-
When You’re a New Instructor Speaking in Front of a Group
When I was young, I would become physically ill at the idea of speaking in front of a class at school. So when I began teaching group dog training classes, you can imagine I was very nervous about that. The one good thing is that I’d been studying under a veteran trainer and she provided a script for me to follow, something I literally memorized. Then it was just a matter of time and repetition before my nervousness slowly abated.
Later on in my career, I began speaking at workshops and conferences and my terror was HUGE at first! What helped was tons of timed rehearsals of my presentations in advance, in front of a mirror, until I felt confident that I knew the material cold and could deliver it within my allotted time. At least then I had a much better chance of remembering my talk even if I was nervous, and I had bulleted points on a Powerpoint presentation to keep me on track.
One thing I learned is that what you write down on paper as you’re designing your lessons may not translate to natural speech when you’re talking in front of a group. So, always read your material out loud. You’ll quickly find what phrases sound stilted when spoken out loud and can adjust for it.
If you have a circle of family or friends, rehearsing in front of people you know, trust, and feel safe around can be very helpful, too.
What ways have you found to hone your speaking skills in front of a group?
-
6 Replies
-
Oh, boy do I remember some of my “first times” public speaking! For me it has been many-layered. And with each experience, it does get a bit easier. But even the most skilled speakers admit that there’s a bit of “butterflies in the tummy” before speaking. It’s one of the top fears of most people.
It. Is. So. Vulnerable!
Checklists, “cheat sheet” and note cards to the rescue, I agree. And practice! Totally agree, so long as you know your practice audience to be supportive. Don’t open yourself up to criticism if the people in front of you will just find fault. In that case, video yourself and find your own points to praise.
We know R+ increases behavior, so be kind and rewarding to yourself!
-
Oh the DREADED yet incredibly useful advice to video yourself. Gollie, it’s painful to watch, but very educational.
-
For sure – and only R+ allowed is the key! Accentuate the positive and all that! lol Easier to say than do, for sure.
-
-
-
I have not yet had the pleasure of teaching group classes! I have taught a mini family class (1 dog per handler, 2-3 dogs and handlers, same lesson). I have also been an aquatics director 15 years ago, so I had to public speak all the time, whether it was a group of parents with their babies for infant swim, or teaching training classes to my staff (teenagers and young adults). For sure, it is nerve wracking!
I say this, because I’m also an opera singer…I get a very mild case of stage fright, compared to others.
What I do: in the teaching setting, I try to focus on one person at a time, while I speak. If you see the larger group, it can be unsettling. Remember, Watch and or Focus works for us humans, too!
In the stage setting, I was taught not to look directly at people in the audience (often I can’t see faces anyway, because of a dimmer house and the stage lights) …I pick a focal point slightly above the last row of heads. That way, it seems as if you are addressing them directly, but you don’t get freaked out by making direct eye contact with strangers.
I would think these could carry over into group lesson settings. But, only doing private lessons for 6 years, I’m not certain.
-
@bernerlabreclectus , you are a person of many talents!
Thanks for posting — I appreciate the tips you shared. ???? -
@bernerlabreclectus These are great tips for both small and large group speaking/singing!
I remember many, many years ago I had a puppy class partipant observe, “You’re always speaking to us, but looking at the puppies.” It’s TRUE – my eyes were constantly scanning the dogs…. on the one hand, it’s great to look at the dogs and be able to anticipate needs/adjustments. But over the years, I learned to ALSO look at each individual person and make sure they are as “tuned in” as possible.
I feel like teaching on Zoom is similar to teaching on a “big stage” in that you can’t always have that 1:1 check in – “Is what I’m saying landing?” “Do I need to go deeper there?” “Is anyone confused?” – so it’s harder in that way. But, if you really know your material (or song!) inside and out, it surely makes confident presentation a lot easier.
Side note: do you have any upcoming performances this year?
-
Log in to reply.