Lillian Magda
9/10/25
Public Speaking
Professor Miller
Journal 5
This week I decided to interview my biology lecture/lab teacher, professor Dan. I chose him as someone to ask about public speaking because I think he is a good public speaker. This is because I think he does a great job at making the environment around feel open and able to ask questions. He also gives very kind and happy presents, as he smiles a lot and keeps the energy positive in the environment. He also has a way of keeping things simple to understand and a very engaging class.
Firstly, I asked what he views as the challenging part for public speaking? His response was about the overall anxiety that we build up before and feel that lasts with us. Getting over this initial spike of anxiety is the hardest part for everyone. The start always feels like fear, you just have to keep going. He shared with me how it was hard to start public speaking in the beginning as well and even shared how he still gets a little nervous at the beginning of the year as he doesn’t know how his class will be.
Secondly, I asked what are some tips or advice to become a better public speaker? His response was just practice. All we can do to get better at public speaking is repetition and just keep doing it. There are some things to help you to feel better such as rereading out loud because in your head it does not help fully. This also leads to how you should know your material and know what you are talking about rather than having no prior knowledge. Something that has helped is thinking about the worst case senior. Such as fainting or throwing up, and at the end of the day thinking about how that is actually kind of funny. Not thinking of it as that serious. He also says how once you start you feel nervous but once you keep going and after a minute or 2 it actually becomes easier and more comfortable and feels as if the anxious feeling has gone away.
Overall, SPeaking to Professor Dan, the big take away I learned from him is even though to me I see him as someone that is a great public speaker, he too also gets anxious feelings because we are all human. We all start out with that anxious and sick feeling but we get better at it by just doing it. One thing I learned that I am going to try doing to help is before really just thinking about what the worst possible thing could happen and how it is actually funny and may be embarrassing but a funny story.
I spoke with Professor Walls, who is my intro to writing teacher. The first thing I asked him was “What do you view as the most challenging part of public speaking?”. He believes that the most challenging part of public speaking is thinking while speaking, and that people might just not be interested in what you are saying. That the people you’re speaking to are looking at you but aren’t really listening, or are not interested in what you are saying. Sometimes the people will be looking at their phones or fiddling with something. That they’re trying to be polite but just are not listening. He also said he’s afraid of boring the people he is speaking to.
The next question I asked him was “what tips or advice do they have for trying to become a better public speaker”. He stated that he thinks that being confident in what you’re saying and believing in it so much that even if you think you’re boring people. That you just believe it is the people you’re speaking to’s loss and not your loss that they’re not listening.
I think the key takeaways from what he said were to always be confident in what you’re saying and not to worry about whether people are listening or not.
Abigail Chapman
Prof. Miller
SPC-100-A
10 September 2025
I chose to speak to my sociology professor for this journal because I already had to schedule mandatory office hours, so it was the perfect opportunity. During our conversation she mentioned that the most challenging part of speaking publicly for her is managing her nervousness and staying engaged with her audience. She explains that even experienced speakers can feel anxious, but she emphasized the importance of channeling that energy into enthusiasm rather than nervousness. My professor also pointed out that keeping your audience’s attention requires being aware of their reactions and basing your next words on said reactions.
My professor advised that for anyone looking to improve their public speaking skills, practicing regularly and preparing throughout is the best way to build confidence. SHe suggested starting with smaller, more low-pressure situations and gradually working up to a larger audience. She also highlighted the value of focusing on giving a clear sniped message rather than trying to impress your audience with complicated language. Lastly she recommended recording practice sessions to observe yourself and the way you look during your speech. This will help you give yourself immediate feedback and improvement.
Speak with one of your professors. Ask them politely if you could speak with them briefly about their public speaking experiences.
What do they view as the most challenging part of public speaking?
I interviewed Dr. Parmelee, and he said because public speaking is his job as a teacher and he speaks to an audience basically every day, he does not really get nervous anymore. He said that as a teacher it is harder when the audience is not engaged in what he is saying, and when they are distracted on their phones or talking to each other. When nobody is paying attention, his words feel pointless and that makes it harder for him to speak.
What tips or advice do they have for someone working to become a better public speaker?
Dr. Parmelee said that when public speaking it is better to relax and be yourself. You do not have to be super professional and act differently when speaking because that can make you more nervous. Making a good impression is important, but there is a point where you can chill and relax without being unprofessional. He also said that he finds public speaking easier when he gets to the point and does not spend a ton of time rambling and getting off topic. When you get off topic you can bore your audience and lose their attention.
Evelynn Conety
Journal #5
For this journal entry, I spoke with my First Year Seminar teacher, Mr. Byrd, about his struggles and accomplishments with public speaking.
He told me that the most challenging part about public speaking is the anxiety he feels beforehand and the “build up” to speaking. He said, however, that “once you’re there, you’re there – and you do it”, showing that he ends up getting through it in the end.
When I asked him about his tips for public speaking, he said – similar to what you’ve been telling us – that practice is key; “practice in small groups, with friends, or in the bathroom in front of the mirror, it’ll give you confidence. Once you do it then, you can speak in front of a larger group.” All in all, his main piece of advice for people who are going to be speaking publicly is to practice, also stating that public speaking is “no different than practicing an instrument”.
In Mr. Byrd’s experience, he has learned that practice has helped him with his public speaking skills, relating to the famously true saying, “practice makes perfect”. Practicing before speaking publicly can drastically improve your performance, making it noticeable to the audience that you took the time to rehearse.
For this journal I decided to ask my professor, Tim Viall, how he felt about his public speaking skills. Tim has been my IHS teacher for two semesters now, teaching my IHS 310 and 130 classes. Tim, who is also a UNE football coach, has to be comfortable speaking publicly and making appropriate calls. When I asked him the question, what does he view to be the hardest part of public speaking? He had to for a moment because he said the amount, he does it, he doesn’t feel bothered by it. He felt as if it was routine. Although he said if he did face any challenge, which was more so in college. He expressed being unprepared. If he wasn’t ready for the speech, that’s what made it more nerve-wracking for him. When I asked for advice, he said to practice, practice, practice. Public speaking is a skill that is built over time. He said that when doing presentations using pictures or videos to keep the class engaged, it made it easier for him to concentrate. It gave him some time to get back on track and to solidify his lectures. I would consider Tim to be a very confident speaker; he knows how to get the class involved and create discussions.
Interviewee: Professor Nicole McCray
Question 1: “For me, maintaining the audience’s interest is the most challenging. For myself, it’s hard to do public speaking if I don’t feel as though I’m having a conversation with someone else. I don’t like the feeling of talking to people and feeling like I’m getting nothing back.” Paraphrase: It can also be hard to cover topics that are just boring and not being able to do anything about it.
Question 2: “If you can find a way to connect with your audience, it will make it easier. Maybe with a small story or walking in and casually saying ‘Oh my gosh it’s so hot in here’ but starting little conversations or starting with a story. I think you’re more comfortable when you know your audience and for me, I have an advantage as a professor knowing you by the end of the semester and it becomes a casual conversation rather than a lecture.”
For this journal, I spoke with my Biology Professor Daniel Johnson. I asked to interview him because his class is lecture based, therefore, he has prior experience of public speaking. I asked him, “What do you view as the most challenging part of public speaking?”. He responded with, “Getting over the initial fear. Everything that leads up to the moment is terrifying. You’re filled with anxious energy. But once you get over that hump, you start talking and getting the flow of things; you think, what were you so worried about?”
For the second prompted question, “What tips or advice would you give to someone who is trying to become a better public speaker?” Professor Johnson responded with, “Practice. To reduce your nervous energy you just have to practice. Once you practice you realize it was not a big deal. Think to yourself what the worst possible outcome is? You don’t die. Nobody hurts you. No one is taking things from you. It is all in your own head. So the best thing you can do is remember that it is not the end of the world, you just have to talk.”
I interviewed my chemistry teacher, Doctor Lanning about his experiences with public speaking. Dr Lanning informed me about his past experience in theater, and how speaking to a crowd of people has always been easy and fun. He’s always had a passion for presenting and teaching and I think these qualities have benefited his communication skills because he’s always very clear about his directions and how he wants the class to learn. Another thing Dr Lanning said, which is known to be universally true, is how practice and repetition is the most important thing you can do to get better. He claims how through his practice in theater, it morphed him to feeling anxiety and stress free in future scenarios where he’s needed to use that skill, like lecturing in class. Hearing him talk about his background with public speaking gave me a good insight on why he’s so confident and prepared to speak and I really am taking note about how much he emphasized the importance of repetition to acquire the skillset of public speech.
I had a very brief discussion with Professor Brickman, who was my nutrition instructor freshman year. I asked her the first question of “what do you view as the most challenging part of speaking publicly” she told me that as a professor it’s hard to find the right balance saying too much, and going into too much complexity when instructing, and when to simplify when needed. A few tips she told me was to just do it, and to know your audience.
I interviewed my professor Jeremy, who teaches first year experience. His biggest struggle in public speaking is speaking in big groups and trying to keep them happy and entertained or engaged in what he has to say. He feels more comfortable talking in smaller groups and he tries to better his public speaking by taking new opportunities to public speak. His advice was practice, practice, practice. But also know your subject and your audience.
Journal 5
For Journal 5 we were asked as one of our professors how public speaking has impacted them. I chose to ask my Bio teacher Dr. Roberts, because I enjoy learning from her and her style of public speaking.
I asked questions like:
“What do you view as the most challenging part of speaking publicly?”
“What tips or advice do you have for someone trying to become a better public speaker?”
Dr. Roberts response to these questions were:
I think the most challenging part is trying to keep track of everything you need to keep track of— for example, if I’m talking in front of a class, I need to simultaneously think of what I’m saying currently, keep an eye on the class to see if anyone looks confused, write on the chalkboard, click on slides, keep track of the time I have left, think ahead to what I’m going to say next, decide what I need to cut to make sure the class ends on time… so much to think of at the same time, it’s a challenge! But I’ve gotten better at it with a lot of practice 🙂
The best advice I got when when I was first learning to give a presentation (for me this was with powerpoint) was to memorize my first slide cold, practicing it word-for-word over and over again. That way, if my brain blanked when I stood up to talk, my mouth would start saying the right thing, kind of by muscle memory. And then, once I got going, my brain would relax and I’d be able to think by the time I got to the second slide. This was extremely helpful the first time I had to give a scientific talk in front of a large group in an auditorium and I thought I was going to have a heart attack from the stress beforehand!
I admired the way she talked about herself as a public speaker and hope I can grow from her words with my take-aways. I am grateful for this activity because it gives us growth from the people we see.
12 thoughts on “JOURNAL # 5”
Lillian Magda
9/10/25
Public Speaking
Professor Miller
Journal 5
This week I decided to interview my biology lecture/lab teacher, professor Dan. I chose him as someone to ask about public speaking because I think he is a good public speaker. This is because I think he does a great job at making the environment around feel open and able to ask questions. He also gives very kind and happy presents, as he smiles a lot and keeps the energy positive in the environment. He also has a way of keeping things simple to understand and a very engaging class.
Firstly, I asked what he views as the challenging part for public speaking? His response was about the overall anxiety that we build up before and feel that lasts with us. Getting over this initial spike of anxiety is the hardest part for everyone. The start always feels like fear, you just have to keep going. He shared with me how it was hard to start public speaking in the beginning as well and even shared how he still gets a little nervous at the beginning of the year as he doesn’t know how his class will be.
Secondly, I asked what are some tips or advice to become a better public speaker? His response was just practice. All we can do to get better at public speaking is repetition and just keep doing it. There are some things to help you to feel better such as rereading out loud because in your head it does not help fully. This also leads to how you should know your material and know what you are talking about rather than having no prior knowledge. Something that has helped is thinking about the worst case senior. Such as fainting or throwing up, and at the end of the day thinking about how that is actually kind of funny. Not thinking of it as that serious. He also says how once you start you feel nervous but once you keep going and after a minute or 2 it actually becomes easier and more comfortable and feels as if the anxious feeling has gone away.
Overall, SPeaking to Professor Dan, the big take away I learned from him is even though to me I see him as someone that is a great public speaker, he too also gets anxious feelings because we are all human. We all start out with that anxious and sick feeling but we get better at it by just doing it. One thing I learned that I am going to try doing to help is before really just thinking about what the worst possible thing could happen and how it is actually funny and may be embarrassing but a funny story.
I spoke with Professor Walls, who is my intro to writing teacher. The first thing I asked him was “What do you view as the most challenging part of public speaking?”. He believes that the most challenging part of public speaking is thinking while speaking, and that people might just not be interested in what you are saying. That the people you’re speaking to are looking at you but aren’t really listening, or are not interested in what you are saying. Sometimes the people will be looking at their phones or fiddling with something. That they’re trying to be polite but just are not listening. He also said he’s afraid of boring the people he is speaking to.
The next question I asked him was “what tips or advice do they have for trying to become a better public speaker”. He stated that he thinks that being confident in what you’re saying and believing in it so much that even if you think you’re boring people. That you just believe it is the people you’re speaking to’s loss and not your loss that they’re not listening.
I think the key takeaways from what he said were to always be confident in what you’re saying and not to worry about whether people are listening or not.
Abigail Chapman
Prof. Miller
SPC-100-A
10 September 2025
I chose to speak to my sociology professor for this journal because I already had to schedule mandatory office hours, so it was the perfect opportunity. During our conversation she mentioned that the most challenging part of speaking publicly for her is managing her nervousness and staying engaged with her audience. She explains that even experienced speakers can feel anxious, but she emphasized the importance of channeling that energy into enthusiasm rather than nervousness. My professor also pointed out that keeping your audience’s attention requires being aware of their reactions and basing your next words on said reactions.
My professor advised that for anyone looking to improve their public speaking skills, practicing regularly and preparing throughout is the best way to build confidence. SHe suggested starting with smaller, more low-pressure situations and gradually working up to a larger audience. She also highlighted the value of focusing on giving a clear sniped message rather than trying to impress your audience with complicated language. Lastly she recommended recording practice sessions to observe yourself and the way you look during your speech. This will help you give yourself immediate feedback and improvement.
Journal #5
Speak with one of your professors. Ask them politely if you could speak with them briefly about their public speaking experiences.
What do they view as the most challenging part of public speaking?
I interviewed Dr. Parmelee, and he said because public speaking is his job as a teacher and he speaks to an audience basically every day, he does not really get nervous anymore. He said that as a teacher it is harder when the audience is not engaged in what he is saying, and when they are distracted on their phones or talking to each other. When nobody is paying attention, his words feel pointless and that makes it harder for him to speak.
What tips or advice do they have for someone working to become a better public speaker?
Dr. Parmelee said that when public speaking it is better to relax and be yourself. You do not have to be super professional and act differently when speaking because that can make you more nervous. Making a good impression is important, but there is a point where you can chill and relax without being unprofessional. He also said that he finds public speaking easier when he gets to the point and does not spend a ton of time rambling and getting off topic. When you get off topic you can bore your audience and lose their attention.
Evelynn Conety
Journal #5
For this journal entry, I spoke with my First Year Seminar teacher, Mr. Byrd, about his struggles and accomplishments with public speaking.
He told me that the most challenging part about public speaking is the anxiety he feels beforehand and the “build up” to speaking. He said, however, that “once you’re there, you’re there – and you do it”, showing that he ends up getting through it in the end.
When I asked him about his tips for public speaking, he said – similar to what you’ve been telling us – that practice is key; “practice in small groups, with friends, or in the bathroom in front of the mirror, it’ll give you confidence. Once you do it then, you can speak in front of a larger group.” All in all, his main piece of advice for people who are going to be speaking publicly is to practice, also stating that public speaking is “no different than practicing an instrument”.
In Mr. Byrd’s experience, he has learned that practice has helped him with his public speaking skills, relating to the famously true saying, “practice makes perfect”. Practicing before speaking publicly can drastically improve your performance, making it noticeable to the audience that you took the time to rehearse.
For this journal I decided to ask my professor, Tim Viall, how he felt about his public speaking skills. Tim has been my IHS teacher for two semesters now, teaching my IHS 310 and 130 classes. Tim, who is also a UNE football coach, has to be comfortable speaking publicly and making appropriate calls. When I asked him the question, what does he view to be the hardest part of public speaking? He had to for a moment because he said the amount, he does it, he doesn’t feel bothered by it. He felt as if it was routine. Although he said if he did face any challenge, which was more so in college. He expressed being unprepared. If he wasn’t ready for the speech, that’s what made it more nerve-wracking for him. When I asked for advice, he said to practice, practice, practice. Public speaking is a skill that is built over time. He said that when doing presentations using pictures or videos to keep the class engaged, it made it easier for him to concentrate. It gave him some time to get back on track and to solidify his lectures. I would consider Tim to be a very confident speaker; he knows how to get the class involved and create discussions.
Interviewee: Professor Nicole McCray
Question 1: “For me, maintaining the audience’s interest is the most challenging. For myself, it’s hard to do public speaking if I don’t feel as though I’m having a conversation with someone else. I don’t like the feeling of talking to people and feeling like I’m getting nothing back.” Paraphrase: It can also be hard to cover topics that are just boring and not being able to do anything about it.
Question 2: “If you can find a way to connect with your audience, it will make it easier. Maybe with a small story or walking in and casually saying ‘Oh my gosh it’s so hot in here’ but starting little conversations or starting with a story. I think you’re more comfortable when you know your audience and for me, I have an advantage as a professor knowing you by the end of the semester and it becomes a casual conversation rather than a lecture.”
For this journal, I spoke with my Biology Professor Daniel Johnson. I asked to interview him because his class is lecture based, therefore, he has prior experience of public speaking. I asked him, “What do you view as the most challenging part of public speaking?”. He responded with, “Getting over the initial fear. Everything that leads up to the moment is terrifying. You’re filled with anxious energy. But once you get over that hump, you start talking and getting the flow of things; you think, what were you so worried about?”
For the second prompted question, “What tips or advice would you give to someone who is trying to become a better public speaker?” Professor Johnson responded with, “Practice. To reduce your nervous energy you just have to practice. Once you practice you realize it was not a big deal. Think to yourself what the worst possible outcome is? You don’t die. Nobody hurts you. No one is taking things from you. It is all in your own head. So the best thing you can do is remember that it is not the end of the world, you just have to talk.”
I interviewed my chemistry teacher, Doctor Lanning about his experiences with public speaking. Dr Lanning informed me about his past experience in theater, and how speaking to a crowd of people has always been easy and fun. He’s always had a passion for presenting and teaching and I think these qualities have benefited his communication skills because he’s always very clear about his directions and how he wants the class to learn. Another thing Dr Lanning said, which is known to be universally true, is how practice and repetition is the most important thing you can do to get better. He claims how through his practice in theater, it morphed him to feeling anxiety and stress free in future scenarios where he’s needed to use that skill, like lecturing in class. Hearing him talk about his background with public speaking gave me a good insight on why he’s so confident and prepared to speak and I really am taking note about how much he emphasized the importance of repetition to acquire the skillset of public speech.
I had a very brief discussion with Professor Brickman, who was my nutrition instructor freshman year. I asked her the first question of “what do you view as the most challenging part of speaking publicly” she told me that as a professor it’s hard to find the right balance saying too much, and going into too much complexity when instructing, and when to simplify when needed. A few tips she told me was to just do it, and to know your audience.
I interviewed my professor Jeremy, who teaches first year experience. His biggest struggle in public speaking is speaking in big groups and trying to keep them happy and entertained or engaged in what he has to say. He feels more comfortable talking in smaller groups and he tries to better his public speaking by taking new opportunities to public speak. His advice was practice, practice, practice. But also know your subject and your audience.
Journal 5
For Journal 5 we were asked as one of our professors how public speaking has impacted them. I chose to ask my Bio teacher Dr. Roberts, because I enjoy learning from her and her style of public speaking.
I asked questions like:
“What do you view as the most challenging part of speaking publicly?”
“What tips or advice do you have for someone trying to become a better public speaker?”
Dr. Roberts response to these questions were:
I think the most challenging part is trying to keep track of everything you need to keep track of— for example, if I’m talking in front of a class, I need to simultaneously think of what I’m saying currently, keep an eye on the class to see if anyone looks confused, write on the chalkboard, click on slides, keep track of the time I have left, think ahead to what I’m going to say next, decide what I need to cut to make sure the class ends on time… so much to think of at the same time, it’s a challenge! But I’ve gotten better at it with a lot of practice 🙂
The best advice I got when when I was first learning to give a presentation (for me this was with powerpoint) was to memorize my first slide cold, practicing it word-for-word over and over again. That way, if my brain blanked when I stood up to talk, my mouth would start saying the right thing, kind of by muscle memory. And then, once I got going, my brain would relax and I’d be able to think by the time I got to the second slide. This was extremely helpful the first time I had to give a scientific talk in front of a large group in an auditorium and I thought I was going to have a heart attack from the stress beforehand!
I admired the way she talked about herself as a public speaker and hope I can grow from her words with my take-aways. I am grateful for this activity because it gives us growth from the people we see.