Digital Presentation Skills - ONLINE
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Taught by Jen Brown
I’m Jen Oleniczak Brown, the Founder of The Engaging Educator. In 2012, I was wrapping up a degree in art history at City College, and I realized that I strangely missed doing improv.
It had been part of my life since I was 15, and I missed the quick on the spot decisions, the heightened reality and the practice! I was working in museums with non-actors and my bosses kept telling me how good I was at pivoting and rolling with the audience, as well as how great my public speaking skills were. A quick whim got me to list a few public classes online, and turns out, a lot of people struggled with flexibility, quick thinking, responding in a thoughtful manner, active listening and more – cue The Engaging Educator.
Over the next few years, I saw more and more connections to improv and communication skills – specifically active listening and responding, as well as public speaking, improv and interpersonal skills – specifically empathy and connection. All of these new connections went into class development, which is actually one of my favorite things to do. You see, one of the founding principles of EE is the idea and importance of continuing education, and that isn’t just for you, it’s for us! Our curriculum and guiding ideas are always changing. Over the past few years, we’ve taken our public classes and workshops and leveled them up to online programming with Skillshare, learning materials through the Center for Creative Leadership’s Improvisational Insights Card Deck and a book, Think on Your Feet: Tips and Tricks to Improve Your Impromptu Communication Skills, with McGraw Hill Education, released November 8, 2019.
EE doesn’t stop with our classes and materials – we’ve grown the idea to a women’s collaborative collective in Winston Salem, NC called Fearless Winston Salem, last year I coached 100 Women for 100 Hours and am currently working on projects to help moms, encourage women to take their space, and a nationwide women-owned business directory that is free to use and be part of, leveling the playing field for all women.
Please note, this is a live Zoom class. Your Zoom Meeting Room code will be sent prior to class. 8-10 students max
Feel like a Muppet from the Muppet Show, in your ‘lil box, trying to be heard?
We’re going to be in the land of online public speaking, presenting and communicating for a while – whether that means leading a meeting, speaking up in a group, giving a talk or delivering a one on one conversation. Public speaking is ALREADY feared more than death. We spend so much time preparing WHAT we are going to say that we fail to focus on the HOW. What does it take to make wooing a crowd look easy?
And even if you don’t fear public speaking – are you good at it, or have you had an audience look through you? And what do we do now that we’re online?
In the age of COVID, our communications have moved online, and this interactive and feedback-heavy class responds to the need – we’ll start by setting up your shot. Are you well lit? Do you look like you’re talking down at your audience or connecting with them? Then, we’ll think about what you’re saying and how you’re saying it. We get most of our meaning from our body language and cadence…what happens when you’re just a Brady Bunch Head?
Public speaking used to be accepted as a difficult skill possessed by and necessary for only a select few professions. All that has quickly changed over the past decade. TED Talks, once an exclusive closed room conference has become mainstream and watched by millions. Today, whatever your profession, the ability to stand in front of an audience and express your ideas and accomplishments, is not just admired but expected.
In this class, you’ll learn basic presentation skills essential to being a more interesting, present, and focused speaker. We’ll practice activities and learn warm-ups that will not only build confidence but address that fear of public speaking and begin to teach the skills necessary to become an engaging speaker.
Participants will need access to a computer and Zoom. You are welcome to be “on camera” as well (come as you are! We’ll be in yoga pants, most likely!). If you’re uncomfortable on camera, you’re welcome to participate via audio connection. This class is led by our Founder, Jen Brown.
