Speech week wrap-up

I hope you have learned a lot, my scholars, about various organizations around the world, thanks to the presentations you offered this week. I hope, too, that you think back over your experience in learning how to develop a speech and you realize a few key ideas.

1. Speech writing is not a one-time event, but a long-term process. Many of you began thinking about your speech topic the first day of class. Sometimes, your first choice was your best option… other times, students found that the third and fourth choices yield better results.
2. If you start early, you can generally organize your ideas more effectively. Those of you who used the research effectively for the proposal and developed ideas as you went along for your Annotated Source List probably found writing the speech a little easier. If you use those key ideas, summaries, and paraphrased concepts, you can more effectively prepare a solid outline from which to present.
3. You won’t die being in front of people. Yes, it’s scary and overwhelming at times. Watching that clock slowly tick by is tough and really concerning when you have practiced and always hit just over the minimum… but suddenly are two minutes shy of that minimum now. But we want you to excel! I cheer you on when I see you doing good (even if I have to keep a stone face during your presentation).
4. It really helps to pay attention to others. Every semester, one or two students come up after the speeches and reflecting on their new experience, ask me how I do this every day. I mean, people were looking bored or completely inattentive. And, as a teacher, do I get that all the time?

In short, yes, I do. And it really hurts me to see a student whose hard work across the semester is ignored by his or her peers. While I don’t expect every speech will sink into every mind the same, I do hope that you learned a little something. I hope, too, you appreciate how hard it is for your teachers, even in the subjects you hate.

That said, one VERY happy memory of this week: after class today, I had a group of students stand around and talk for a few minutes about one another’s presentations. Advice was shared, smiles were exchanged, and suddenly, it seemed, these scholars were starting to appreciate the necessity of a learning community, rather than the isolated experiences we often find.

Group Project Reminders

With your group project being due this Friday, March 4, by 11:55 p.m., I wanted to remind you a little bit about what you should be learning from the group project…

That said, I have had a few students tell me that they are having difficulty with particular members. That said:

I bring this up because several groups have contacted me about a lack of communication. Remember, this is a communication course! Your FIRST objective is always to find ways to improve your skills and effectiveness at communicating with one another. If you are spending no time communicating with your group, you probably are experiencing difficulty in completing the tasks associated with the assignment.

That said, there is STILL hope! (Yes, even 3 days away!)

Be sure that you have completed your components of the group project. Further, be certain that you have contacted group members when there’s a challenge you’re facing. Finally, ensure that you are carefully reviewing how your grade is earned. If you don’t take your own grade seriously, how can anyone else?

Once again, I am confident in your abilities to complete these assignments on time and effectively. Have faith!

The Power of Words: The TAKE-AWAY

I will share 3 posts on the idea of words and how they relate to our sense of identity & perception. Hopefully this series will help you better relate to the topics of chapter 3 (identity) and chapter 4 (perception).

So, in my previous two posts, on the GOOD in words, as well as the BAD, I spoke of the power of words to heal us, to make us proud, as well as language’s power to hurt, to divide, and to diminish.

In this series, what I want you to understand is one critical and cardinal rule of communication: you have the power to choose the words you use. In each interaction, you can choose to use language to help others, to make them feel good about themselves, to empower people. You can equally, though not necessarily as beneficially, choose words that tear others down, that make them feel less than, or to make them feel powerless.

You may not have the biggest vocabulary, but you can choose to change that, too. Learn the meaning of a new word every day for the next week. Add the word to your conversations that day, and incorporate it into your daily usage for the next week. Make it a habit. Eventually, you will find the power of those words.

Next, you can learn how cultures view particular words. There are reasons we avoid certain words on television and in movies. There are reasons we find some words offensive when used casually. Learn how some words may be viewed by someone with a different experience from your own. Understand why it’s important to learn that difference, so that we can be more culturally sensitive, but also so that we don’t place someone in a situation where they feel powerless.

Finally, you can choose how to best respond in a situation. Take a step back from being angry when possible, and respond with a little more empathy. Understand where others come from, their perspective.

Use your words, but choose them wisely.

The Power of Words: The BAD

I will share 3 previous posts on the idea of words and how they relate to our sense of identity & perception. Hopefully this series will help you better relate to the topics of chapter 3 (identity) and chapter 4 (perception).

This post is going to be slightly interactive: you will need some paper (or a note card), a pen, and an open mind. I’m going to start this post with a video clip from the 2004 movie Mean Girls.

Some of you may have seen this movie and hated it, while others consider it an essential to their movie collection. Regardless, pay close attention to Ms. Norbury’s words as the clip begins, specifically focusing on the idea of the power of insulting words. “When you call each other…, it makes it okay for guys to call you…”

Think about some of those words that we use to insult people around us, words that describe someone’s assertiveness, their drive, their affectional orientation (sexual orientation), their mental abilities, their family tree/lineage, their race… Write a few of those words on that card or paper you have. I’ll wait…

For some of you, that brief exercise was no problem. I mean, those words mean nothing to you, so whatever, right? For others, you may have struggled to write that word… that one you were told to never use. Or the one you were called by someone you loved. Or the one somebody called that person you love.

Let’s try a different approach: a few “cycles” ago, in the show America’s Next Top Model, each of the models vying for the show’s modeling contract was asked to think about a word they had been called that hurt them. They were then told to “wear” the word in their shoot. Here are a few of those models…

Some of those words may not seem too harsh for televised reality. On the other hand, we each know that words can just as readily be used to hurt us as to heal us.

In my next post, I’m going to share with you my much-anticipated “take-away” from this series on The Power of Words.

Preparation is KEY

I have a habit of asking one question nearly every class period we cover new material. After requesting that students close their eyes, I encourage them to raise their hands if they read the materials (chapter, article, text, etc.) in advance (before class).

After that, I ask which students (still by show of hands) used the SQ3R method we discussed. I may also ask for other preparation strategies, including highlighting or using chapter review questions. The point is, I like to see who came to class prepared.

Depending on the section, I have had up to about 2/3 of the class come in prepared to go. Of course, I have also had groups that less than 1/4 of students arrive prepared to discuss concepts. Why is this important?

Start with the basics: if you have ever had a conversation with someone who doesn’t know (or understand) the subject, it’s irritating and frustrating. Instead, we can invest our energy with people who DO know material. Conversations are more engaging, more energizing, and more fun with people who know the topic.

A lot of students believe that if they just listen to their peers, they can twist or turn their peers’ responses in a different way. That’s not thinking, though–it’s regurgitating. Be an individual: read the material yourself, think about it, and form an opinion. We can disagree with the interpretation of material, but we can also understand the concepts.

The other BIG reason we need to read in advance is that what we discuss may make more sense. I have been in meetings that I didn’t prepare effectively for, and I admit it: I struggled to keep up with my peers. When a particular term was brought up, or when a topic I didn’t know was discussed, I was LOST. Just reading and reviewing those concepts a little in advance can make all the difference in the world.

Try it before we get to the next chapter. See what you understand.

Welcome to the course!

For those of you who are just joining the class this semester, I heartily welcome you to the course! Let me mention a couple of things here that we might not get to in a face-to-face session.

First, I believe that learning, like communication, is an ongoing and dynamic process. Some days everything just “clicks,” while other days are molasses brains, slow and frustrating.

Second, I want to see every student do their absolute best. Some students and I hit it off immediately, and we can joke and smile easily while remaining productive. Other students don’t like my style of teaching or my explanations. Regardless, students who apply themselves and take the learning part seriously get more from the course than those who care about points.

One of my personal goals for this course is very simple… I don’t want you to simply be able to regurgitate something; I want you to understand it fully, to make it part of you. This class has the power to change everything about your life, from how you study and learn to how you relate to your family, friends, coworkers, bosses, and your romantic partners. But you have to WANT to learn this material.

I’ll try to post some information the next few days that will help you better plan ahead for this course.

Bonus opportunity next week

For those of you who check the blog, this is your “heads up” for the upcoming bonus opportunity next week.

Be working intently on your research this week for your group project. You need to have some great sources planned out and ready to consider. If you have already started reviewing sources and taking notes, you’re even closer to having this bonus project done.

Keep in mind that ONLY students who are present and include their signature and printed name on the bonus assignment will be eligible for the bonus points. All other students automatically forfeit points. That said, groups CAN work together to make the assignment load quicker and easier, as long as each student takes part of the load.

You may want to review *HINT, HINT, HINT* what we discussed about Annotated Bibliographies. That could be VERY key to some of these points.

If you aren’t concerned about bonus points, let it go and forget this post!

Chapter 1 Discussions

For those of you who were in class yesterday and today, the conversations have been really helpful for clarifying the development of the communication process. I have really enjoyed learning with you about how communication has evolved over the years–how our understanding of our interactions has grown and developed.

A quick reminder of the models that developed:

1. Linear model (sender, message, channel, receiver)
2. Interaction model (added context and feedback to linear model)
3. Transaction model (altered to sender/receivers, instead of one-focus only parties; morphed to constant interchange of message/feedback; added noise)
4. Synergistic model (recognizes field of experience plays an important role in our interactions and that meaning is created between people during interactions)

Remember that the synergistic model is the focus of your textbook and what we will base all of our discussions of human interaction on. Therefore, you need to fully understand the 7 parts of the communication process in the synergistic model to be able to function this semester!

New Reasons to Get & Stay Married

Be thinking about this material as you continue through the chapters and start thinking about our chapters focused on relationship development…

Tips for practicing your speech

As speeches draw ever-closer, here are a few tips for practicing effectively.

FIRST, be sure to actually practice. I know that seems basic, but you have no idea the number of students who told me they “practiced,” when they meant, “I went over it once before I came in.” Real practice requires us to review regularly, to constantly edit our material, and to attempt different ways to present the same information.

SECOND, it may help to record it. I tell students this during class all the time, but video recording a presentation is a great way to see what you ACTUALLY do, not just what you think you are doing. I also recommend reviewing the recording 3 times for 3 different purposes:

1. The first time is JUST audio. Listen to your words alone; can you follow your own message? Do you preview clearly? Articulate your key points accurately? Summarize and transition effectively? What about vocal pauses (filler words)?
2. The second time is JUST video (turn the sound off). Watch your movements carefully; does your body language convey confidence? Do you present yourself as a professional who knows their topic well? Do you seem inhibited?
3. The last time is EVERYTHING. Watch the overall effectiveness of your presentation. Do your words and movements match? Does everything seem reasonable? Do you meet requirements?

THIRD, practice with a scoring guide in hand. I tell students this every semester, and each time, it rings true! Students who practice with their scoring guide in front of them, who use it as a checklist, are FAR more likely to be successful presenters!

FOURTH, replicate the experience. Try to get some friends (or classmates) to meet up in an empty classroom at some point before speeches are due. Use podiums, etc., to help your body acclimate to the experience of being in the classroom. Talk to your instructor for times that you can use YOUR classroom, too! I love when students practice with the equipment they will be using, because it makes each presentation more effective!

FINALLY, get your instructor’s help! Nobody knows more than your instructor what he or she will be expecting from you. For that reason, you need to spend time with your instructor reviewing the assignment. Sit down and ask questions of them. Get their input on your thesis, your presentation aids, your topic, whatever concerns you! I even tell students that I will be happy to sit down and watch them practice, with a scoring guide in my hands, and give them a sample grade–a frame of reference from which to continue developing their skills!

I hope these tips help, since your speeches start in about ONE WEEK! Use these to help you prepare more effectively!