Over the course of this semester, I have learned an abundance in my Public Speaking course taught by Mrs. Guarino. In the beginning of the year, I knew very little about what this course was going to offer and how it would affect the rest of my life. I can honestly say that this course has impacted my life more than I could have ever imagined. I did not realize how big of a part public speaking played in my life until now. I use it everywhere; in all my classes, when speaking to adults, when trying to convince my parents to do something. Public speaking is all around me and I now know how to properly convince and persuade others using a sensible tone of voice and the correct amount of ethos, logos and pathos.
I have to say, in the beginning of the year, I knew practically nothing about public speaking. The only thing I knew was to stand still and make eye contact. Well, that is part of it, but there is so much more that I hadn't learned before, even just those two statements. What I now know about those two "rules": When speaking, you need to stand planted with your feet shoulder width apart. Generally, you can stay still but controlled movements to emphasize a point are fine as well. You just must make sure not to look fidgety and nervous. That can make you lose credibility. When making eye contact, you do not want to stare at one person in particular. That can make them uncomfortable. You want to scan the audience making sure that you are never looking down at your feet. You also must not read off your notes like an essay. That will bore the audience. I learned all this and much, much more.
In the beginning of the year, I hoped that taking this course would help me become less nervous when speaking in front of others. I would always get really scared to speak in front of teachers and other peers. Well, I can happily say that my goal, of being less terrified to speak in front of others, has been achieved. Recently, I have found myself volunteering to go first and participating more in other classes. I really enjoyed taking a class that will actually be able to help me in my daily life.
To be completely honest, once this class started, I was very scared of having to do a lot of writing. I did not want to do a 500 word blog post every single week. But as time passed, each blog post would get easier and easier. This class really helped me improve my writing as well as my speaking. Getting feedback from Mrs. Guarino and all of my peers really helped me figure out my own, personal style of writing. Writing every week allowed me to progress and move forward, figure out my flaws and mistakes and move past them. Another main skill I learned in this class was memorization. This was very important for me to learn because I have a lot of difficulty with memorizing everything; numbers, formulas, equations, definitions, names, dates, ect. Learning new ways of memorizing writing doesn't only help me with speeches, but applies to many other subjects as well. I hope that in the future, I will always remember the basic techniques of memorization, such as recording yourself and then listening to the recording on repeat.
I would just like to thank you, Mrs. Guarino, for dealing with our class for the past four months. If I was a teacher, I would not have been able to do it (especially with all the differing opinions and certain people who just have debating/arguing in their blood). You really have taught all of us so much and these are lessons that will stay with us forever. Thank you and have a great rest of the year!
The best link ever: http://cheshireacademypublicspeakingfall2015.blogspot.com
Thursday, December 17, 2015
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
Friday, December 4, 2015
How I can Improve My Ted Talk
So far I have a rough draft written of our last project in public speaking, our Ted Talks. It is a very rough draft that needs to be edited and I can make a lot of changes to make the project better.
First, I need to edit all the spelling and grammar to ensure that everything is correct. I am planning to record myself reading the speech, and then put the pictures and video into iMovie. I need to correctly cite all of my sources and put that in a slide at the end of my Ted Talk. I also need to find many more pictures, and hopefully graphs, to put into my final project. I need to find correct graphs that suitably prove my point.
I also need to find suitable, reliable facts and quotes that help show that college is not the only option. I need to figure out the visible aspects of my Ted Talk. Like the fade in, fade out, transition into pictures and back into the video. I need to make sure that the entire video ends up running smoothly together, and looks final.
I have a lot of things that need to be completed but I have the basic draft that allows for me to know what I need to work on and what I have to do. Overall, I think that my speech was pretty good. I need to work on certain aspects of it but it is getting better as the process continues. I need to plan better and make sure that I don't wait until the last minute to create the final product. To ensure that I do this, I will make sure that I use the class time we receive wisely. I will try to make this as professional a Ted Talk as I can.
So far, this has been a really fun project that I have thoroughly enjoyed. I love Ted Talks and I am exuberantly excited to recreate this experience. I hope that my final project captures the essence of a good Ted talk. I will work very hard to make sure that this project is the best I can do!
http://www.unstuck.com/how-we-procrastinate.html
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
The Myth of College Being Necessary
"You need to go to college, get a good job and have a family of your own." Have you ever felt like this was the outline of your life? Something that defined you even before you knew what a "major" was? Have you ever felt like you need a college degree to be successful? Well I'm here to say stop stressing, because that is not always the case. If getting a degree is your dream, that's great, but people need to know that is not the only option out there. The loans and debt that one has after finishing college can be overwhelming and you are not even guaranteed a job afterwards. And I'm not saying college isn't useful. College can be a fantastic experience, but I'm just saying that doesn't have to be your only choice. I'm here to help you in making that decision.
The applying process for colleges is very stressful. Having interviews, writing essays, visiting schools can all be a lot for you to handle, and it builds up. All while juggling junior and senior years of high school. And many have done it before, handled the applying process with high school, but just because it's what most people do, that doesn't mean you have to. Now, it's a lot harder to get into colleges than it was 30 years ago. This may also affect your final decision.
About 20-30 years ago, going to college and getting a major generally guaranteed you a job. But present day that is not always the case. The requirements for jobs has been raised and over time, the amount of college graduates that are unemployed has dramatically increased, while students graduating with a high school degree have started to become more employed now than ever before. This makes it slightly easier to get jobs with just a high school degree. Some jobs that one can have without a college degree are; an administrative assistance, appliance repairer, bookkeeper, carpenter and more.
Another problem for many people is financial debt. If you are already in a large amount of debt, college may be something that you really need to think about. "69% of 2013 senior [college] graduates left school with an average student loan debt of $28,400, but debt ranged from $18,656 to over $30,000." As you can see, colleges cost a lot of money and a lot of walk needs to be put I. To pay off all of the debt. There is always financial aid but sometimes that still is not enough. After college, you need to be able to pay off your debt so you need to consider if you will be able to do that once your four years are up. If you will not be able to, this can add a lot of stress into your life as a young adult.
Although college is great, the process of applying can be stressful, you are not even guaranteed a job after you receive your degree, and you can graduate having to face the pressure of student loans and debt hit you afterward. Sometimes you need to think to yourself, is it really worth it?
http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2014/11/13/average-student-loan-debt-hits-30-000
http://www.careercast.com/jobs-rated/20-great-jobs-without-college-degree
The applying process for colleges is very stressful. Having interviews, writing essays, visiting schools can all be a lot for you to handle, and it builds up. All while juggling junior and senior years of high school. And many have done it before, handled the applying process with high school, but just because it's what most people do, that doesn't mean you have to. Now, it's a lot harder to get into colleges than it was 30 years ago. This may also affect your final decision.
About 20-30 years ago, going to college and getting a major generally guaranteed you a job. But present day that is not always the case. The requirements for jobs has been raised and over time, the amount of college graduates that are unemployed has dramatically increased, while students graduating with a high school degree have started to become more employed now than ever before. This makes it slightly easier to get jobs with just a high school degree. Some jobs that one can have without a college degree are; an administrative assistance, appliance repairer, bookkeeper, carpenter and more.
Another problem for many people is financial debt. If you are already in a large amount of debt, college may be something that you really need to think about. "69% of 2013 senior [college] graduates left school with an average student loan debt of $28,400, but debt ranged from $18,656 to over $30,000." As you can see, colleges cost a lot of money and a lot of walk needs to be put I. To pay off all of the debt. There is always financial aid but sometimes that still is not enough. After college, you need to be able to pay off your debt so you need to consider if you will be able to do that once your four years are up. If you will not be able to, this can add a lot of stress into your life as a young adult.
Although college is great, the process of applying can be stressful, you are not even guaranteed a job after you receive your degree, and you can graduate having to face the pressure of student loans and debt hit you afterward. Sometimes you need to think to yourself, is it really worth it?
http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2014/11/13/average-student-loan-debt-hits-30-000
http://www.careercast.com/jobs-rated/20-great-jobs-without-college-degree
Thursday, November 19, 2015
Research for Ted Talk
Intro:
"You need to go to college, get a good job and have a family of your own." Have you ever felt like this was the outline of your life? Something that defined you even before you knew what a "major" was? Have you ever felt like you need a college degree to be successful? Well I'm here to say stop stressing, because that is not always the case. If getting a degree is your dream, that's great, but people need to know that is not the only option out there. The loans and debt that one has after finishing college can be overwhelming and you
Topics:
Applying process
Get quotes, stats, relate to students in room currently applying to collages
Stress put on people to know their major, and career at an early age
Not guaranteed a job afterwards
Going to have to find direct evidence
TONS of student debt
Give examples of amounts
Successful People who Never Graduated from college:
Steve Jobs (Net worth $11 billion in 2011)
Richard Branson ($4.9 billion)
Dave Thomas ($99 million)
Michael Dell ($20 billion)
Main Points Explained But Still In Need of a lot of Editing: To show people that there are other options out there besides college. Although college is great for some people, it may not be the best choice fore others. Especially if they are having difficulty financially (relate back to student loans). I want to be able to state this without making college seem bad. I just want to show people that there are other options out there and when making decisions about the future, college is not the only path one has to take. There are a great amount of jobs that can include passion without a degree being needed. Also, success does not come directly from getting a good degree in college. Success comes from passion and handwork (maybe I could find a quote of someone saying how to get success). There have been many successful people that have not gotten a college degree (refer back to successful people list). Then maybe go into how even getting a degree does not guarantee a job. If you can not get a good job you can't pay off student debt (talk about average student debt, maybe find some more statistics on how many people graduate with student debt.) End by saying that college is a choice but you need to think is it worth it in the end?
Main Takeaway: Although college is great, the process of applying can be stressful, you are not even guaranteed a job after you receive your degree, and you can graduate having to face the pressure of student loans and debt hit you afterward. Sometimes you need to think to yourself, is it really worth it?
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/249683
69% of 2013 senior graduates left school with an average student loan debt of $28,400, but debt ranged from $18,656 to over $30,000. - http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2014/11/13/average-student-loan-debt-hits-30-000
According to this graph, over time the amount of college graduates that are unemployed has dramatically increased, while students graduating with a high school degree have started to become more employed now than ever before.
http://www.businessinsider.com/these-two-charts-prove-a-college-education-just-isnt-worth-the-money-anymore-2012-6
If you do feel that college is not the right thing for you, there are many great jobs where a degree is not necessary.
Jobs that high school graduates can have: http://www.careercast.com/jobs-rated/20-great-jobs-without-college-degree
"You need to go to college, get a good job and have a family of your own." Have you ever felt like this was the outline of your life? Something that defined you even before you knew what a "major" was? Have you ever felt like you need a college degree to be successful? Well I'm here to say stop stressing, because that is not always the case. If getting a degree is your dream, that's great, but people need to know that is not the only option out there. The loans and debt that one has after finishing college can be overwhelming and you
Topics:
Applying process
Get quotes, stats, relate to students in room currently applying to collages
Stress put on people to know their major, and career at an early age
Not guaranteed a job afterwards
Going to have to find direct evidence
TONS of student debt
Give examples of amounts
Successful People who Never Graduated from college:
Steve Jobs (Net worth $11 billion in 2011)
Richard Branson ($4.9 billion)
Dave Thomas ($99 million)
Michael Dell ($20 billion)
Main Points Explained But Still In Need of a lot of Editing: To show people that there are other options out there besides college. Although college is great for some people, it may not be the best choice fore others. Especially if they are having difficulty financially (relate back to student loans). I want to be able to state this without making college seem bad. I just want to show people that there are other options out there and when making decisions about the future, college is not the only path one has to take. There are a great amount of jobs that can include passion without a degree being needed. Also, success does not come directly from getting a good degree in college. Success comes from passion and handwork (maybe I could find a quote of someone saying how to get success). There have been many successful people that have not gotten a college degree (refer back to successful people list). Then maybe go into how even getting a degree does not guarantee a job. If you can not get a good job you can't pay off student debt (talk about average student debt, maybe find some more statistics on how many people graduate with student debt.) End by saying that college is a choice but you need to think is it worth it in the end?
Main Takeaway: Although college is great, the process of applying can be stressful, you are not even guaranteed a job after you receive your degree, and you can graduate having to face the pressure of student loans and debt hit you afterward. Sometimes you need to think to yourself, is it really worth it?
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/249683
69% of 2013 senior graduates left school with an average student loan debt of $28,400, but debt ranged from $18,656 to over $30,000. - http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2014/11/13/average-student-loan-debt-hits-30-000
According to this graph, over time the amount of college graduates that are unemployed has dramatically increased, while students graduating with a high school degree have started to become more employed now than ever before.
http://www.businessinsider.com/these-two-charts-prove-a-college-education-just-isnt-worth-the-money-anymore-2012-6
If you do feel that college is not the right thing for you, there are many great jobs where a degree is not necessary.
Jobs that high school graduates can have: http://www.careercast.com/jobs-rated/20-great-jobs-without-college-degree
Sunday, November 15, 2015
Outline of College Ted Talk
Intro:
"You need to go to college, get a good job and have a family of your own." Have you ever felt like this was the outline of your life? Something that defined you even before you knew what a "major" was? Have you ever felt like you need a college degree to be successful? Well I'm here to say stop stressing, because that is not always the case. If getting a degree is your dream, that's great, but people need to know that is not the only option out there. The loans and debt that one has after finishing college can be overwhelming.
Topics:
1.) Applying process
a.) Get quotes, stats, relate to students in room currently applying to collages
2.) Not guaranteed a job afterwards
a.) Going to have to find direct evidence
3.) TONS of student debt
a.) Give examples of amounts
Successful People who Never Graduated from college:
Steve Jobs (Net worth $11 billion in 2011)
Richard Branson ($4.9 billion)
Dave Thomas ($99 million)
Michael Dell ($20 billion)
Main Takeaway: Although college is great, the process of applying can be stressful, you are not even guaranteed a job after you receive your degree, and you can graduate having to face the pressure of student loans and debt hit you afterward. Sometimes you need to think to yourself, is it really worth it?
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/249683
"You need to go to college, get a good job and have a family of your own." Have you ever felt like this was the outline of your life? Something that defined you even before you knew what a "major" was? Have you ever felt like you need a college degree to be successful? Well I'm here to say stop stressing, because that is not always the case. If getting a degree is your dream, that's great, but people need to know that is not the only option out there. The loans and debt that one has after finishing college can be overwhelming.
Topics:
1.) Applying process
a.) Get quotes, stats, relate to students in room currently applying to collages
2.) Not guaranteed a job afterwards
a.) Going to have to find direct evidence
3.) TONS of student debt
a.) Give examples of amounts
Successful People who Never Graduated from college:
Steve Jobs (Net worth $11 billion in 2011)
Richard Branson ($4.9 billion)
Dave Thomas ($99 million)
Michael Dell ($20 billion)
Main Takeaway: Although college is great, the process of applying can be stressful, you are not even guaranteed a job after you receive your degree, and you can graduate having to face the pressure of student loans and debt hit you afterward. Sometimes you need to think to yourself, is it really worth it?
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/249683
My Review on Peter Pan
This past weekend, I, along with many others, saw the original Peter Pan performed by the Cheshire Academy theater program. I saw the first showing and therefore understand how nervous, excited and stressed everyone must have been. Overall this play was very good and interesting. Since I have only seen the Disney version of Peter Pan before this, it was nice being able to see a different side to the story. This was a very good play and you could tell that a lot of effort was put into it.
All of the actors did a very good job portraying their characters. I think that everyone really fit the part they were given. Also, if one person had to play the part of two different characters in the play, they did a very good job of separating the two. The one person was able to have completely different personalities for each specific character they were playing.
I believe that all the costumes and props in this play were amazing. Personally, I loved the scene on the pirate ship with the masts and red lights. I thought all the lighting was very cool, although there seemed to be a few mistakes with the first show. For example, Sam had to kind of move with the light one time but everyone was able to easily adjust which was good. It seemed like there was a lot of work put into all the costumes and I think that everyone looked great for the final product.
Compared to the Disney version, this Peter Pan had a lot of comparisons but also some differences. This play was a bit darker than the Disney version, but this is a bit obvious because Disney is generally meant for smaller children even though many, many older people like it as well. In this play people actually died unlike the Disney version. What really surprised me was the suicide of Captain Hook. Also I found it shocking and very symbolic in general during the part when Peter was standing, steering the boat with Captain Hook's hook on right after he killed himself. The red lights and Peter standing there was very dark and eerie. Also when Captain dropped his sword and Peter gave it back to him, it showed Peter wanted to win, fair and square. I feel like Captain Hook was what kept Peter's life interesting so he didn't want everything with him to be over.
This play was truly fantastic and I'm very happy that I was able to go and see it. Everyone worked very hard and did a great job performing in front of so many people. The take on the play was new, different and interesting and the whole thing was a lot of fun.
All of the actors did a very good job portraying their characters. I think that everyone really fit the part they were given. Also, if one person had to play the part of two different characters in the play, they did a very good job of separating the two. The one person was able to have completely different personalities for each specific character they were playing.
I believe that all the costumes and props in this play were amazing. Personally, I loved the scene on the pirate ship with the masts and red lights. I thought all the lighting was very cool, although there seemed to be a few mistakes with the first show. For example, Sam had to kind of move with the light one time but everyone was able to easily adjust which was good. It seemed like there was a lot of work put into all the costumes and I think that everyone looked great for the final product.
Compared to the Disney version, this Peter Pan had a lot of comparisons but also some differences. This play was a bit darker than the Disney version, but this is a bit obvious because Disney is generally meant for smaller children even though many, many older people like it as well. In this play people actually died unlike the Disney version. What really surprised me was the suicide of Captain Hook. Also I found it shocking and very symbolic in general during the part when Peter was standing, steering the boat with Captain Hook's hook on right after he killed himself. The red lights and Peter standing there was very dark and eerie. Also when Captain dropped his sword and Peter gave it back to him, it showed Peter wanted to win, fair and square. I feel like Captain Hook was what kept Peter's life interesting so he didn't want everything with him to be over.
This play was truly fantastic and I'm very happy that I was able to go and see it. Everyone worked very hard and did a great job performing in front of so many people. The take on the play was new, different and interesting and the whole thing was a lot of fun.
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