Tutor Testimony: Rachel
I have always been a confident public speaker. I will always choose a presentation as my final deliverable for a class. My confidence in public speaking is high and sometimes can blind me from my own errors.
Last fall, I took a Law and Society course on Bioethics. I was fascinated to learn about different bioethical issues, specifically transplant organs, abortion, and criminal genetic studies. The topic I was most interested in was screening for autism during pregnancy. I have always been passionate about disability rights as I volunteer with Special Olympics, am secretary of UMD Best Buddies, and have many friends with intellectual developmental disorders like autism. This topic naturally caught my attention.
I selected screening for autism during pregnancy as my final topic and began researching the court cases, journal articles, and ultimately crafting my presentation. I became confident in my information and the knowledge I had to share. Finally, it was presentation day.
I had watched some of the other presentations and thought, wow, I can do this! These presentations are good, but I know mine is great. I was prepared to present with few notes and a more conversational approach. While I presented, my classmates looked invested and interested in what I was talking about. I felt confident and comfortable babbling about this topic I had a wealth of knowledge on.
When I finished presenting, I felt satisfied with my presentation and eager to know how I did. On my way home from class, I got a grade notification. I opened my phone and saw my grade… “B.” I was so confused I thought I knocked it out of the park. A “B” is a good grade, but I have always been great at presentations. I was frustrated. What had I done wrong?
At the end of the school year, I talked to my professor and reflected on my project. I told her I was confused by my performance, I knew the content, and I had always been a good presenter. She responded with some of the most helpful advice I have ever received.
My professor said that as a college student, I constantly speak with friends at a fast pace, trying to fit in the next word. You must use words like: ‘like,’ ‘so,’ and ‘uh’ to fill in gaps when talking so fast. She noticed I did not change my pace or talk slower to avoid those filler words in my presentation.
With my aspirations to be a lawyer in mind, my professor said I should work on ‘code-switching’ in a sense between social speak and professional speak when I am presenting or am in a legal conversation, using filler words, specifically ‘like,’ will take away from my credibility.
She was right. I was less credible in my presentation using filler words. Even though I felt confident about the material and the presentation, my verbiage did not reflect that. I felt my ‘B’ was more deserved.
Now, as a tutor at the Oral Communications Center, I work to improve my use of filler words and the OCC clients' usage. I work every day to sound more professional. I want to be a strong and convincing lawyer one day. Starting small with the way I speak and present myself will help me gain confidence and credibility in the future. With that said, with my friends, I will proudly let my ‘likes’ and ‘umms’ fly.