It’s Hard to Tell Sometimes

This past semester I have been teaching speech at my Technical College. I have taught this course a few times before, but this is my first time teaching at the technical college. While I felt entirely capable, I quickly realized that it would prove more difficult at this level because the students weren’t acclimated to presentations and structure in the same way a college-bound high school student would be.

As the semester developed, I wasn’t always seeing the growth that I was hoping for and even as we’re concluding I have been questioning my effectiveness. When I look at the rubrics, I’m not seeing the scores go up in the way I hoped.

On Monday I was reminded, once again, to stop looking at the almighty letter grade. And guessed who reminded me — two of my students.

We were chit-chatting about class and one student mentioned that she learned how to organize her thoughts and that the skills she learned in speech transferred over to her other classes. Another student added in stating that by the end of the semester she was able to tell which classmates have had speech class. Students have started to integrate the skills learned in speech into their other content classes.

Although I kept a poker-face, I was elated.

The growth doesn’t always show up in a rubric or a series of rubrics in one class. Some times I have to step back and look at even a bigger picture.

I wonder if I could have measured growth in a different way besides a rubric for each speech. Sure, I can measure the growth of the student student after completing assignments in my class, but how can I measure growth in speech communications when coupled with speaking assignments in other classes?

It’s hard to tell sometimes just how much a student grows when they are given chances to demonstrate their understanding in other classes.

I’ve got to think more about this…

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Edcamp Milwaukee

This weekend I’m attending my first Edcamp in Milwaukee. Actually, I’m volunteering to help with various parts of the day. Now that I’m swamped with a new job and fixing up the house, I’m a bit unplugged from social networking. That has caused me to really fall off the Twitter train and everything else edtech. I am looking forward to Saturday.

I’m hoping to network with other teachers once again. Thanks to social networking and edtech conferences I have really bloomed as an educator. Not only have I made connections across the nation, I’ve learned innovative ways for students to express their understanding.

Edtech Milwaukee is already full and expected to be a bustling of fun and learning. I can’t wait for Saturday morning!

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Reading Body Language

This reflection is after having read the first chunk of Janine Driver’s book “You Say More Than You Think.” I have also included material from the Devito textbook as it relates to Janine’s ideas.

Material I found interesting:

  1. Gaining a baseline is very important. If I’m trying to ascertain whether or not someone is truthful with me, I need to watch their behaviors to establish a norm for that person. If I’m looking at photographs, I would need to see several. I have to establish what normal behavior is for that person. People carry what Body Language experts call Micro-expressions. These are incredibly short snip its of behavior that reveal another layer of communication. Misinterpreting these micro-expressions can cause a faulty reading as a simple forehead wrinkle might not mean disgust, but rather a headache or an unrelated thought.
  2. Power gestures aren’t a quick fix, but can be powerful when used appropriately. There is no cool gesture solution chart for interviews, meetings, confrontations, and dates. What works in one situation, might not work even an hour later, especially if it’s done in isolation. Powerful gestures have to be incorporated into a total package that conveys rapport. Here’s a video of Janine Driver on NBC’s Today Show where she discusses the importance of the some power gestures you can use in daily life.
  3. Gestures must match the words. If someone is saying the word yes, but shaking their head no, what am I to believe? It depends on what their baseline is. It doesn’t always mean they’re lying, but with most baselines, people won’t contradict channels like that. If I have a student attempting to turn in late work say to me, “My outline is almost done,” but they have a small shoulder dip forward, can you guess what my next question is going to be? “Great! What are your main points?” The verbal communication said he or she had their work almost done, but the non-verbal said otherwise. If those two communication channels don’t match, I know to probe further.We usually expect non-verbal communication to accent or emphasize the words such as giving someone palms up when I want them to stand up. Sometimes non-verbal communication controls the conversation. For example, when my daughter interrupts me, I might put my hand up with the palm down to signify, “Hey, wait a second.” Non-verbals also replace verbal messages. For example, simply waiving a hand can signify “come here!”. The important fact to keep in mind is to watch the speaker long enough to understand their baseline well enough to know if the contradiction is just a quirk or a real red flag.
  4. Observe surroundings with greater detail. I think I have a decent ability to observe my surroundings; I’m a bit of a people watcher. I still have moments when I completely miss the obvious. For example, a few weeks ago I was unable to locate my son’s shoes. This happens a lot in our house because he takes them off wherever he feels like it and does not heed his mother’s request to put them in the closet. Because I was frustrated and running late, I continuously walked by his shoes in the dining room. My eyes were just whisking right over the very object I was seeking.I developed the interested in looking at detail as a kid, in part, because I loved art. I also just was a reflective person. About eight years ago I remember looking at my cat Snuggles watching her movements and really just looking at her facial detail. I distinctly recall thinking that I have had this cat for years and I never really REALLY noticed her. Look at this video of just how unobservant people can be. Why don’t they notice the switch? Are we really that blind?!
  5. Spatial distances also signify the relationship between the parties. Intimate relationships are 0 – 18 inches a part. Personal relationships are 1 .5 – 4 feet apart. Social relationships are 4 – 12 feet apart. Public relationships are 12 – 25+ feet apart. Try testing this one with a good-natured friend to see their reaction. A few years ago, I sat casually sat unusually close to a co-worker that I knew would have fun with the test. Even though we were friends, I sat on a couch with my leg partially on hers about an inch — just enough to be weird, yet not dramatic. While I looked straight ahead at another person, I could feel her head turn and look down. She blurted out, “Gee, you’re friendly today!” Our personal distance was supposed to be that of a personal relationship, not an intimate one.

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My First Experience Using Clickers

I have this great Oral Interpersonal class. They’re fun, smart, and roll with the punches. When I first saw the roster I was disappointed to have such a large class and I was worried that they wouldn’t take part in all the class discussion, but I was wrong. They are so delightful!

My husband has access to a set of Turning Point clickers, so I asked if I could borrow them. I installed the software on my personal laptop and started making questions. Finally 22 questions later, I felt I had enough to use this as a formative assessment tool. I’ve always wanted to try clickers and this group seemed like the perfect test group.

Before I passed out the clickers, I gave students an hour to work on a review sheet, which they quietly worked on. After the hour passed, I passed out the assigned clickers. The students were interested and seemed to enjoy the process, but I realized I have some improvements to make regarding formative assessment.

  1. I need to not coach students in between questions. After the students answered a question, I wanted to talk about the results, but when I did that I often spilled the beans for the next question. Because I made my questions piggy back off another, I needed to be aware of what I was saying. I like processing questions as we go as a means of discussion, but in this case it spoils the accuracy of the assessment.
  2. My questions were not challenging enough. I had a layering of questions that toggled between remembering and applying on the Bloom’s taxonomy scale. Since it was a multiple choice quiz, I felt like I was locked to that type of questioning. I realize now that I could have used a scale where students had to verbally justify their answer. I will need to work at devising ways to create clicker questions that still reach the higher levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy, if that’s even appropriate. My style of formative assessment has not been quizzes or tests for years now.

I found a few aspects of the experiement very interesting:

  1. The competitive students became very focused on making sure the clicker worked properly. They pointed and pushed their selected answers about a dozen times just to be sure. One student’s clicker had a dead battery. When he realized he couldn’t play, he became disengaged.
  2. Even though I told them this was for points, some still didn’t participate. I had at least one student not bother to answer every question. Students that attempt to multitask in a classroom can not successfully listen to their iPod, update their status, and participate in the clicker exercise.
  3. This exercise clearly pointed out some areas that I needed to recap or it spoke volumes about my students’ williness to read the chapters in the first place. There were a few terms that the majority answered incorrectly.

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Supporting Materials in a Presentation

THE BENEFITS

  1. Supporting materials illustrate your ideas. You can paint a picture and develop the point in great detail so listeners can get a clear picture.
  2. Supporting materials clarify your ideas. Supporting materials can help the listener make sense of your ideas. The listener might not immediately comprehend what you’re conveying so giving them additional support will be important.
  3. Supporting materials make your speech more lively. You will feel a sense of energy when you pick supporting material that arouses interest, surprises, or generate an emotional reaction from your listeners. They will feel compelled to listen further.
  4. Supporting materials help listeners remember. Time flies during a speech, so it’s easy to miss information especially if it’s just briefly mentioned. By giving supporting material your listeners will have a chance to wedge this information into their minds.
  5. Supporting material will help you prove your point. If the supporting material is solid it adds to your credibility and makes your claim strong.

THE TYPES

  1. Definition: We don’t all share the same definitions for words so it is important to clarify. Additionally, you should consider defining your position clearly because we interpret words differently and your stance might be incorrectly construed.
  2. Vivid Image: By using specific details you can help your listeners understand your point. For example, in college I was giving a speech about speaking up against suspected child abuse. For my introduction I got their attention by painting an image of a young child with horrible signs of abuse on her body and no one spoke up for her. I careful worded the story, so the class could picture her and, as a result, created interest.
  3. Example: This is simply a specific statement that backs up your general point. For example, when I gave that speech on the dangers of pesticides on fruit, I remember giving examples of the different pesticides on the fruit I brought to class.
  4. Narrative: A narrative is a lot like a vivid image, but longer. Narratives are little stories that reinforce your key ideas. Actually, I could make the case that my child abuse material would also qualify as a narrative because I did recount the instances of repeated abuse that resulted in her unfortunate death. Keep in mind, you can also have narratives that are hypothetical — imaginary, but possible. How’s that for supporting materials? You get to make stuff up! Ha!
  5. Compare & Contrast: Some times it works well to make a comparison to things we already know. For example, many moons ago my students were presenting on their family heritage. Often students would learn about their ancestry culture and compare that to what we do today. If you were using contrast, you would simply compare how two things are different. For example, if I were giving a speech about the origination of Mineral Point, I might talk about mining sites back in the 1800′s, but I would most certainly show what they look like today.
  6. Analogy: An analogy is to explain an idea by linking it to something else. For example, if I were giving a speech on regular doctor checkups, maybe I would make an analogy to computer maintenance. I have a set schedule of maintaining the health of my computer and that keeps the machine running smoothly. The same could be said for my health.
  7. Testimony: Your listeners are more likely to believe your statements if you use quotes (testimony) from authorities on your topic. For example, if I’m giving a speech about the importance of random acts of kindness, I might find testimony from Oprah Winfrey on the matter because she is an expert in that art. You can use testimony word for word, in a paraphrase, or in a summary. The difference between a paraphrase and a summary is simply that a summary is where you read a larger chunk of text and summarize it. A paraphrase is where you read a shorter chunk and put it into your own words. If I read Obama’s Inaugural Address and attempt to summarize the whole meaning in one paragraph, that’s certainly a summary. If I attempt to summarize each paragraph, that’s an attempt at paraphrasing.
  8. Statistics: Sure, we all know what statistics are (a numerical way to express information), but but cautious. Always know who said the statistic and be sure to cite that verbally in your speech. You have to cite all your supporting materials and most lend themselves naturally, but students often forget to verbally say who crunched these statistics. Don’t be afraid to verify your statistic. Fox News is notorious for bending the truth, yet they’re still considered a news source. Verifying statistics can help you protect yourself against using unreliable statistics. Also be sure your statistic correlates with what your actually trying to prove. For example, I have notorious eye sight. I could probably find a statistic that proves poor nutrition during infancy leads to degenerative eye problems. Sure, I could use it, but would it be a slam-dunk choice to claim that my poor eye sight is the result of my diet as an infant? This reminds me of the current Directv commercials.

    9. Be sure to use your statistics only when you need them. If you continue rattling them off, your listeners tune you out and only remember the first or last thing you said. Also, if the number is long, just round off. Your listeners don’t need to know precisely how many abandoned animals there are in the United States. Just saying and over or under rounded number is much more effective. Lastly, tailor your statistics to your class. If I were giving a speech on the benefits of walking each day and I knew the recommendation was to walk “x” number of miles per week, I might be able to figure out how many blocks in Fennimore that would be and wouldn’t it be ever more cool if I gave my audience a walking map from SWTC into town and back?

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Oh How Times Have Changed

About nine years ago, maybe even longer ago, I joined a listserv on Eric Crump’s Interversity. The group consisted of dozens of dedicated English teachers. It was there I got my first taste of digital networking. Even at the time, I knew I was a part of something special. As far as I knew, no one around me was partaking in something like that. I soaked up the discussions rich with professionalism and innovation.

Two years into my joining, I noticed a few of them started talking about Constructivism and webfolios. I was intrigued and started soaking up everything Dawn and Ted were saying. Eventually I had my students creating webfolios and this was years before blogging and wikis. Those tools hadn’t been created yet. My school had a site license for Dreamweaver, so that’s what we used. If you’ve ever used it, you can imagine what a feat it was to use that tool in an English classroom that already has tons of content to cover.

Despite the hurdle, my students were pioneers in the art of digital creation and they were good at it. The webfolios contained their work, but it was so much more than just a place to house efforts. It was an artistic reflection of who they were.

Years have passed. Web 2.0 has arrived and now old hat. After some moving and exploration, I’m back in the classroom, but at a higher educational institution teaching written communications for the business world.

My Written Communication students this semester have demonstrated technology skills that have made them the perfect candidates to resurrect the webfolio concept, but with a twist. In the past, the webfolio was an informal creation. This time around, I wanted their creations to be professional — more like a digital portfolio they could use in the job market.

I decided to use Googlesites. Back in the day, it would take at least a week on and off in between other classroom activities to build the shells of the webfolios. I had them create google accounts (some already had one), make a site, fill out the description, change the security settings, share editing with me, build pages, change the theme, and set the footer. Even with me babbling directions, they were completely done with the shells in one hour.

I was stunned not only at their speed, but also in their ease. Sure, I answered questions, but they were rare and very easy. Back in the Dreamweaver days, I would be exhausted after an hour.

This particular class made for a great test group because almost all of them use their moble devices for more than just phone calls and they handled an earlier technology assignment with fantastic ease. I knew this would be a success, but I didn’t think it would be that easy. While I was showering them with comments, I’m sure they were thinking, “yeah, what’s the big deal?”

Oh how times have changed!

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International Festival 2012

This spring I landed the lucky opportunity to attend Madison’s International Festival at the Overture for the Arts as part of a field trip sponsored by SWTC’s C.L.A.S.S club. Being that I have not really been exposed to different cultures like I want, I knew that this opportunity would be a benefit to me. I decided to take my 6-year-old daughter, Jenna, with me as a way for her to experience other cultures too.

The only difficult part of the trip was the bus ride and that’s only because I get motion sickness easily. Other than that, the day was splendid.

You can see from the photos that Jenna and I had a great time. She was able to purchase a bracelet from Ecuador, a necklace from Ghana, and a bookmark with her name written in Chinese. We had a real Italian meatball sub that made Subway look pathetic. The dancers and musicians were amazing.

Here are some video clips I took of the various musicians we were able to enjoy:

Fiddler

Brazilian Percussion

Mexican Root Music

This festival changed several perceptions I had about various cultures. It’s not that I viewed these cultures in a bad light. I just didn’t have a view of them at all. For example, last week if someone had asked me to verbalize what I knew about Old World Lithuanian dancing, I would have envisioned people in tattered clothing clogging in a bar. How lame is that?! When I taught The Jungle ages ago, I remember seeing a short video clip of Jurgis and Ona dancing at their wedding. For some reason that image is all I ever gathered. On Saturday I was able to watch real dancers on stage and my perception was able to take actual shape.

The trip was worth three times what I paid, so I know that I’m fortunate to go for almost nothing (by the time I factored in all the free snacks I ate). I hear Platteville takes a trip to Chinatown, which I’ll have to pursue. It’s nice to know that even though I live in a rural area and lack cultural experience, I can travel to other parts of the mid-west to learn about culture unlike my own.

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What have you done to change your perception of your world?

We all perceive things and people differently based on our own experiences, culture, gender, et cetera – all of the influences that make us individuals. Education is what allows us to perceive differently – we’re able to look at life through different lenses. I don’t necessarily mean education as in the 8-3 school building type of learning. I mean some of us have had opportunities to grow and experience other things, see different ways of life, and grow with an open mind.

 

So I have three questions for you:

  1. As you’ve aged, how have you developed your perception?
  2. What experiences have you had that have changed your way of looking at things?
  3. What suggestions would you give a young person for developing an open and rich mind?

 

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Making it Worth Their Time

Tuesday was a drag of a day for me. My afternoon class was so quiet. I get why. Not everyone thinks business writing is interesting. This particular Tuesday I was feeling low on gas myself and the students weren’t very receptive. As a teacher, if I’m feeling depleted, it’s hard to engage a passive class. On this particular day I had one more activity to do, but I could just tell it was going to be like crickets chirping in the woods. You know, dead silence, like in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. That history teacher, “Anyone….Anyone….” I ended up passing on the activity and letting the class out early. I went home disappointed in my class, but more in myself.

So that same day I rolled up my sleeves and  started to think of ways I could engage this particular class. Some classes I’ve had this past semester have preferred paper and pen assignments. Some students just want to verbally discuss. Others revolt against technology. I really pondered about this group.  Several walk in with mobile devices and I noticed last week that while online they seemed very much at ease. Since talking isn’t their thing (so far anyway), I decided that maybe I could have them learn using their strong suit, which seemed to be technology. I decided to have them get into small groups and randomly select what would have been a point of discussion. They had to explain that concept, complete with examples using http://www.screenr.com as a vodcast tool. I gave them the format for an informal vodcast, tips for success, and the grading rubric. I was hoping this would be the agent of change I needed.

The next session came. They came in. Sat down and stared at me. I took a deep breath and explained the lesson with ethusiasm. I showed them how easy it was to create a vodcast. And off they went.

Observing them was so interesting. They got to work right away on processing what their concept meant. Almost all of the groups went through a moment where they group-processed their concept. They talked to each other, looked up suggestions in the textbook, googled other resources, and asked me for clarification. Every student in the class was active. Students that were lax before, seemed to take a leadership role. The groups all went through a really interesting process and after an about an hour, most were ready to create their vodcast.

Sure, I could have slammed through all the concepts myself, in a two hour lecture. What would they have retained? Would I have lasted two hours? Doubt it.

At the end of the two hours less than half of the class had finished the vodcast, but everyone had their script and were ready to go. Today was fantastic. Okay, maybe they wouldn’t see it that way, but for me it was a huge step in the right direction.

One student stayed after class to ask me a question. She was in my class last semester, which had an entirely different chemistry than this one. Last semester, the class we had together was super friendly, talkative, and I fed off their energy. She probably signed up for my class expecting it to be just like the other class — fun. Her question caught me by surprise. She wanted to know if I was always going to be letting the class out early on Tuesdays. Of course, I said no and explained why it occurred this week. She added that she wanted to be sure it would be worth her time to drive here. When you first read that you might scoff, but seriously, they pay tuition. It does need to be worth her time. It takes her at least 45 minutes to get from her door to my room, so that’s 90 minutes round trip. Class on Tuesdays is supposed to be 50 minutes and on that solemn Tuesday it was 35 minutes. I had a heart-to-heart with her and disclosed why class ended early. She brought up switching rooms since the classroom we are in has a giant counter blocking me from the students. I never thought about that, but I have always disliked teaching in that room. I just never thought about the layout of the room impacting my energy. Is that what fungshui is? I promised her that I would make adjustments and come to class with a renewed sense of perseverance and hopefully I can figure out what works with this group.

Even when I’m not feeling well or the class is dejected, I still have to maintain a sense of stamina. I should have made a modification of some sort back on Tuesday. I have been teaching long enough to do that and some times my modifications are more enjoyable than what I had planned.

As a teacher do you ever find yourself slip now and again? I’m finding it challenging when I either don’t get enough sleep (which was a problem on Tuesday) or I have a class that appears apathetic.

After I made a modification, they were alert and even if they weren’t enthralled, they were certainly more engaged than Tuesday. Engagement really makes a difference for both the student and the teacher. I’m finding with this group that when they are sunk in their chairs, I have to roll up my sleeves and work even harder.

As a high school teacher I don’t know that I had even one class that fit that description. For some reason I had the students that couldn’t sit down or and were distracted by anything that moved. Rarely did they ever just sit there staring at me. Actually, I probably sighed in relief when they did. So this group is new to me.

I feel like I learned a great deal this week. Hm, you’d think after 11 years that I’d have this all down perfect.

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Skyping with Stofflet :-)

Today my speech class had the privilege of Skyping with John Stofflet, anchor at NBC 15, Madison. I thought he would be an example of someone that has worked to conquer the fear of public speaking and I was right! John had many wise tips to share with us on how we can become better public speakers. The following list is what I took away from his presentation today.

  1. Look the part. One of the students asked if he is dressed professionally from head to toe. John replied that usually they are and he added that if a speaker wants to convey a certain image, being dressed appropriately helps fuel that role.
  2. Practice the speech again and again. Become so familiar that it feels more like a conversation and less like a presentation.
  3. Don’t focus on mistakes. Most people can not see the mistake and even if they do, it is not the horrific ordeal your mind creates.
  4. Avoid writing out full sentences. If you write out everything word-for-word, you’re more likely to read it, which will sound dreadfully boring.
  5. Use visual aids to your advantage. Visual aids should drive home whatever your verbal message is. I have to add in some commentary here. Often new speakers will put so much text on their visual aid they rely on it. Their eye contact deteriorates significantly. The visual aid should only support what your verbal message, not replace it.
  6. Allow your visual aid to relieve your butterflies. An effective visual aid can make a speaker feel like he or she is merely talking with the audience because the focus is on the visual, not the speaker.
  7. Practice the speech aloud. Hearing the presentation can allow a speaker to pick up on all of those quirky verbal mannerisms. As painful as this sounds, taping the speech is even more effective.
  8. Time the speech. The more the presentation is rehearse, the more comfortable the speaker will become. Likewise, the speaker needs to be aware of how the time spent will change. The time spent on the first run-through will not be the same as the last.
  9. The Audience is usually sympathetic. Understand that they do not want to witness failure. Not only are they sympathetic, but they, generally speaking, want to like the speaker.
  10. Use bullet points. Rather than write everything out, a speaker should consider short bullet points and then rehearse the speech well enough to be able to fluently expand on those bullets.
  11. Research the audience. A speaker needs to understand the background of their audience. After researching the audience, the speaker might develop an interesting angle specifically tailored to the audience.
  12. Embrace fear. The adrenaline can inspire and push a speaker into giving a genuine presentation that the audience will enjoy.

And there you have it! These are great tips from a professional public speaker. Even as an instructor, hearing these tips from a proven professional add validity to the tips my students have been getting this semester. I hope they looked to Mr. Stofflet for inspiration and guidance as they prepare their upcoming presentations!

Find John on Facebook and Twitter.

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