked up to her for advice, a role model, and so much more!  The year I turned a freshman was the year that Beth went away to college, needless to say that was really tough on me.  I went from seeing my sister 24-7 to seeing her maybe once a week.  In years past we would call each other daily, and I would always hit her up on facebook just so I could talk to her some more.  A couple of years later, and a couple of boyfriends later she met her “prince charming.” They had known each other for years but had never really talked until my cousins decided to set them up.  Not but a few months later were they talking about getting married and even then it scared me to death!  So many things were running through my mind when I found out, I never really thought I would see the day that my sister would walk down the aisle!  The big day finally came and it was a very beautiful wedding, however it was all coming to an end for me!  My sister would soon be married to a man and I resented him for taking her away from me.  I am still dealing with the fact that my big sister is married, I just can’t seem to wrap my head around it but I guess that is a lesson I am learning as we speak, that life will go on, things change and people change.  I can’t stop and watch the scenery I have to go along with life and wherever it many take me!

Moving along, now that you know a little bit more of how I feel about my sister and what we have gone through I will tell you how this all ties in with my speech!  When I was trying to decide what I wanted to read I didn’t put very much thought into it!  I just figured I would pick up one of my little cousin’s books and read it.  However the class we had before our first speeches Mrs. Basford explained to us that what we choose to read should mean something to us, it should be something we are interested in!  Then I really started to think about what I wanted to read and I thought about my sister and what she means to me!  So that is how I came to the idea that I would read the poem about my sister and the memories that we have shared!

Now that I finally have my first speech done with and it wasn’t all that bad I did learn a lot!  The feed back I got from the students in my class helped tremendously!  I learned what I could work on and what I did good on!  The comment cards really work good and I think they will help me a lot when I am preparing for my next speech!

In return for everybody listening and reading to what I have to say I would like to say thank you for the comments you all left me and you all did an awesome job with your speeches as well!

Kate

Public Speaking

This is my first speech class and I’m not going to lie, I was pretty nervous going in to it. I always heard that I was going to have to speak a lot and it was pretty intense. After the first of class I knew I would love the students with me and I knew I wouldn’t have to worry about what was going to be said while I was giving a speech.

I also realized that I really want to get involved in a lot more and voice my opinion when it’s necessary. I have always wanted to go into the Physical Therapy field ever since about ninth grade but after being involved in this class and another arts class I am having doubts about it. I really like the idea of standing up for what I believe in and making a change. I would like to consider changing my major to something related to speech. Voicing my opinion has always been something on instinct because I’ve been known for speaking my mind, and I don’t care who’s listening. This class is just showing me when it’s appropriate and when to hold it in or express my feelings in a different manner!

Speaking before, in front of a large crowd, used to be my biggest nightmare but today I got in front of my class in arts class and only had a few nerves. it was not a huge speech but just presenting something that meant something to me and I figured I would be scared to death but it really wasn’t that bad! These classes are going to help me overcome many obstacles and help me in my future. I’m looking forward to the remainder of this class and hopefully taking more in the future. I’m very glad I took this class it will defiantly be one I will never forget!

Ashley P.

I Can See Myself Becoming a Better Speaker

Before I took this class everyone warned me to prepare all kinds of speeches and write a lot of papers, but after just spending a couple of days in the class I find that it comes natural to talk about talking. I’ve definitely developed more of an interest to this class now compared to my interest at the beginning of the course.

I’ve never really been a good public speaker and confidence is something I and probably others lack when speaking in public. By just reading the first 3 chapters I can see myself becoming more and more of a better speaker. The things that make a public speaker a good speaker are the things that come natural. Such as, hand gestures, eye contact, and telling stories. What I’ve also learned is how important it is to take and organize what you listen to. There’s certain ways to distinguish what’s important and what’s not. You must also let the speaker know you’re listening. Not only does that make it easier for you to actually listen, but it lets the speaker know they actually have a reason to speak.

After realizing these things, I’ve learned that this class is going to be important than I thought and I will definitely benefit from it.

 

Shaylin.

Class Comfort Level

Class comfort and the level of respect is something that has continued to strike me throughout this quarter. I have noticed that at least within the parameters of this class there is an extremely high amount of respect and consideration of each other’s thoughts, beliefs, opinions, and etcetera. This is kind of surprising to me considering the different age groups, backgrounds, and belief systems that exist between this fairly diverse group of individuals.

I contribute that to the class requirement of knowing each individual by name within the class. They are not some nameless, faceless individual that you don’t know, aren’t familiar with and really don’t care about, they are your neighbor, your friend, they are a real live person with feelings. I don’t believe that this same level of respect exists within other contexts where the people are unfamiliar with each other.

There is a class that I have later within the day that allows for group discussion, and I have found people to be very disrespectful in there of ideas that are different from their own. You can only be right if you think just like them. I truly enjoy hearing another person’s thoughts and ideas. That is the only way to open your eyes to other possibilities or view points. I really wish we would have started off in a similar fashion. I think if we had put a similar effort into knowing each other as people the atmosphere would be different. Perhaps instead of bickering we would be having eye-opening informative discussions. You might not be able to persuade someone to see things just as you do but perhaps you could get them to see how you came to view things as you do, and vice versa.

Thank you for putting an emphasis on getting to know our fellow students!!

 

Jodelle

Informative Speeches

Well…let me start this off by saying that I loved everyone’s speech. They were totally awesome. I love how we had some that were emotional, some physical, and some just fun. I loved being able to learn new things from everyone through their speeches. It was awesome how some of the class were able to get up in front of everyone and tell something that was personal, hurtful, upsetting, traumatic, etc. in their lives. I don’t think I would ever be able to do that.

I was glad that for my second speech my pace was way better than it was during my first speech. However, my volume still needs work. I still talk too softly. But hey this is a work in progress and hopefully by the end of this thing I will have it all worked out…I hope…

I’m loving the class so far and I think I will continue to do so…even if speech isn’t my favorite thing to do (at least not in front of a classroom-like setting.)

 

La

My Informative Speech

On October 25, 2010 I gave my informative speech in my speech class. At first I was very nervous because I didn’t have any notes to read from so all my information came from my brain.  This was not as big of a problem as I thought it would be because once I started talking I got very use to the faces of the audience and just like that I was not nervous anymore.  The topic of my speech was choosing the right seed to plant on your farm or even garden.  I chose this topic because I am very involved with buying seed for my farm. Choosing the right seed for a farm take knowledge of your soil, environment, growing season, and most important knowing the genetics of the seed.  I consider all of these facts when I’m choosing my seed.  I thought that I should inform my class on this topic for who knows, one day they might want to farm or just grow a garden to save money on food cost.

There where many other good speeches in my class a lot of them came from life experiences or something their family members have been through. There were topics that were very interesting and even taught me a thing or two.  I enjoyed listening to all of them.

Richard

My beginning of Speech

Coming into this class, I was very nervous. Public speaking has always been a weak point for me and has become something that I dread. But after only one week in the class, I am already starting to feel more comfortable. I thought that many different points that were made in the first three chapters were very useful and helpful. The keys to overcoming nervousness were useful to me personally and I am working to master those keys in the class right now. I also found the information about listening to be interesting as well. I am guilty of focusing too much on what the speaker looks like and how they are acting and not enough on what they are actually saying. I think that I tend to judge speakers quickly, and I think that is why I am afraid of being judged myself. I never realized that you could listen too hard until reading the chapter. That is something to think about. The bit about ethics was very enlightening as well. I have never thought about adjusting to the audience until reading that part of the chapter. I will continue to work on that in this class.

I so far am enjoying the class very well. I like the activities that we do to work on our speech. The other students in my class make the class very enjoyable as well. There is a very good differential of age groups in my class, and I think that makes the class a more dynamic experience. I also like the teacher so far, she seems very nice and supportive. By the end of the class I want to be able to look forward to public speaking instead of it being something that I am afraid of. I also want to be able to make an effect on an audience.

Bryce

Informative speech

So,  I gave my informative speech last week about soccer. I didn’t have anything written down for my speech.  I just went up there and talked. I have been playing soccer all my life, two years at sscc. I know a lot of information about soccer but I learned that know matter how much you know about a topic you need to go by the steps and it will make it much easier.

Justin