Speech teacher feels butterflies just like her students |
| Posted by Administrator (admin) on Sep 11 2008 at 3:17 PM |
By Cynthia Weitzel
Guest Writer
Amanda Young is enthusiastic about her first year teaching at UNK as lecturer in speech communications and as assistant coach of the forensics team.
Kearney is going big places with their communications department, she said, and together with the forensics team, is moving in a direction she "really, really supports."
Young was actually part-time forensics coach at UNK last year but on a more minimal basis as she worked to complete her master's degree through Minnesota State University.
This year, Young will put in an average of 12-15 hours a week working with the forensics team, travel four weekends and host a tournament one weekend.
As lecturer, she teaches three sections of Fundamentals of Speech Communication, a required speech class every student at UNK must take in order to graduate.
Young has advice to give to students who are absolutely petrified to take any speech class. She said, "Take it as soon as you possibly can. And make the course fit you and your field of study. Focusing on how you can utilize the course in the future will take the edge off the class."
If you think speech teachers don't get nervous, think again. "I was nervous for my Monday (first day of semester) class and had to talk myself down," Young said. She said it is interesting that even though we are a very vocal society, 95 percent of the people who take speech classes are afraid of public speaking. "My first lecture in my class focuses on speaking anxiety."
Young said that nervousness is a physiological reaction within the body, an adrenaline rush that affects people differently. It becomes a matter of learning to control the body with simple measures. Remembering to breath is important before, during and after speeches because people tend to stop breathing. Knowing your material well and practicing sufficiently will help you relax.
She works with students to become more comfortable. She suggests they practice speeches in front of the mirror while visualizing they are in front of the class. She offers the classroom to students to practice speeches beforehand to become used to the surroundings.
"Everyone in the room wants you to succeed. Think back when you noticed someone physically uncomfortable in front of a room. Did you throw food at them? Success is reciprocal between audience and speaker, and being aware of that helps."
Originally from Rushville, Neb., Young likes to spend her time with two-year-old daughter Chloe. A perfect day for her would be pancakes with Chloe, followed by the park and swimming or maybe time spent at the Big Apple or a short road trip somewhere. She wishes she could just observe Chloe and walk and explore more. She also enjoys camping, playing bingo and collecting playing cards.
Young's professional goals include helping the communications department grow, completing her doctorate through UNL and finding a permanent spot on the UNK faculty.
