The Student Perspective: Day Four from Auden Healey

THE PROTOCOL SCHOOL OF WASHINGTON: DAY FOUR September 29, 2014 Today I attended SpeakersTrainingCamp taught by Sue Gaulke. Sue really embodies what she teaches: engaging, effective public speaking. We learned that there are different times throughout the day when we present ourselves to others, for example when leading a meeting, conducting training and in everyday informal situations. We learned that audiences prefer enthusiasm and passion in a speaker and they dislike a monotone voice.

To practice our speaking skills, we each gave a 30-second filmed presentation. Mine was about my Cardigan Welsh Corgis (check out their Instagram @thecardigancorgis)! Seeing yourself on video is really the best way to learn what you like and what you can work on in your speaking. I was excited to get Sue’s feedback and she helped me improve my gestures and voice projection. She also stressed the importance of eye contact with individuals in your audience, rather than choosing a point on the wall, which is what I had previously learned. Sue has already made me a better speaker! 

Auden Healey