A nice compliment

[llcoolvad]

At the end of class last week a student waited until everyone else left, then came up to me and asked me my opinion about whether she should take a public speaking class. She told me how even in a normal classroom environment she gets nervous and her mind goes blank, and she ends up asking questions she knows the answer to. (She asks a LOT of questions)

I told her that I believed that almost everyone could benefit from more exposure to public speaking, and that it was possible that she'd learn some tricks to help her think before she spoke and to help her focus. I said that in my experience, the more you know your topic, the more confidence you will have with presenting it, and that when I was teaching if I lost my train of thought I'd get very flustered and have to pull something out of my ass to get back on track.

She said she was very surprised at that, and that she thought I was completely confident and a natural at public speaking, which is why she asked me my opinion. Huh! I blathered something about how I knew my topic, had been teaching for over seven years now, and how I still get a tiny bit nervous on the first day of class. But inside I was thinking "really? me?" I understand the power structure that we have -- me teacher, her student -- so I know it might not be completely genuine, but it was still surprising.

Surprising mostly because I just don't feel all that confident when I am teaching. When I was in college I thought of myself as an extrovert; over time that hasn't really seemed to fit, though, and I recently read an article describing the introvert -- the need to be alone a lot of the time, the need to be forced to attend social events, the need for downtime after social events, being completely happy being alone. That's totally all me. [Although when I've taken the Myers-Briggs test it claims I am an extrovert. Maybe I'm schizophrenic. Or those tests just suck.]

Anyway, I've been getting really good feedback at work from the training sessions that I'm holding at my day job, too, so this is a pretty big ego-boost week. I don't know how my head will fit through the door.

Comments

[ozymandiasism.livejournal.com]

I have been told that toastmasters (http://www.toastmasters.org/) is a good channel to learn how to speak in public. I have yet to try though

[llcoolvad.livejournal.com]

Oddly enough I suggested Toastmasters to her, too. I don't know anything about it except that a few people I know have done it. I've never taken any kind of public speaking course, nor did I study education theory or anything, but maybe I should. I mean, there might be tricks that are useful to get you past the butterflies in the stomach thing.

[ozymandiasism.livejournal.com]

I contacted one of the chapters in Long Beach but they never returned my calls. So screwed them.

There are plenty of chapters but a matter of finding the one that is suitable for you. If the location is in the financial district, it is likely that the chapter is very business oriented.

[p-j-cleary.livejournal.com]

You have always underestimated your own public personna. While I know you often feel flustered or nervous speaking to groups, you very rarely *look* like you're undergoing any sort of trouble at all. I tend to stutter and shake a little when I have to speak in front of a crowd (unless it's in a play, then I just kind of suck, but I'm not nervous at all), while you always look cool and collected.

[llcoolvad.livejournal.com]

I think the thing I am the most nervous about (and this is true in life, as well as in public speaking) is how I am going to look, rather than what I am going to say. So until they actually SEE me, I'm nervous, but once I get past that, I'm fine.

It's especially true at dressy events. For example, if I had to give a speech at a wedding or a funeral, I'd be a complete wreck. [NOTE TO FAMILY/FRIENDS, please don't do it to me!]

...If only I had learned how to dress myself properly I'd be all set...

[ozymandiasism.livejournal.com]

Everyone is scared of looking like shit in frotn of others.

I have been trying to conquer this fear and my proposed solution is to sing karaoke (is that how you spell it? BAD asian!) in a bar. I mean, if you can sing in front of a bunch of drinkin' pricks and not completely lose it, you'll do just fine in public speaking.

Then again, I have yet to test out that theory

PS for character building, sing in front of eitehr Dave or I, you KNOW we will make fun of you :)

[llcoolvad.livejournal.com]

Sing...in front...of Dave? Bahahahahah!

[llcoolvad.livejournal.com]

Then again, I sing all day long in the department already. I guess it's not out of the question.

I use to sing (and DANCE) in my store, when I worked music retail. I couldn't help it, it was completely subconscious. Subconscious dancing... Pretty!