Speak Speak Speak

     After reading this article I found myself relating to many of the symptoms described by Paul Martin Lester, author of Learning to Live with Public Speaking Anxiety. My particular connection to Lester's article was within his description of his worries about whether or not his comments were profound enough for the class or even worth the bother. I find that I give myself similar internal dialogue during a class discussion. I often engage myself on a comment I would like to contribute, spending precious time editing or doubting what I would like to say. I then forget to actually engage the conversation and find that by the time I have mustered up the confidence to speak, my comment is no longer relevant. 

This is my major flaw to class conversation. Not that I do not have any contributions or that I am not smart enough to keep up with the class, but rather I tend to demean the worth of my opinion to the point where I no longer believe it to have a place in the conversation. However, I find that I become more free with my opinion when I have positive reinforcement. When others understand me and can build off my arguments I find that I am more confident in speaking openly. It helps knowing I'm contribution helpful or insightful opinions.

    At college I find I am frequently challenged to speak to the class. I am discovering that I am being placed in discussion based circumstances, more so this semester than last. My Voice and Speech class in particular is very focused on oral presentation. Our midterm exam is to present a research project in a lecture format to the class. We are graded on posture, voice placement, and articulation. Aside from Voice and Speech, many of my other classes also demand public speaking. Being able to speak publicly is critical to performance. College at The University of the Arts has assisted me tremendously i being able to address crowds, this experience was something I never got much practice in at high school.

   Lester himself states the issue with anxiety in public-speaking is that "there are too many people in the academe who suffer from this condition and don't get help, and too few professors who know how to help someone overcome it." I believe this anxiety can be neutralized much earlier in one's life. In my opinion, high schools could strive for more interactive environments. Environments that encourage out-of-the-box thought and oral presentation. Compared to the class interaction I experienced in high school and the class interaction I have now in college, high school might as well be a silent auction (except with less raised hands). It simply shocks me to here that even colleges fail to push students to contribute to conversations and that teachers cannot communicate to students well enough to assist.

    Perhaps it is the artistic environment that makes the difference. I know that within the acting department at UARTs, most of an individuals growth is based upon your own investment in your craft as well as personal discovery. Neither of which can be easily achieved without consistent communication with your instructors. The only way a teacher here can help their students is for the student to be able to organize their thoughts and feelings, articulate them into understandable assertions, and be able to build off suggestions.

    On a separate note, Lester also makes a comment about stress and its effects on your ability to speak publicly. Blanca Gonzalez, a teacher and academic advisor at The University of the Arts, gave a lecture to our class about the benefits of time management. One of the benefits was time management's reduction of stress levels. Perhaps one way to better your ability to speak confidently in front of crowds or to contribute to class discussions would be to prioritize your life.The stress lifted from your shoulders after managing your time may just improve your public-speaking abilities.

 

-Arlen