Hi, I’m Megan
I want to personally welcome you to my Public Speaking Master Class! Together we will spend the next six weeks enhancing your public speaking skills by focusing on speech structure, storytelling, communication apprehension, delivery, dynamism, and moderating.
As a Senior Communication Lecturer at Texas A&M University - San Antonio and as an award-winning TedX speech ghostwriter, I know firsthand how intimidating, nerve wracking, or downright terrifying public speaking can be. But fear not! I have tips, personal experiences, and science-backed research to share.
My goal for each of you is to experience this course through a lens of self-compassion. As a certified mindfulness meditation teacher, it is important to me that we take care of our mental health while going through something that has the potential to be anxiety producing. If at any point you find yourself experiencing communication apprehension, pause the course, take care of you, and then come back later.
This course is going to walk you through the entire process of writing and delivering a speech. I know this might feel daunting, but I'll be with you every step of the way. I want each of you to feel totally prepared as we work towards confidently creating a 4-7 minute speech.
I believe everyone has a story worth telling, and that the world needs to hear your voice. The lack of public speakers who resemble you only underscores the importance of sharing your unique perspective.
I get it. Showing up and sharing your message can be scary. As humans, we look at our previous experiences, judge ourselves for not being "perfect," and hesitate to even put ourselves out there. Perfection as the measuring stick is unrealistic and unattainable.
Instead, I'd encourage you to approach this class with compassion for yourself. Be proud of the fact that you showed up today! Just the act of showing up is a step towards improving your public speaking skills. We all have different strengths, struggles, and passions. So please don't compare yourself to others. Instead, know that you are valuable, that you have a message, and that the world is ready to hear it.
My objectives for this course are for you to:
Understand speech structure and organization.
Write speeches incorporating storytelling and vulnerability.
Manage communication anxiety using mindfulness techniques.
Deliver speeches extemporaneously with increased dynamism and charisma.
Appreciate diverse nonverbal communication elements.
Confidently facilitate panel discussions.
We will accomplish these objectives through:
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Online Learning Platform:
- Videos: Watch 10-20 minutes of instructional videos every other week
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Activities: Complete a corresponding activity after each video lesson
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Feedback:
- Submit each completed activity to me for personalized feedback, if desired
- Schedule a 1-1 video call with me, if desired
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Live Group Meetings
- Join us on Zoom every other week to discuss learnings and ideas
You can expect to spend approximately 2.5-4 hours on the course each week. And like most things, the more you put into it, the more you’ll get out of it. So let’s get started!
