Blog 11 - Lesson 1 Reflection

1. What are you most proud of in your lesson, and why?

I'm proud of the content that I introduced in my lesson. Sort of. I think that, for the most part, what I talked about didn't completely bore the audience-- which is always quite relieving. I like seeing nodding heads during my presentation. That always gives me a little bit of confidence. 

Mostly, however, I'm proud of my content because it's something that I'm passionate about-- maybe I'm proud of it for all the wrong reasons, then, but I think I was able to transfer some of that passion into my delivery (hopefully). And in doing so, I think I was able to keep the audience's attention for a longer period of time. 

I'm also sort of proud of the fact that, upon realizing a mistake I made mid-way through my presentation, I didn't trip over my words or give the audience any signs that something was bothering me. Hopefully. I'll go into detail on that in my answer three in this blog entry, to avoid needless repetition. Anyway, I'm always a tiny bit proud of myself when I can recover from my mistakes; while I do find some shame in them, you can't put yourself down for them forever. Better to work past it and learn to accept it. 

2. What assessment would you give yourself on your lesson? Explain why you earned that grade using evidence from the component contract.

I think, based on how I performed and the information I presented, I got a P-- definitely not on the higher end, more towards the middle and lower end. I did nothing special or spectacular, so I really don't think I'm deserving of an any grade above that. I presented my research clearly, cited my sources (including my interview and mentorship), and presented a portion of the information that gathered throughout my research over the span of the last three months.

I think in terms of my presence, and not my content, I struggled a bit with eye contact. While I tried to make meaningful eye contact with members of the audience throughout the presentation, I found myself staring more towards the back of the audience than the front. I'd like to be more inclusive of my entire audience next time. As for volume, I think I hit that well enough-- volume is typically never an issue for me, as I know how to control my voice well, for the most part. It helps that I'm on the louder side, naturally, to begin with. 



3. If you could go back, what would you change about your lesson?  How can you use that knowledge to give a better Lesson 2?

I'm aware that I forgot small pieces of my presentation for a moment, so I really wish I could go back and give myself a reminder of some sort (e.g. write it out on a sticky note, my lesson plan, etc.) to ensure that I wouldn't forget to mention a certain piece of information that I really wanted to share.

(Upon realizing that I forgot something, I felt an extreme heat rise up to my face. I don't think anyone noticed. It's a good thing I'm brown.)

Knowing that, for Lesson 2, I would use this knowledge to protect myself against future forgetfulness in the future.  For the future, I'd like to know my subject and presentation content so well, it's practically ingrained in my mind. Woven in so deeply, it'd be a crime to forget about any of my lecture content. That's the plan, at least. If things go my way, all will be well.