Sunday, May 13, 2012

What I Got Out of this Class

I got a lot from this class that I did not expect. Going into it I did not have high expectations. I was dreading speaking in front of a room full of people. I thought the speeches would be more loose, I did not realize that we had to do different styles, timing, delivery methods, and use of supporting materials. I learned a lot from the extra work, and I know I will use it all again eventually. My husband has to prepare power point demonstrations and give speeches to students regularly ( he is an instructor pilot in the Air Force). I know that it is highly likely that at some point in my career I may have to do the same. I am currently applying to nursing school, and being able to explain concepts in a timely manner will be a huge asset. I expect that there will be some presentations required for me nursing classes as well. I have been a stay at home mom for the past 6 years, so this class has also prepared me for job interviews. Being able to speak confidently to people I do not know well will help me eventually find a job. The relaxation techniques we learned to combat anxiety have already stuck with me in other areas of my life. I find myself relabeling a lot, and trying to channel negative energy into positive. I also learned a lot from watching the other speakers and seeing them evolve as public speakers. It taught me that almost everyone is nervous speaking in front of people, but when you learn to control the anxiety and channel the energy you can give a great speech. I am happy to be finished with the class, and I am positive I will use some of what we have learned this semester in the near future.

1 comment:

  1. Like you I was definitely not expecting such detailed work. I have taken a communications class previously that we did not have such precise concepts to apply to our speeches. However, it forced me to take more things into consideration than what I normally would have. I had to look at the speech topics from a different side of the mountain, and I had to add aspects to my presentation that I never had previously (like verbally citing references). Overall, I definitely grew a lot as a public speaker within this semester's time. I don't know how much of it I will purposefully apply to future speeches, but I am sure some of it will sink in subconsciously and sneak in.

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