I got to briefly relive my summer today for about an hour. As part of getting credit for my internship at ASU, I had to talk to two FYE classes today, each for about half an hour. It was an interesting experience and a new one.
I have sat in my own Journalism classes when we have had guest speakers. But today I got to be on the other end of that-- I was the speaker. I saw the expressions on the students faces. I saw the emotion, or lack thereof. I was able to take questions if the students had any.
The presentations were about the internship I had this summer. Mine included how I got the internship, what I did, and what I learned from the internship. (Click here to see the first version of the PowerPoint that went with it.) It went a lot better than I expected. I didn't put much preparation into it. All I did was make the PowerPoint presentation and practice a real quick run-through in my room about a week ago. After all, with all of the presentations in Spanish, an English Presentation would be easy. And it was.
But, no matter how easy it is or what language it is in, it never goes as expected or intended. There were things that I said in one class that I didn't say in the other. There are things I wanted to say in both classes but I didn't. There were ways I wanted to begin that I didn't. But it all worked out anyway. It was a great opportunity. It was a lot different from an Oral Communications class.
I remember being extremely nervous in Oral Communications. Today wasn't that bad. I went in to the classes looking forward to it. I looked for the opportunity to put a little bit of public speaking behind me. Who knows how much I will have to do in the future. And being on the other side of speaking, I am able to see how all our guest speakers might feel, or even the instructors.
When we as students slouch down in our chairs and look bored, they can sense it. It doesn't help the professor and in turn it probably makes things worse for the students. I honestly wondered, especially in the second presentation, if anyone was even paying attention. It had been my intention to answer more questions in the second, because they had already listened to another presentation before mine. But only one person asked a question.
So, from the internship I learned just how important some of my classes are. Even though I didn't understand how much I needed some of the information, it turned out very valuable at the internship. And then, from presenting that information today, I learned a little bit more about what it is like for teachers and presenters. As students, we should give them all a little more respect. Ask questions (assuming it is that kind of class). Sit up. Use body language appropriate-- smile, nod... something to show we are paying attention and understand what is being said. It could all make a world of a difference.
I have sat in my own Journalism classes when we have had guest speakers. But today I got to be on the other end of that-- I was the speaker. I saw the expressions on the students faces. I saw the emotion, or lack thereof. I was able to take questions if the students had any.
The presentations were about the internship I had this summer. Mine included how I got the internship, what I did, and what I learned from the internship. (Click here to see the first version of the PowerPoint that went with it.) It went a lot better than I expected. I didn't put much preparation into it. All I did was make the PowerPoint presentation and practice a real quick run-through in my room about a week ago. After all, with all of the presentations in Spanish, an English Presentation would be easy. And it was.
But, no matter how easy it is or what language it is in, it never goes as expected or intended. There were things that I said in one class that I didn't say in the other. There are things I wanted to say in both classes but I didn't. There were ways I wanted to begin that I didn't. But it all worked out anyway. It was a great opportunity. It was a lot different from an Oral Communications class.
I remember being extremely nervous in Oral Communications. Today wasn't that bad. I went in to the classes looking forward to it. I looked for the opportunity to put a little bit of public speaking behind me. Who knows how much I will have to do in the future. And being on the other side of speaking, I am able to see how all our guest speakers might feel, or even the instructors.
When we as students slouch down in our chairs and look bored, they can sense it. It doesn't help the professor and in turn it probably makes things worse for the students. I honestly wondered, especially in the second presentation, if anyone was even paying attention. It had been my intention to answer more questions in the second, because they had already listened to another presentation before mine. But only one person asked a question.
So, from the internship I learned just how important some of my classes are. Even though I didn't understand how much I needed some of the information, it turned out very valuable at the internship. And then, from presenting that information today, I learned a little bit more about what it is like for teachers and presenters. As students, we should give them all a little more respect. Ask questions (assuming it is that kind of class). Sit up. Use body language appropriate-- smile, nod... something to show we are paying attention and understand what is being said. It could all make a world of a difference.
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