Start, Stop, Continue: Genre Speech

START:

• First and foremost, I need to start being more confident
• I almost start to go into full panic mode when I get up in front of the class. Every part of my body is telling me not to do this. I don’t know where this fear comes from, because when I just think about it, emotions aside, I don’t even understand what is so scary. It’s just a class of my peers who are all going through the same thing as I am. I can’t seem to put my finger on why public speaking shatters my high level of self-confidence that I have worked so hard these last few years to achieve. All I can think is that it is just an irrational fear of mine that I need to face head on so that it no longer controls me.
• The audio could be terrible on my phone, or the more likely scenario is that I need to start speaking louder and enunciate my words.
• This shouldn’t be a problem for me because Iam commonly asked to “quiet down” or “take it down a notch” due to my booming voice, but this does not come through in my speeches. I felt as though I was reminding myself to speak loud so everyone could hear me during my speech, but I think the nerves got the best of me. I tend to second guess my natural self when I feel under pressure, nervous, or anxious. I just need to be more mindful of my volume. Also, I need to not run through my words so fast. This is also do to nerves. I need to take my time and enunciate my words.
• It would be better if I were to scan the room for better eye contact.
• It is not as though I don’t look around, but I notice I really only hit a couple people with my direct line of vision. I don’t even notice this while I am up at the front of the classroom presenting. Something to remember when presenting would be to constantly be scanning the room for eyes, rather than a few locations. This would appear more inclusive to my audience and appear more friendly and professional.
• I noticed that I do not move around very much. It would be better if I used a little more space when presenting.
• Staying stagnant in one place shows insecurity, and doesn’t demand as much presence or attention from the audience. To move around shows comfort. When the presenter is comfortable, the audience is more likely to listen to what they are presenting rather than picking out quirks about the presenter.

STOP:

• I caught myself saying “um” and “uh”
• instead, pause until the thoughts have been gathered and then start talking again, leaving out the “um”s and “uh”s.
• STOP clicking my tongue.
• I click my tongue instead of sighing, and it shows as a lack of confidence.
• This, to me, sounds like I'm disappointed in myself. This is not the kind of message one should be conveying to the audience.
• I often find myself putting my hands together: Rubbing my hands together, holding them together in front of me, and always returning my hands after gestures back to that comfort zone.
• This is a coping mechanism to feel more comfortable because I am so uncomfortable and nervous, I am doing anything I can to distract me from the sheer terror I am experiencing.
• I noticed on my elevator pitch I would grab my forearm instead of my hands like I was doing in this speech. I think this is another coping mechanism for myself. Touch seems to comfort me.
• Looking at the screen
• again, for comfort. I knew the material, but I referenced the slides too much, and it actually messed me up
• Improvising       
• I noticed that I did not stick to what I had written and previously practiced. I think this was just because of the nervousness, and I wanted it to sound natural and     not scripted. This lead to more “uh”s and “um”s and “likes” which made my speech very unprofessional. The tactic of improvising-a-little, blew up in my face and did the exact opposite of my intention. I came off unprepared and more nervous than if I had just kept my script the way I had practiced.   

CONTINUE:

• One thing I found that I liked was when I introduced myself
• I could see my stress level peak right before I began to speak. After I introduce myself confidently, I seem a bit more at ease. I don’t know why this is, but I think it is an important aspect that I need to keep in my speeches.
• I’m happy every time that I get up there and don’t completely freak out.
• When I stand up there to present, I feel like I am going to have a full on meltdown. It feels like the makings of a panic attack, but instead of letting it take control and freak me out, I power through and attack it head on.

STUDENT MOVES:

• LaQuey had this move where he summarized what his speech was about and delivered this summery before and after the body of his speech. This came off as very professional and clean. The audience knew what LaQuey was going to present, and once all the information was presented, he reminded the audience of what his speech was about. This tactic really drove home his key points, because after clearly stating them like that, there was no way the audience didn't pick up on those points.
• Daisy had a great move which was mirroring the energy that she had emphasized in her speech. Not only did she describe what a tour guide is, and how their energy is important, she showed us. This made the speech seem more real and relatable. The audience walked away with more than just information on campus tours; We left with an impression of what a college campus tour actually would feel like. Feelings are harder to convey, and I think Daisy did a very good job of conveying the campus tour experience.