Teaching Public Speaking 4e: Part Two
Recognizing the futility of perfection
Perhaps time-management guru and author Edwin Bliss (1984) said it best: “There is a difference
Writing papers, submissions, and so on
The overview of the writing process(es) that we provide in the text (Chapter 6) may inform your efforts.
Other tidbits that we’ve gained through the years from successful writers include the following:
(1) Once you’ve identified a topic, dedicate a file folder to it. Whenever you run
across something relevant, place a copy of it (or at least a complete citation
(2) Once you’re underway and the paper is taking shape, you may find some of the
material you’ve collected, even though it may be good stuff, simply does not
(3) When you’re ready to quit writing for the day, know where you want to
(4) Compose as much as possible at the computer but edit from hard copy from
(5) If you wish to submit something for publication, examine what is out there,
(6) Ask a successful colleague or mentor to read through your work. She or he
(7) Rejection happens. Review the comments and have an experienced colleague
look it over as well. If it’s salvageable, redo it and send it elsewhere. If it’s
Teaching Public Speaking 4e: Part Two
Managing your mail
As a teacher you have a lot to keep up with, and you face a constant deluge of memos and mailings. To
avoid being buried alive, incapacitated, or merely bogged down, adopt and stick to the following strategy
as you go through your “mail”:
2) If it is valuable info, which you likely need to access later, file it.
Managing calls
You can be friendly and cordial and still be efficient. When someone calls, exchange a friendly greeting
and then ask “What can I do for you?” In short, if you don’t have time for small talk, don’t encourage it
by getting it started.
If you are extremely busy, involved in a student conference, or otherwise engaged, it’s perfectly fine
to ask if you could call the person back and specify when you’ll be able to do so. During especially busy
Dealing with solicitors in the workplace
They invade more than our homes; they approach us at work as well. I’ve often had solicitors pop into my
office asking me to buy something or, worse, to sell them one of the books off my shelves—sometimes
even walking over to a bookcase, extracting a book and exclaiming: “I see you have two of these. I’ll give
you five dollars for this one. That’ll buy you lunch.”
“I’ll show you ‘lunch,’” I think almost aloud, doubling my fist.
I’ve contemplated a “no solicitors” sign with pepper spray as a backup. Instead, I simply have posted
Teaching Public Speaking 4e: Part Two
Getting a good night’s sleep
The amount of sleep needed will vary from person to person, and it even varies for the individual at
different stages of their life, depending on stress, activity level, age, and so on. Simply experiment to see
what works best for you. The American Medical Association (1996) notes that five or six hours may be
all that you need and that it is no cause for alarm if you frequently awake after five hours or so. It also is
common to awake once or twice during the night.
If you have trouble getting to sleep, there are various strategies that might help. For one, it helps to
clear your head for sleeping by jotting down a to-do list for the next day, identifying your priorities and
when you plan to work on them. You may also find it relaxing to review the highlights of your day in
If you awake in the middle of the night and have trouble getting back to sleep, sleep experts
recommend getting up, going into another room, and reading something light until you’re drowsy. You
also may need to adjust the temperature of the room. “Most people,” according to the American Medical
Association, “sleep best in a room temperature of 60 to 65 degrees” (p. 21).
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References
Bliss, E.C. (1984). Getting things done. New York, NY: Bantam Books.
Covey, S.R. (1994). First things first: To live, to love, to learn, to leave a legacy.
New York, NY: Simon & Schuster.
Teaching Public Speaking 4e: Part Two
“Rules” for the workplace
Preview
Procedures and rules exist to ensure fairness and professionalism,
and they often alleviate headaches and otherwise simplify your
life. There are other, “unwritten” rules that might also serve you
well. This section examines both.
Where to go with questions about procedures, problems, etc.
If you have a question about a work-related matter, you might look it up for yourself if it is something
that likely is addressed in institutional or departmental guidelines. If questions remain, or if you wish to
Moving your class to a new locale
If you are assigned a classroom that is too cramped or otherwise not well-suited for a class in public
speaking, consult your course director or department’s administrative assistant about how to proceed.
Even if you know of a vacant classroom, it’s best not to move on your own but to work through the
Classroom etiquette
Be a responsible steward of any room you are assigned. Be ever mindful that the room is “yours” only for
one period at a time—not a place to leave things (including postings on a board). And be considerate in
Rosters: More than one will come your way
Teaching Public Speaking 4e: Part Two
Students requesting an unofficial change of section
I do not allow students to attend a section other than that for which they are enrolled. The only exception I
Keep good, intelligible records
Recognize that your grade book and class records are part of the official records of the institution where
you work and, hence, must be completely legible and understandable to anyone who may need to consult
them. I always provide my staff with the following directions for record keeping.
(2) Enter course title, course code, section number, and semester/quarter.
(4) Label each assignment, each exam, and so on, as well as the points possible.
(6) Indicate the total points possible for the semester, total points earned, and percentage.
(8) Note and explain the basis for any penalties administered.
Reporting students’ grades
At midterm and at the end of the semester or quarter, you will be asked to submit grades. Both reports are
important, and your cooperation must be complete. Obviously, the overall grade assigned at the end of the
grade can also serve as a wake-up call.
Grades and other records: They are personal information
Federal law (i.e., the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) protects student confidentiality,
designating that school records will not be made public. To comply with the law (as well as institutional
policies aligned with those laws), I refuse to post any grades or disclose confidential information over the
phone. Students must see me in person to retrieve an item I’ve graded or otherwise find out information
about their performance.
Teaching Public Speaking 4e: Part Two
Taking the burden out of taking attendance
During graduate school, my good friend Leroy Dorsey (now at Texas A&M University) showed me a
great method for taking attendance. It works so well that I continue to use it. Simply set up a sign–in sheet
for students, requiring that they sign their name on a line and then initial, every day, a little box appearing
under the respective date. (I provide a copy of the form at the end of this section.)
The form takes but a few minutes to circulate. When it arrives back to the front, simply draw a slash
Having a problem with a student? Here’s how to proceed.
Should you experience a problem with a student, jot down specific notes about what has transpired and on
what dates and times, and keep a copy of any relevant artifacts. Begin doing so at the first sign of trouble.
If you have to file a formal report, you’ll have the data and notes to work from as you write it up.
Determining speaking order
A number of strategies exist, with no one superior to the other. For example, I simply ask for volunteers
prior to each round and, together, we determine/schedule the order. Some instructors conduct a lottery.
They have each student draw a number. I’ve known instructors who jazz things up by having students
draw from a deck of regular playing cards, reduced to two suits, with one suit predetermined to be first
and the other second. Face cards dominate and aces equal the number one. Hence, if Hearts and Clubs
were used with Hearts designated as first, anyone drawing the King of Hearts would be first to speak,
Teaching Public Speaking 4e: Part Two
Maintaining and Reinforcing a Sense of Speaking Order
On days when students are scheduled to present speeches, I write on the board the names of those
speaking that day in the order they are scheduled. Doing so reinforces a sense of accountability.
When they walk in every day and see the names, they know their name will appear on the board
Putting speakers at ease and conveying our support
On days when students are to speak, I also ready the classroom by making sure all of the needed
A uniform due date for outlines
I always require all formal outlines to be submitted on the first day of a particular round. I explain to
students that it’s the same as the due date for a formal paper in any other class, and since they can’t all
present on the first day, we have to set aside a few more days. This perspective seems to satisfy them,
plus they recognize the fairness issue involved.
Establishing and documenting what is an excused absence
In order to alleviate confusion as well as place the responsibility upon the student who misses class,
devise a form that reiterates your attendance policy, spells out what you will excuse and will not excuse,
and states how a student should proceed to appeal for an excused absence.
Include a quick form for them to complete which specifies the dates involved, the reason for their
absence, a legibly written name of the person providing documentation (e.g., a doctor, a wrecker service,
Teaching Public Speaking 4e: Part Two
Supplies
Departments provide various supplies to assist instructors (e.g., white board marker, gradebook).
Ask what supplies are available for your use and how to proceed when you need something.
Handouts to students
I keep these to a minimum, and what I do provide is done online. Not only do students have a lot to read
already, but I likely can deliver the information more effectively than handing them a printed copy, such
Overhead transparencies and computer-generated slides
I use overhead transparencies when I’m unable to use computer-generated slides. Either of these display
options, though, gives me a number of benefits over using a whiteboard or chalkboard:
(1) It saves class time, because it usually takes me longer to write on the board.
(3) It allows me to face the class while I teach. If I use the board my back is to them.
(5) It doesn’t dirty my hands and get all over my clothes like marker ink or chalk dust does.
(6) Students see that I have prepared carefully for class.
Transparencies and slides not only work well for pre-constructed material, but for brainstorming sessions
Simply use a blank transparency and marker.
Note: Transparencies are easy to make, and most photocopiers or printers can do so these days. Be sure to ask
Canceling class
If you’re sick, have an emergency, or are attending a professional meeting (e.g., a regional or national
convention), you may need to cancel class. In case of the latter, you can plan ahead and arrange for a
Teaching Public Speaking 4e: Part Two
Securing the necessary equipment
If you do not have the luxury of a “smart room” or a room otherwise outfitted with playback equipment
and a setup for videotaping speeches, you’ll need to find out where to schedule the equipment. You’ll
want to get a jump on it early (e.g., before classes begin), so the equipment won’t be scheduled for
Establishing good working relations with support staff
The staff at your media center who oversee scheduling, delivery, and set up of equipment face a lot of
pressures and demands. They may not have enough equipment to go around, they may be short-handed,
and they may not have adequate time between classes to tear down, transport, and set up equipment. Plus,
they’re fighting a lot of foot traffic as students and instructors rush to and fro.
If you try your best to understand their situation, remain cordial, and show your appreciation of them
The golden rule: A timeless (and timely) lesson
Perhaps it’s our postmodern condition that leaves us feeling isolated, even while living in densely
populated communities. I’m no scholar on the subject, but I’ve listened to a few who claim to be, and I’ve
read a few of their works. I find some of it provocative and some of it troubling, especially that which is
presented with a sort of defeatist attitude that we are too disjointed and decentered to ever connect up.
And, ironically, I’ve witnessed some who profess that they understand the various populations they write
about and who claim a desire to reach out to those downtrodden, marginalized individuals but do not
make it a part of their daily habit. For example, I’ve seen them treat waiters and waitresses rudely, and
Teaching Public Speaking 4e: Part Two
Here is a final observation, from Jim Aune (Texas A&M University). In an email to me (which he
granted permission for me to reproduce here), he noted:
The teaching of skills in communication is a PROTEST against the so-called
For reflection: What might happen if you . . .
work hard to keep your office tidy so it’s easier to clean?
dump your trash can for the custodian when he or she comes collecting?
give your custodian a gift certificate to an area diner?
learn your custodian’s name and greet the person every day by name?
learn your custodian’s birthday and include him or her on the departmental
calendar and any birthday celebrations?
“RSVP” in the workplace
“RSVP” means “please reply.” Usually it’s an invitation to an enjoyable, worthwhile event, and the
person extending the invitation is more likely to continue hosting other functions if folks are
conscientious enough to reply.
Personal relationships with students
Most institutions of higher learning advise or even mandate that instructors maintain a professional
relationship with their students and avoid romantic involvement. These guidelines protect both student
and instructor; they safeguard against ethical concerns related to power as well as interpersonal concerns,
Teaching Public Speaking 4e: Part Two
References
Teaching Public Speaking 4e: Part Two
Record of Attendance class ________ semester ________ instructor _________
Name [dates]>