TED Talk Update

Hi everyone! 

It's been a while since I've written any posts. . . School has been super busy as winter break is getting closer and closer. All the teachers want to finish everything before the break. In the meantime, in my Public Speaking class, we've been working on TED talks. But before that, we have to write the speech that goes with it. What do you guys think about the drafts? 

I believe that one of the strengths of my speech is that it a topic that is different and unusual, but still relatable. Travel is something that everyone has done, and the experiences that people gain from travel includes such a large range. For example, everyone can probably think of one trip that they were forced to go on, or was just downright irritating. And because I can help them through their journey, I have caught their attention from the start. Not many people have been lucky enough to to have had the same experiences I had, and learned as much as I did. Going to India, after all, isn't some small task. But because everyone had traveled somewhere, somehow, they can relate to my feelings and thoughts.

One weakness I have in my speech is that the length could turn some people off. Although the material is quite interesting, after a while hearing the same person talk about the same thing, can be a little boring. To try to solve this problem, I think I will try to make my voice, less monotone, and more flowy to keep it more like a conversation than an monologue.

One thing that is pretty easy for me is that I can talk about my travels, very easily because it is something I enjoy very much. Sharing about one of my passions with others is effortless for me when talking causally, but making it seem unrehearsed when actually it is written before is much harder. For this project, we are allowed to use a teleprompter, where the speech will be projected onto the screen in front of us. Our teacher will be the one adjusted the speed of the speech and anything else necessary. When I read my speech with the teleprompter, I didn't realize that the teacher would change the speed according to my pace, so I was trying to keep up with the speech thinking that the teacher would define the pace. That is one think I need to work out; making sure my speech sounds the way I want it to using the teleprompter. 

I learned a lot from watching others read their speeches. Other than the actual content of the speech, the way that they structured their speeches and how they read their speech was very interesting. The structure helped me evaluate if the structure I had, was effective enough for the audience to listen to. Also, the way that the speakers read their speeches made a big difference. The things that they were complimented about and the things they were criticized about help me look at my speech to see how I could improve.  

Well, that's it for this post, I'll see you next time on Internal Utopias!

How to Travel . . . The Right Way

Close your eyes and think of a place that you wish you were at right at this moment. Anyplace in the whole wide world. It could  be somewhere you've been, or somewhere you want to go, but wherever you're thinking of, go to that place. Can you imagine what you're seeing? Think of the food, what you're wearing, who you're with, all of it. It's your happy place. Everyone has one. Stay in your place for one more second. Ok, open your eyes. If I told you that you could actually go to that place, right now, this instant, you would probably have to travel, in a car, on a plane, maybe even on a boat. And that probably seems like such a hassle but that's what you have to do. And it doesn't have to be as bad as you think.

Traveling was a part of my childhood, and it is still a big part of my life today. It has enriched my life and I have learned things about people and places that I wouldn't have learned otherwise. My extended family does not live in the United States, so traveling was the only solution. Imagine spending a full 24 hours or more traveling in airports, airplanes, and whatever is in between. My first plane ride was 18 hours long when I was only six months old. I sat on my parents' laps the whole time, with a special seat belt. I was going to India to see the rest of my family for the first time. To this day, I have been to India eight times, have spent countless hours in planes, and formed a few tips that will make traveling more enjoyable.

My first tip for you is that you should be prepared for anything. And by at I don't just mean delays and cancellations but EVERYTHING.  Both good and bad. Before you leave your house, make sure that you have your tickets, passports, money, travelers checks and anything else you might need. I suggest that making a list will be quite helpful. Also, wear the right kind of clothing. Something comfortable depending on your destination. Then add layers because you never know how cold or warm the stations, airports, planes, and trains may be. Two essential things that serious travelers must have is their own blanket and neck supporter. Both of these things make the experience of sitting down for extended periods of time, more enjoyable and comfortable. Because who actually wants to use airline blankets; they come out of a package for goodness sake. Lastly, know all your information. Be familiar, if not memorize it. Write it down in a few places so if you lose one, you have back-ups. From what platform/terminal you're going to be on, to the airline/train's name, to when you have to be there, it's all important. And don't forget how you're going to get back home.


The last time I went to India, we stopped a few times before we actually got to our destination. We started at Newark International Airport, flew to Brussels, Belgium, then on to New Delhi, India, where we transferred to the domestic terminal, and caught a flight to Cochin, Kerala, India. My home away from home. I made sure that I memorized our route, the airlines, all the essentials. I packed an extra change of clothes in case something happened to what I was wearing. My carry-on was filled with things I could do if a flight was delayed or we had to wait. But I was ready. Being preparing made me feel better and more ready for anything that my journey could throw at me. Preparedness is a vital clue to the secret to a successful and enjoyable trip.

The next tip is that all travelers should stay occupied. During the whole trip, there should never be a dull moment to let your mind wander. Long distance car, train, or even plane trips are the perfect time to catch up on something you've been meaning to do. Whether it's catching up your favorite TV series on Netflix, or reading a good mystery novel, it is essential that you have something to do. There may be time in between connecting flights. Find out how much time you have in advance to help you prepare for the wait. And if you're traveling with companions, make sure they also have something to do, or you will be sorry. Talk to your best friend on the phone, meet some new people at the airport, the list is endless.


During my last trip to India, my family had 10 hours between our two flights. Ten hours to do nothing. We were waiting for my aunt and her family who would accompany us for the rest of the trip. When we arrived at the domestic terminal, we sat down in the entrance area. Let me help you picture it. After walking through the automatic doors, on our left was three to four baggage claims with no baggage and were resting at a stand still. To our right were four long rows of chairs, back to back, made of faux leather with armrests in between each seat. Very long story short, we waited. . . And waited. . .  And waited. We must've waited there for at least four hours doing absolutely nothing. We would look at the clock thinking that it had been at least 45 minutes, only to see it had only been 15. It was torture. We couldn't even sleep; the seats were downright uncomfortable. After 12 hours on plane, all you want is to sleep. Trust me on this one. But, on the way back, we again had 10 hours of break but this time it went much faster. We waited in the new, modern international terminal. We ate food, read books, played on the computer, looked for gifts for our friends, and even slept. When we had to board our flight, I almost didn't want to because the wait was that much fun. Staying occupied is also significant part of really appreciating the voyage to its fullest potential. The 10 hour wait on the way back was also quite long but memorable for a much better reason.
My last tip for  you is to relax and enjoy. Even if you're taking the trip because of business reasons, forget about the business part, if you can, and enjoy the journey. One of my favorite things to do in airports is go window-shopping. The airports are usually a great example of what the culture is like outside the building. The clothes, souvenirs, and anything else found in the shops will probably be new and interesting to anyone looking to explore. Which brings me to another aspect of enjoyment. Food! Although, most airports have your usual, Pizza Hut and such, take a chance and try something new. Because airport is sometimes the only part of the country that visitors see, the people will make sure that only the best is served for their tourists. Sure, you may not like it, but you tried something new, and it may even become a favorite of yours. Another pointer, look out the windows. If you're waiting for your flight to arrive at your terminal, looking out of the window is a great way to lose yourself in the unknown worlds around you. Observe the planes, or people working on the tarmac, or glimpse the city around you. When you're done, with that people watch. Now, I don't be a stalker and stare at people abut casually look at the people walking, and bustling about. Find people who are taking the same trip as you. Make stories about your surroundings. See where your travels take you, meet new people, and just go with flow. Whatever happens, take it in stride, and take it as a blessing.

During that horrid 10 hour wait, I tried to keep enjoying the fact that I was in India. And soon enough I would be home. I ate one of my favorite dishes, dosas, flat, lentil pancakes with chutney and curry. I bought souvenirs for my friends and teachers. I played on the computers that we could use in terminals. I slept. When I looked out of the windows I could faintly see the lights of the capital city of India. When I look back on the wait, now I look back on it fondly. I had fun, that's for sure. Going with the flow took a lot of seriousness off of the experience. There wasn't anything I HAD to do. It was me making the best of a wait that had unpleasant the last time around.

And you see, that's why I enjoy traveling so much. The airports are filled which things to do even though, they are just meant to places to just pass by. Because of airports, I have seen different cultures in person with my own two eyes. I've seen people from the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and who knows where else, speaking their native tongue. Going with the flow has brought to where I am today, both literally and figuratively. As I close today, I would you all to think about a two trips that that you've taken. One you enjoyed, and one you disliked. Now don't think about why you liked or dislikes a trip, but how lucky you were to have taken them. You experienced things that you wouldn't have experienced otherwise. Therefore, they have changed you forever. I leave you with three phrases; Be prepared, Go with the flow, Relax, and Enjoy. Thank you.

The Rough Draft of my TED Talk Speech

Close your eyes and think of a place that you wish you were at right this moment. Anyplace in the whole wide world. It could  be somewhere you've been, or somewhere you want to go, but wherever you're thinking of, go to that place. Can you imagine what you're seeing? Think of the food, what you're wearing, who you're with, all of it. It's your happy place. Everyone has one. Stay in your place for one more second. Ok, open them. If I told you that you could go to that place, right now, this instant, you would probably have to travel, in a car, on a plane, maybe even on a boat. And that probably seems like such a hassle but that's what you have to do. And it doesn't have to be as bad as you think.

Traveling was a part of my childhood, and it is still a big part of my life today. My extended family does not live in the United States, so traveling was the only solution. Imagine spending a full 24 hours or more traveling in airports, airplanes, and whatever is in between. My first plane ride was 18 hours long when I was only six months old. If you were wondering, I sat on my parents' laps the whole time, with a special seat belt. I was going to India to see the rest of my family for the first time. To this day, I have been to India eight times, have spent countless hours in planes, and formed a few tips that will make traveling of any kind more enjoyable.

The first tip that I have for you is that all travelers should stay occupied. During the whole trip, there should never be a dull moment to let your mind wander about how much you hate it. Long distance car, train, or even plane trips are the perfect time to catch up on something you've been meaning to do. Whether it's catching up your favorite TV series on Netflix, or reading a good mystery novel, it is essential that you have something to do. There may be time in between connecting flights. Find out how much time you have in advance to help you prepare for the wait. And if you're traveling with companions, make sure they also have something to do, or you will be sorry. Talk to your best friend on the phone, meet some new people at the airport, the list is endless.

The last time that I went to India, my family had 10 hours between our two flights. Ten hours to do nothing. We were waiting for my aunt and her family who would accompany us for the rest of the trip. After taking the  bus from the international terminal, to the domestic terminal, we sat down in the enterance area. Let me help you picture it. After waiting through the automatic doors, on our left was three to four baggage claims that had no baggage and weren't even moving. To our right were four long rows of chairs, back to back, made of faux leather with arm rests in between each seat. Very long story short, we waited. . . And waited. . .  And waited. We must've waited there for at least four hours doing absolutely nothing. We would look at the clock thinking that it had been at least 45 minutes, only to see it had only been 15. It was torture. We couldn't even sleep; the seats were downright irritating. After 12 hours on plane, all you want is to sleep. Trust me on this one. But, on the way back, we again had 10 hours of break but this time it went much faster. We waited in the new, modern international terminal. We ate food, read books, played on the computer, looked for gifts for our friends, and even slept. When we had to board our flight, I almost didn't want to because the wait was so much fun.

My next tip for you is that you ships be prepared for anything. And by at I don't just mean delays and cancellations but EVERYTHING.  Both good and bad. Before you leave your house, make sure that you have your tickets, passports, money, travelers checks and anything else you might need. I suggest that making a list will b quite helpful. Wear the right kind of clothing. Something comfortable depending on your destination. Then add layers becuase you never know how cold or warm the stations, airports, planes, and trains may be. This way you can take off or put on layers depending on your conditions. Two essential things that serious travelers must have is their own blanket and neck supporter. Both of these things make the experience of sitting down for extended periods of time, more enjoyable and comfortable. Because who actually wants to use hate airlanes blankets; they come out of a package for goodness sake. Lastly, know all your information. Be familiar, if not memorize it. Write it down in a few places so if you lose one, you have back-ups. From what platform/terminal you're going to be on, to the airline/train's name, to when you have to be there, it's all important. And don't forget how you're going to get back home.

During my last trip to India, we stopped a few times before we actually got to our destination. We started at Newark International Airport, flew to Brussels, Belgium, then on to New Delhi, India, where we transferred to the domestic terminal, and caught a flight to Cochin, Kerala, India. My home away from home. I made sure that I memorized our route, the airlines, all the essentials. It's made me feel more prepared for the trip. I also packed an extra change of clothes in case something happened to what I was wearing. And I was ready. My carry-on was filled with things I could do if a flight was delayed or we had 2 wait. And this could apply with car rides, train trips, and even boat rides.

My last tip for  you is to relax and enjoy. Even if you're taking the trip becuase of business reasons, forget about the business part, if you can, and enjoy the journey. One of my favorite things to do in airports is go window-shopping. The airports are usually a great example of what the culture is like outside the building. The clothes, souvenirs, and anything else found in the shops willrobably be new and interesting to anyone looking to waste some time. Which brings me to another aspect of enjoyment. Food! Although, most airports have your usual, Pizza Hut and such, take a chance and try something new. Because airport is sometimes the only part of the country that visitors see, the people will make sure that only the best is served for their tourists. Sure, you may not like it, but you tried something new, and it may even become a favorite of yours. Another pointer, look out the windows. If you're waiting for your flight to arrive at your terminal, looking out of the window is a great way to lose yourself in the unknown worlds around you. Observe the planes, or people working on the tarmac, or glimpse the city around you. When you're done, with that people watch. Now, I don't be a stalker and stare at people abut casually look at the people walking, and bustling about. Find people who are taking the same trip as you. Make stories about your surroundings. See where your travels take you, meet new people, and just go with flow. Whatever happens, take it in stride, and take it as a blessing.

During that horrid 10 wait, I tried to keep enjoying the fact that I was in India. And soon enough I would be home. I ate one of my favorite dishes, dosas, flat, lentil pancakes with chutney and curry. I bought sovineers for my friends and teachers. I played on the computers that we could use in terminals. I slept. When I looked out of the windows I could faintly see the lights of the capital city of India. When I look back on the wait, now I look back on it fondly. I had fun, that's for sure. And you see, that's why I enjoy traveling so much. The airports are filled which things to do even though, they are just meant to places to just pass by. Because of airports, I have seen different cultures in person with my own two eyes. I've seen people from the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and who knows where else, speaking their native tongue. Going with the flow has brought to where I am today, both literally and figuratively. As I close today, I would you all to think about a two trips that that you've taken. One you enjoyed, and one you disliked. Now don't think about why you liked or dislikes a trip, but how lucky you were to have taken them. You experienced things that you wouldn't have experienced otherwise. Therefore, they have changed you forever. I leave you with three phrases; Go with the flow, Relax, and Enjoy. Thank you.

Researching Hard for TED

Hey Everyone!

For the rest of my public speaking class, we will be working on writing, and presenting TED talks. These talks will be our final project so we are spending a lot of time on them. The first step in this process is to research our topic. If you didn’t know, I chose to talk about how to travel. . . the right way. We learned that it can be very hard to find credible sites using Google. One of the resources that our school is paying for are the databases. These sites are managed by trustworthy people in the industry who can ensure that all the information is correct and up to date. I used these as my main source.

The first database I went to was CQ Researcher. I found two main articles that were useful to my topic. The first article was about the future of airlines in general. It gave me statistics about how many people are using the airlines today and how that will change. According to Peter Katel, “U.S. airlines alone flew 770 million passengers during the 12 months ending Nov. 30, 2007 — a 3 percent increase over the previous year. The total is expected to reach 1 billion annually by 2015.” (Katel). Although these number are a little old, they are still significant and relevant enough to use. Another interesting fact that I found was the following; "The Department of Transportation's inspector general reported to Congress last September that nearly 3.7 million passengers on 54,000 flights during the first seven months of 2007 had experienced runway delays on departure or arrival of one to five hours or more, an increase of 42 percent over the same period in 2006" (Katel). This will also help my talk because I can go on to talk about how to handle this situation and prepare for it, so it might even be an enjoyable experience.

In that same database, I found another article titled "Airline Safety" by Richard L. Worsnop. This article also included some interesting facts. The first one I found was that "From 1979 to 1992, according to NTSB figures, the annual number of takeoffs increased from 2.8 billion to 4.6 billion. Over the same period, the annual accident rate averaged .0012 accidents per million miles -- less than half the .0028 rate in the 14 years prior to deregulation" (Worsnop). Personally, I like the first sentence a little better than the second sentence, as to not bring a sense of worry to the listeners, but they are both good ways to prove a point.

In the other database, Grolier Online, I found similar statistics that both kind of old and helpful to prove a point. Another thing I searched for, was travel blogs. On these blogs I found tips and pointers that could help travellers. I got some ideas from these blogs as well as a good perspective on the topic from people who like to call themselves experts. I also enlisted my family to give me some tips that they would recommend to travelers. I tweaked and chose certain tips that I really liked. When I presented the research I had to the class, they also gave me some help.They recommended a book titled Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest by Cheryl Strayed. It is about the author who hiked the whole Pacific Trail alone. She learned a lot about herself, her life and how she was going to live it. I haven’t read the book yet, but I aim to read, at the very least, certain parts. I’m can’t wait to see how my TED talk turns out and I’ll keep you updated. See you next week!

A Review of a TED Talk

http://youtu.be/93aYN-SSd_w

Examples of Citations

BOOK:

• Dick, Ron, and Dan Patterson. Aviation Century Wings of Change. Erin, Ont.: Boston Mills, 2005. Print.

LIBRARY DATABASES:

• "airport." Encyclopaedia Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica Online Academic Edition. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2014. Web. 07 Nov. 2014. <http://academic.eb.com/EBchecked/topic/11049/airport>.
• Katel, Peter. "Future of the Airlines." CQ Researcher 7 Mar. 2008: 217-40. Web. 7 Nov. 2014.

ARTICLE:

"Sub Navigation." Fact Sheet: Economic & Social Benefits of Air Transport. IATA, June 2014. Web. 05 Nov. 2014.

Four Possible TED Talks Topics

1. Being Town Scholar
2. Playing an Instrument 
3. Private School vs. Public School
4. How to Travel. . . The Right Way

A Must-Watch TED Talk

http://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story#t-1114035

This TED talk was one of the most interesting and compelling out of all that the ones that I watched today. It's about a Nigerian woman named Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie who, throughout her life, gets told stories about the herself and the world around her. She learns about how others see her because of the stories they have been told and the danger of a single story. When she is speaking, she talks with such emotion that you must pay attention. She talks with confidence and clarity. She knows exactly what she's talking about and how to project that to the audience so they can understand her message. Her speaking is exemplary and her writing was of the top quality.

Goals: Old Accomplished & New Discovered

Hey Everyone!

Happy Halloween!

My first marking period ends on Halloween so this week has been pretty busy, despite the fact that there was no school on Monday or Tuesday. . . But we’ll leave that aside!

This week, we have to write about the goals that we set for ourselves at the beginning of the class. Remember that very first blog post where I told you about three songs and three goals? If you don’t remember, my goals were to be able to know how to act and speak when in front of a crowd, to look and be more confident when speaking in front of people and for this blog to be interesting for others.

This marking period, was a really successful one, in my opinion. I think that my presence when I’m on up on the podium is really starting to show through. When I watch over my past videos, I can really tell that towards the end of the process of learning, memorizing, and presenting each type of speaking, it gets better and better. I can tell when I got more confident and started to think about things other than just the memorization. But, I have noticed that when I haven’t really gotten to that comfortable stage, and even sometimes when I have, I start to fidget with my sleeve or something. That is one big thing that is taking away from my first goal, to know how to act in front of an audience. The fidgeting really gives away to the listeners that the speaker is kind of nervous. I think that I improved on the confidence level because once I got the hang of the poem or the monologue, I was able to relax a little more on stage. Another improvement was that adapting and trying to change through the comments of my teacher and classmates. They really helped me in many ways. They were the ones, who because they were having a hard time just like me, made me feel more comfortable in what I was doing. Their feedback really helped as well to improve and continue on with my learning.

For the next marking period, I want to work on my memorization of the speaking that we will be doing. I want to try to memorize my part faster, so I have more time to work on the other aspects of it, such as emotion, expression, and body language. In this marking period, I want to try to work on the speaking at home more, so I have that much more practice with the material. Another goal I want to accomplish is that I want to try some speaking parts that are slightly out of my comfort zone. This will help me when I have to talk about things I don’t really want to talk about. Taking myself out of my comfort zone will bring me to another whole level in terms of challenging myself. It would be harder to even choose topics to speak about. But I will take that challenge. I hope that I will be able to accomplish all of these goals in addition to maintaining the ones I have already achieved. . . Wish me luck!

Debates: Video Games & Homework

Hey y'all!
This week, in class, we are going to be working on debates. To prepare for the debates coming up, we had to research both pros and cons about each of the two topics. The first is 'homework should be banned' and the other is that 'video games are too violent.'

The first topic, about homeworkers being banned something that I know a lot about, considering that I have to do it everyday. But, I don't know if homework itself should be banned. One good thing about homework is that the students can really tell if they know the material without the teacher's help; it's a good test. Another good thing is that homework could be used to go ahead in the material, while class time is used to understand what is going on during the homework. "According to Cooper’s much-cited review of homework studies, there have been 20 studies since 1962 that compared the achievement of students who received homework and achievement of students who did not. Results are that 14 of the studies showed benefit in doing homework, while 6 did not." (4) On the other hand, the students get more practice with the material taught in class.  Another point is that if there is no homework, kids will be wasting their time watching TV, or getting into trouble. Also, homework teaches time management. When there is a lot of homework, the student s need to know how to get all of it done. That is a skill that will be used for the rest of their lives and all kids need to know how to use it. But too much homework can be a bad thing. Nowadays, kids have so many after school activities, that homework can only get done late at night, so time that should be spent sleeping is spent doing work. "'Kids are at school 7 or 8 hours a day. That’s a full working day and why should they have to take work home?” said education expert Etta Kralovec told Today.'" (2) Home work can cause a lot of stress especially at the young age when kids start to get overwhelmed. Another thing is that once you're behind, it's very hard to catch because the students have to do the current homework as well as the past assignments. In most classes, homework is worth only a small part of the grades, so taking it out would not be a big deal. "In his book The Homework Myth, Kohn points out that no study has ever found a correlation between homework and academic achievement in elementary school, and there is little reason to believe that homework is necessary in high school." (3)  Lastly, the free time can be used for something useful, such  as learning something new, being with friends, or even sleeping. "Half of kids in grades 7-12 spend one hour or more on homework on a typical weekday, compared to just over one third of kids in grades 3-6, according to a 2007 Metlife study." (1) And this is only an average. On some days, it could be much more than an hour going up to 2 or even three hours spent solely on homework. Now, how much it is benefiting the kids, you be the judge.

The next topic is about video games being too violent. Many games today involve much violence with the goal to kill or hurt or hunt down others. After a while, the kids will start think that violence like this is ok and 'normal'. Children start to lose their empathy for those who are dead and dying. Because have seen so many deaths in their games, they believe at it's not as bad as it is. They may even think that they get a second chance like they do in the games. Studies show that there is more aggression in the people who play violent video games on  a daily basis. "These actions or gestures are stored in their memories and children do feel the urge to try them out in their real lives on their siblings and in school, thus increasing the bullying tendencies." (6) Ninety-seven percent of children have played violent video games before. As technology is advancing, so are the video games. The blood and gore are more and more realistic. As children play these games everyday, make a them seem as not a big deal.. Just something that can be done over. The games could also scare some, as they get more and more real and 3-D. On the other hand, these games could be merely be a good way to let out some stress. Some might say it is better to let anger out on virtual beings, than human ones. Another thing that these games are very realistic, giving the children a good idea of what real warfare is like. It gives them a taste of what the real world is like. "Even in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or depression, researchers found there was no evidence to suggest the games had a negative effect upon their personality." (7) A third point is that the parent should teach
their children right from wrong. The  parents should be watching over the children to make sure they know what is good and bad. "For children who do play video games, it is more important to monitor the content than it is to set time limits, Murphy says." (5) The rating on  the boxes of the videos games itself should also be followed. If  the box says that the game is meant for teens, only teens should be playing them.


1). http://parade.condenast.com/337259/linzlowe/weigh-in-should-schools-ban-homework-altogether/
2). http://parade.condenast.com/337259/linzlowe/weigh-in-should-schools-ban-homework-altogether/
3). http://www.education.com/magazine/article/The_Homework_Debate/
4). https://schools-education.knoji.com/should-homework-be-banned/
5). http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/AmericanFamily/story?id=12662
6). http://www.dawn.com/news/1061850
7). http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2403032/Violent-video-games-like-Grand-Theft-Auto-DONT-harm-children--therapeutic.html

Or

Six Engaging Debate Topics

1).   Year round education is not a good idea for student learning.

2).   Students should not be graded on their handwriting.

3).   Parents should be allowed to choose their baby's gender.

4).   Smoking should be illegal.

5).   Every student should be required to take a performing arts course.

6).   The US Government should fund a space mission to Mars.

A Reflection on Spoken Word Poetry

Hello Everyone!

In my class, we have been working on presenting spoken word poetry. We had to choose a poem, find music to go with the words, memorize it, and then present it with the class. As usual, all the elements of public speaking needed to be on point. My poem is part of my last blog post, so you should go check it out!

One important thing that I learned about how and when to pause when you're speaking. In a poem, it's especially important because the pauses are how the audience knows when you're starting or ending a new paragraph or topic. In other types of public speaking, the pauses are useful  when the speaker wants to transition into a new subject. It helps the audience. Some of the most effective performances were the ones that had music that went well with the poem. The music really added to what the speaker was saying. For example, Jade's music was from Harry Potter, but it worked very well with his poem. The music rose and fell according to the words of the poem. It added to the emotion to the piece. When the speakers used hand gestures or facial expressions, it helped to understand the meaning of the poem. The speed of the poem, and in turn, the music was also a big factor. The faster the poem, the more risk there is for the speaker to talk too fast, making it harder for the audience to enjoy the performance. It was harder for the people were trying to convert song lyrics into a poem, because the beat of the song's music is always in your head.

My poem, was about a woman who was bringing water back to her village in Africa. I think that one of the things I did well, was finding music that would for my theme. I found some instrumental music on YouTube that was perfect. According to the feedback given by my classmates, the music added another level to the performance. Another thing that I thought I did well, was the speed. Because the music was slower, it was easier to keep speaking at a more understandable pace. The main thing that I improved on as the learning process went was the memorization of the poem itself. That was one of the most difficult parts of the process for me. It was harder for me to keep it in my head while, I was actually presenting it, because if I got distracted, I would forget the whole  thing.  But, I feel that the time it took for me to memorize the poem was much less than the last time. It was easier for me. The parts that I believe I need to work on are adding emotion and memorization. These two hard areas can hopefully be achieved through practice and experience.

Hope you enjoyed my poem and see you later!

My Spoken Word Poem

http://youtu.be/IG5SD9dprHM

Her Head

Joan Murray

Near Ekuvukeni,
in Natal, South Africa,
a woman carries water on her head.
After a year of drought,
when one child in three is at risk of death,
she returns from a distant well,
carrying water on her head.

The pumpkins are gone,
the tomatoes withered,
yet the woman carries water on her head.
The cattle kraals are empty,
the goats gaunt-
no milk now for children,
but she is carrying water on her head.

The engineers have reversed the river:
those with power can keep their power,
but one woman is carrying water on her head.
In the homelands, where the dusty crowds
watch the empty roads for water trucks,
one woman trusts herself with treasure,
and carries water on her head.

The sun does not dissuade her,
not the dried earth that blows against her,
as she carries the water on her head.
In a huge and dirty pail,
with an idle handle,
resting on a narrow can,
this woman is carrying water on her head.

This woman, who girds her neck
with safety pins, this one
who carries water on her head,
trusts her own head to bring to her people
what they need now
between life and death:
She is carrying them water on her head.

Two Poems I Enjoyed

My Take on This Week's Monologues

Hello Everyone!

This past week, during my public speaking class, we were working on presenting monologues. We had to find a monologue, memorize it, and then present it to the whole class with diction and articulation, and all those things I talked about in my previous blog post. We had to post ours on our blogs so if you want to see it, scroll down a little more (after you finish reading). Everyone had to listen to everyone else's and give feedback and I think that giving feedback to others and received others' feedback really helped my performance. Personally, I chose a monologue from the movie Ratatouille, when the critic tastes foods and writes a review about it the next day.

One monologue that I particularly liked was that of My. Her monologue was about a woman who had turned to hurting people because of how the ones that she cared about the most didn't care about her in the same way. My really got into the character of this woman who didn't want to be evil. Her expressions and the words she emphasized were perfect for her character. Another thing I liked was that she stepped forward one step for each person that she killed. She kept my attention throughout her monologue because of the fact that she embodied the character so much. You could tell that she really memorized the lines and understood how to speak them effectively. In conclusion, what makes a monologue successful is that the speaker has to really understand the person who they are trying to speak as and deliver their monologue with clearly and fluently.

On the other hand, my monologue wasn't as good as My's, but I believe that it was successful. I memorized most of the lines, even if I needed someone to start the sentence. One thing I believe I did well was that, the words I did remember were clear and easy to understand because of my good diction and articulation. Most words were pronounced clearly and sharply. One thing that I thought I should, improve on is that I thought that I could add more emotion to the piece especially towards the end when the speaker is so impressed with the food. I think that one thing that I improved on during the learning process was the spacing and pausing of the words and the sentences. This helped the audience be able to understand me better. If I had had more time, I would have definitely worked on adding more emotion to parts that needed it. The act of a critic was hard for me to embody and really represent.

Thanks for reading and see you next week!

My Public Speaking Monologue

http://youtu.be/mLHFvMt-sTM

A Few New Discoveries

Hello Everyone!

How was your week? How was school? Work? Play? My week consisted of going to school, going to volleyball practice, doing homework, eating, and most importantly, sleeping! ;)

Look, I promised you guys that if I found out why I'm blogging my 'Public Speaking' class, I would tell you. My teacher wrote down the answer on my rubric and even brought it up in class. She says, "The skills you will practice in written communication (blogging) will carry over to oral communication and performance." This means that if I talk well through my blog, I'll soon become a better public speaker. (Or so she says).

This week, I will teach you guys some of the things that I learned during the my Public Speaking classes. By the end of the this, maybe I'll interest you to take a speaking class yourself.

First, we learned about articulation and diction, which is the way a speaker would pronounce the words so the listeners could understand them well. This would be done by making sure that certain letters, like t, are pronounced well. This is important because we've all listened to that one teacher that is never understandable. Because you can never understand the teacher, learning is harder in that subject, as well as your interest in that subject goes down.

Another important pair is audience and purpose. Audience is who you're are speaking to, and purpose is why you're speaking to them. These two concepts go hand-in-hand because your speech could change based who and why you're speaking. We did this activity in class one day where we had to write tow paragraphs. One to our parents trying to convince them to let us go on a school trip to Puerto Rico, and a second trying to convince your best friend to go on the same trip. We learned that our language was really different. When it was our parents, we were formal and stated reasons such as, 'educational' and 'constant supervision' while when we were talk to our friends, we were much more casual and said reasons such as 'lots of fun' and 'no parents.'

A third group of important terms include projection and delivery. These words talk about how you present your speech. Projection is making sure that you're facing the audience with good posture to make sure that the guy in the last row can hear you're words clearly. Delivery is if you make an accent or the expressions on your face or where your arms and legs. Both of these things are so important because if they are done wrong can be distracting to the audience.

I hope you learned something through this preview to public speaking. As many people know, public speaking is a skill that everyone should master because it is necessary in all occupations. From doctors, to truck drivers, everyone needs to speak. So next you have a choice, take the public speaking class. . . You never know what you might learn!

 

Three Songs & Three Goals

Hi Everyone!
My name is Nadya and I'm going to be very honest with you: I've never done something like this before. And I wasn't planning on ever doing something like this.

So, here's the story. This semester, I'm taking a Public Speaking class and as an assignment, I have to keep a blog. Even though I don't understand why or how this helps me speak, I'll go with it. (If I ever find out why I'm doing this, I'll let you guys know ;)

For my first blog post, I'm going to choose three songs that represent me and my life as well as some of my goals for this so-called 'public speaking' class.

Song Number One: Hall of Fame by The Script
http://youtu.be/mk48xRzuNvA

This song really blows me away for a few reasons. Firstly, the topic. Nowadays all the songs on the radio are about love, or some other sappy topic. This is about something that all people can relate to. I mean, who doesn't want to be in the Hall of Fame. This song really empowers me as well with the strong beat and understandable lyrics that just make you wanna sing along. (Don't worry, I've done it too...). This song represents me in that of my dreams. Now, I don't know if I necessarily want to be in an actual hall of fame, but I do want to be known for whatever I plan to do in the future. I want to accomplish my dreams and go above and beyond with everything else.

Song Number Two: Bol Chuidyan
http://youtu.be/i1871tJgCT4

You've probably never heard of this song by the title. If you actually watched the video before reading this, you probably didn't understand it either. That's because it's in Hindi, the main language of India. This brings me to my culture. Although, I am an American citizen, I am deep-rooted in my heritage as I am from India. This song is from a movie that I have watching many, many times and I will watch it many more times. It represents my past, and my culture. I am blessed to be Indian, and so thankful that I am. It has taught me so many things, and it will continue to for the rest of my life.

Song Number Three: Brave by Sara Bareilles
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyAfjUHlFSM

Personally, I really love  the message in this song. It's about how someone wants to see the real person inside someone.   I connect with this song so much because I'd like to see the real person inside everyone I meet. I'd love to have this whole world be nonjudgmental, but that's just human nature, I guess. This relates to me because I try to make sure to be the of person that people can trust and want to be around. I want to make sure no has to be brave, it just comes naturally. It also reminds me to be whoever I want to be, no matter what others say.



Goals for my Public Speaking class:

Number One: To be able to know how to act and speak when in front of a crowd

Number Two: To look and be more confident when speaking in front of people

Number Three: For this blog to be interesting for others!

A Quote that Struck Me

Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning. 

–Gloria Steinem