Public Speaking?

hospitalstaph · Feb 23, 2005

Maybe I'm wierd, but I absolutely LOVE public speaking !
Perhaps the key is in believing what you're delivering. If you're passionate about what you want to convey to others, it just comes naturally. :)

Finally, another weirdo like me!!!! I LOVED speech class. I would get so giddy when I would get my grades back on speeches! My last speech was a persuasive speech and I chose the topic of breastfeeding. My instructor said it was one of the most persuasive speeches she had ever heard:)

Speak about something that you have a true passion for and you will do fine. Everyone else is just as nervous.

Tracy

Fun2, BSN, RN · Feb 23, 2005

Please tell me you did not act this out for your speech! :rotfl:

Finally, another weirdo like me!!!! I LOVED speech class. I would get so giddy when I would get my grades back on speeches! My last speech was a persuasive speech and I chose the topic of breastfeeding. My instructor said it was one of the most persuasive speeches she had ever heard:)
Speak about something that you have a true passion for and you will do fine. Everyone else is just as nervous.
Tracy

MryRose · Feb 23, 2005

Please tell me you did not act this out for your speech! :rotfl:

At least nobody would have fallen asleep! hee hee hee hee:chuckle

hospitalstaph · Feb 24, 2005

Please tell me you did not act this out for your speech! :rotfl:

Oh my gosh no:) But I could have:)

I used a lot of facts from "Milk, Money, and Madness". Everyone was really quiet and serious, almost creepy! I was followed by a presentation on "How to make anal sex safer" This speech involved a banana and a volunteer from the audience. I am pretty sure that my speech was long forgotten after that:rotfl:

Tracy

elizabells, BSN, RN · Feb 24, 2005

My first pub speaking experience: Fifth grade, running for school president, I was by FAR the least popular kid (to the point of being actively hated) that school had ever seen, being the child of the only two hippies in a very white, very rich, very conservative town, and hey, they'd always told me how smart and creative I was, so I didn't prepare anything, and I just . . . stood . . . there. Couldn't open my mouth to save my life.

And you'd think that would make me massively phobic, but instead I got really involved in drama and have not had a problem since. Never get nervous or stage fright, except right before I go onstage, I think I have to go to the little girl's room, even if I don't at all. Go figure. :uhoh21:

MryRose · Feb 24, 2005

Oh my gosh no:) But I could have:)
I used a lot of facts from "Milk, Money, and Madness". Everyone was really quiet and serious, almost creepy! I was followed by a presentation on "How to make anal sex safer" This speech involved a banana and a volunteer from the audience. I am pretty sure that my speech was long forgotten after that:rotfl:
Tracy

Nooooooooooooooooooooooo!!?? :eek:

I'd hate to go on after that speech too!:rotfl:

Plagueis · Mar 24, 2005

I know what your mean!!!
I don't have a problem with talking with patients, been there, done that!
However, if I'm asked to do a presentation in front of a crowd....I'd be shaking!
I even took Speech 1301 online to avoid it, and video taped my presentations. I had minus 5 points on each one b/c I didn't even let my hubby, etc. watch me. I couldn't keep a straight face when he was in the room. LOL
Anyway, I still made an A in Speech. haha
Good luck!

I never thought it would be possible to take a speech class online. How did that work? (I hate public speaking, too.)

magz80 · Mar 24, 2005

Yeah, that's one class that I'm totally not looking forward to taking! Just thinking about having to take it makes my heart race! It's weird because I am a very social person. I always talk in class, enjoy meeting new people ect. But when it comes to having to stand up in front of people and talk about something...I turn to jello.

I would take that class online if I could but the whole thing about being video taped kinda freaks me out too. LOL...I could always make my boyfriend put on a wig and some lipstick and pretend to be me. How would they know?? Plus...he owes me!

Glimmer · Mar 25, 2005

guess i am one of the odd balls as well! :rotfl: i love public speaking and have ever since i was young. i took a year of it in high school and had the best public speaking teacher ever! i was one of the few students that enjoyed talking in front of the group but a majority of the students ended up in the class because it was at the right time and they really had no other choice... almost all hated public speaking.

this teacher made it a great deal of fun... in the beginning it was pretty much an open floor debate type setting that made all a little more comfortable with the group... as we progressed it got harder because the topic became more narrowed.

one of the things she warned us about was finding one face and talking strictly to them.. it ends up giving the impression of tunnel vision and an ignored audience... instead whenever we were to go up in front of the group we were to pick 3 people in the audience... one on either side of the room and then one in the middle... we were then supposed to use them if we lost our spot, got nervous, etc so that we made contact at different points of the presentation.

other things that helped... really i mean.. really knowing your subject matter! the more prepared you are the better off you will be (what my old debate coach used to tell us) and you can never be over prepared when it comes to certain subjects. try to use a visual aid in the presentation... it takes the focus off you as well as letting you focus on something else. charts work great because you can draw the attention to them as well as giving yourself a chance to look at something you are more comfortable with. becareful using notecards... don't write out the speech or even complete sentences... use them like an outline with just the key points on them. you are less likely to read from them so again you are forcing yourself to make eye contact and look up from your cards. if all else fails try to use a podium when talking... it can help to hide your movement... becareful not to lean on it or grasp the edges so hard your knuckles turn white. be free with your speech... don't be afraid to use hand gestures, etc when talking... it really does help you relax as well as get your group more involved (you are more interesting if you are not talking monotone hiding behind something).

just a few pointers :)

alnee