Xavier Perez - reflection 1

Dear class,

In our first presentation for the introduction to Public Speaking class, I received great insights delving into the art of delivering speeches. The plethora of presentations allowed me to gain insight in what to do and what NOT to do when speaking to an audience. In this reflection, I will discuss the key moments from each group’s presentation, citing positives, negatives, and room for improvement. I’ll also share my personal experiences and the various pieces of advice I received during this process, all directed towards collectively improving our performance for future projects.

To start off, group 1 being the first group can be difficult because nerves are high, their topic was a great ice breaker for the class setting the stage and giving me solid expectations for the class, and it set the stage tonally for the rest of the presentations, each group member performed well and delivered their points clearly and concisely, the first two speakers were able to flow between their talking points beautifully and it was expertly done, they were able to have great communication between each other. However, the first group can still make some improvements, especially with eye contact and relying less on notes. A few of the speakers spent too much time reading from their notes, which caused them to lose connection with the audience at times. A suggestion, I would offer is for them to rehearse more without their notes, focusing on delivering their content with a better connection to the audience. 

This helped me practice a lot when preparing for our group presentations. I made sure to understand what not to do and how to contribute to our presentation. Though, I still found myself occasionally looking down at notes and reading it off without having much eye contact with my classmates.

Group #2 presentations were a well-organized presentation, focusing on key topics. Their presentation provided useful advice on how to structure a speech effectively, which was especially helpful for the rest of the group that would present after them. Group #2 used visual aids was particularly effective in keeping the audience engaged and helped us understand the material that was being spoken about clearly. Two of the members of the group stood out on the way the spoke clarity and confidence, using a good pace and tone that kept the audience's attention. As prior to the other group, group #2 still has some improvements to make, especially when it comes to relying off their notes. 

Group #3 made a strong impression right from the start by arriving in professional attire. Their decision to dress professionally showed that they understood the importance of appearance in public speaking and how it can influence the audience's perception of the speakers. I really enjoyed seeing how they came dressed in professional attired, it made me have a sense of importance and dedication when it came to their presentation. Group #3 was also able to stay within the time limit, without rushing through the material or lingering too long any topic. Their presentation was delivered effectively, ensuring that the classmate audience stayed engaged throughout. Their use of visuals was also supportive to their presentation, ensuring their slides were clean and easy to follow. Once again, like the other groups, most of the speakers relied on their notes, except this time, they didn't use it consistently and only looked down at their notes instead of looking at the audience.

There is one speaker, that the day off the rest of this group, he was unable to make it. Although, he was unable to make it, he made up for the presentation and presented his part himself. He delivered a clear and concise presentation; not once did he use any notes. This was expectational, as he maintained eye contact and his attention towards the audience. This was able to give me a sense that he knew exactly what he was presenting about and was confident in his presentation. What amazed me the most, was the fact he didn't need to use his notes, only used his brain and his amazing public speaking skills.

Last but not least, the best for last. Group #4 energy was so magnetic and gripping. t=The first speaker was Patricia and the way she presented was beautiful, she used great talking points and she sounded very prepared, and then it was me; I feel that I could've done better but i still feel that I did a good job of presenting but I just need to make more eye contact next time, the rest of my groupmates did amazing and I could not ask for a better group. Of course, my group needs more improvement, when it comes to using the notes and looking down at it. By far, I believe most of my group partners did well, they used their notes but not in an away where it was consistent. However, my group did go over the time limit, which was starting to lose the attention of the audience, but by the way my group was presenting, I felt

that they were still able to still catch the attention of the audience. 

in conclusion, this was an amazing intro to the class and i can only see my future in this class getting better along with my hardworking classmates, and that this class will help us in life down the road.