I Was a Teacher. So Why Was I Afraid of Public Speaking?

By John Vanderpool

Public speaking can be frightening. I know because I've experienced that fear myself. And what might surprise people who knew me years ago is that I was a teacher.

I could stand comfortably before a classroom of young men and women, explain a lesson, answer questions, and carry on without much difficulty. But put me in front of a group of adults in a different setting, and suddenly things weren't quite so comfortable.

I could still speak, and I did. But the confidence I had in the classroom didn't seem to follow me into those other situations.

I've given that some thought over the years.

As a teacher, I had a subject to teach. I knew what I was expected to cover, and I could prepare accordingly. The classroom gave me a familiar setting in which to do something I knew how to do.

Speaking to adults outside that environment was different. I might have to decide what to talk about, organize my thoughts, and present them without the structure I'd grown accustomed to.

And that led me to something I've always believed:

I've come to recognize that if I want to become more comfortable speaking publicly, I need to prepare for it.

That doesn't mean memorizing a long speech for every possible occasion. It means having a few subjects I'm comfortable discussing and being ready to share my thoughts when the opportunity arises.

Here's the approach I intend to take:

• Choose familiar subjects. Start with something I know well enough to discuss comfortably.
• Prepare an opening. Have a few sentences ready so I'm not struggling to find a place to begin.
• Be ready to elaborate. Once I've started, draw on my knowledge and experience to develop the conversation.

Even when an invitation to speak comes unexpectedly, having something prepared may make the experience less intimidating.

I've reached a stage in life when I can look back at experiences like these and recognize things I'd like to do differently.

I haven't forgotten how to speak before an audience. I did it throughout my teaching career. What I want now is to become more comfortable speaking in situations that once made me uneasy.

And I don't believe it's too late to work on that.

Perhaps public speaking makes you uncomfortable, too. You may have something worthwhile to say but hesitate when an opportunity presents itself.

My suggestion is simple: begin with something you know, prepare what you want to say, and give yourself an opportunity to say it.

You may discover, as I have, that the ability was there all along. What you needed was a little more preparation and the willingness to try.