Improving your ability to effectively work alone or in groups is a life-long challenge.  Explaining or presenting your ideas in a calm and poised way is a critical skill that even the best presenters continually seek to improve. Asserting that you have valuable contributions is essential to personal and professional success, yet the fears associated with public speaking often silence those who have great ideas, suggestions or feedback.  

Read New Yorker Article What's Behind Stagefright? - The New Yorker. linked to this assignment. This article describes and explores the paralyzing fear many performers feel before they go before the public.  This assignment asks you to reflect upon how in the past have you have dealt with similar high stress experiences that impair your performance. Then briefly explore what you think you need to do to improve your performance.. 

Please use the prompts below to guide you in your written response. 

Does stage fright cause you to avoid certain activities, E.g. Socializing, public speaking, sharing ideas, making suggestions etc. Compare your experiences with those described by Joan Acocella in this reading.

Vividly describe a memorable moment of stage fright in or out of school you've experienced and explain how it affected you.  How have you resolved to more effectively contend with these types of situations in the future?.

What do you think causes your stage fright? Is it a fear of being judged, failure, embarrassment, language skills, shyness or something else.

How can we in your classroom community make it easier for you to fully participate.