Listening

A great speaker must first be a sensitive and invested listener--Anonymous

In the textbook we learn...oh, wait, the bookstore never got the book....um, well, we would have seen that listening is important and very different than "hearing!" Tell us about a really good or really awful listener in your life (maybe use a fake name to protect the innocent!) What do they do to make you feel "heard?" Let us know as a class if we were good listeners during your introduction speech! Good listeners give lots of "minimal encouragers"--they make compassionate noises, nod, agree aloud withoug being disruptive and sometimes paraphrase back to you what they understand you to have stated (ie: "It sounds like you feel strongly about world peace" for instance). Good listening enhances relationships and validates those we care about--Make it a focus this semester! By the way, what are the gender differences in listening? Do men and women listen differently? Keep blogging people!

FALL 2010 Late Starting Class

Hi Gang! I got the add slips signed and on there way to admin--FYI--Welcome to our blog! For this weekly post please include your name and let me know who you interviewed for Monday's speech--also please include a question about the intro speech if you have one and suggest good topics for us to talk about here on our class blog! I already am really enjoying our class--you guys are interesting! Smiles--Sandra

College Pays BUT Some jobs don't...fyi

Tips for my scholars!

Last Blog Until Summer!!!!!!!!!!!

It's been a wild ride kids! Whoknew one could be so productive so gosh-dang EARLY!!!!  Everyone who stayed in the class has grown and improved, what a nice group of students and friends! I am happy to have had you in class and hope you keep in touch! idnasss@yahoo.com is my personal email--Let me know if you ever need teacher references and such! One thing we didn't have time to do in class is the "anti-speech"--so let's do that here! First, though--what to expect for next week:

Our last week of class:
Mon 5/10: Class begins early at 715am. Bring coffee!!! Finish all persuasive speeches except: Alyssa, Lupe and Keona. Also hand out TAKE HOME final. Blog at home to finish up.
Tues 5/11: At home finish the pop-log and complete your final.
Wed 5/12: Snacks in class, what can you bring? Croissants? Doughnuts? Juice and cups? Keona, Lupe and Alyssa make persuasive speeches/turn in pop logs/talk about your pop-log for 2 minutes or so, share a highlight/turn in final.
Mon May 17th: No meeting for the final/BUT reach me at home during this time with any questions/grade concerns or updates/school advice etc between 8am and 930am via email wheeleS@crc.losrios.com  OR idnasss@yahoo.com

NOW: Post below, in the form of a PG rated "rant"--OR hip-hop style rap:
One thing you didn't like about me, my class or the portable we met in and use logic and persuasion to validate your claim! Have fun with it, I won't take it personally...however compliments accepted too! Smiles--Your Proud Teacher

BKWLD--Double Cool/Douple points, for crying in the night!!!!

There is a new and oh-so-cool company in town doing really well right now called BKWLD--It is innovative and internationally recognized. Their site is a good PERSUASIVE VISUAL tool WHICH CAN help us to understand audience analysis and why it matters for interactive marketing as well as public speaking. Their blog also demonstrates other ways BLOGS are used in the professional world, not just cheesy community college classes held in broken down portables!

1. Check out their SWEETwebsite at BKWLD.com for 15 min or so -- especially the "our work" icon -- see the cool clients they rock, like Gavin Rossdale (Mr. Gwen Stefani!) and T-Pain and Ice-T, even Indiana Jones' Games!
2. Shake your head slowly, say aloud "Dang that's hip!" to no one in particular...
3. Post something nice/complimentary anywhere on the site for DBL credit for this week! EZ as ABC:
A)--post it on their site at 'contacts' OR B) email them at  mailto:info@bkwld.com     Or  try option C)  --post a comment on the BKWLD blog by clicking on BUKlife. From their website your comment will show up on my blog so that I  SEE U did it. Keep posts VERY short, just a line or 2 about what you like about their company, philosophy or website, or congratulate them on their success, then type in your full name followed by (Sandra's speech class at SCC.)
Here's the kicker, you MUST use the phrase "for crying in the night" when you post!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
FOR EXAMPLE:
Dear Ryan and the BKWLD team,
For crying in the night, I just love your killer graphics on this site!
Smiles, Donny Kay from Sandra's speech class at SCC
PS:::
I will decode/explain and unpack the mystery in class as long as my alarm goes off tomorrow. XO

Persuasive Topics Due 4/19

Hi Gang--Hopefully you remembered not to go to class on 4/19!!!! Keep working on those pop logs and for this blog please submit your preferred persuasive speech topic, and tell us a bit about why you chose this topic for our final speech of the semester! Why does it matter to YOU??? Remember this speech is 6-8 minutes long and includes 2 visual aids and 3 oral citations with complete references! You must state the purpose as persuasive using terms such as "convince," "insist" and or "strongly urge!" Feel free to post enthusiasm about classmates topic ideas or offer input for additional blogging points! See you for more great speeches in class! If you make it out to CRC for the extra credit star gazing tonight, call or text my cell at 799-7930 to find us around 8pm, but rain could cancel the event fyi! Smiles--Sandra

INFORM This! On bats,glow worms and spring break.....

Hi and welcome back from spring break--We arein the home stretch towards summer now--time to crank it up and push for the grade you know you deserve!!! This means attention to all outline details...say it with me now: Introduction including attn getter thesis/purpose, preview of mp's, credibility, connection to audience and transition, then the body including 3 main points supported by analogies,examples and citations and visual aids, transition to the conclusion, which includes conclusive language a review of main points, restatement of thesis and a memorable, fabulous ending, followed by an alphabetical list of references you sited from according to APA or MLA---By the way--how fun were the impromptu speeches? Great topic suggestions!

On to informative speaking, when we tell our audiences either about something new and unusual OR provide new insight or a new take on an older idea! For this blog, we'll do a kind of topic brainstorming exercise to open your post-spring break mind again! you need to read the previous posting and pull a potential informative topic from the previous student's idea--So post a favorite film, song or artist along with a key point that attracts you to this subject--the next person who posts can show how to take that FABULOUS bit of info and turn it into a GREAT speech theis ofr an informative speech! I'll get us started--I watched the Planet Earth BBC series and got a huge kick out of the bats and glow worms--creepy weird crawly things and flying creepy things too! I learned that bats' poo actually is the mainstay to a cave ecosystem since it doesn't get any sunlight for photosynthesis and glowworms have a gland in their behind's that produces a "glow" so they can trap and eat their prey! GROSS, but kinda cool too--now somebody turn these musings into a good thesis for an info speech followed by your own observations/viewings or listenings!