Advanced Public Speaking

Because I have a background in professional speaking from working as a spokesperson for a nonprofit to being the salesperson who spoke at Walmart corporate offices, I have a very unique and applied approach to public speaking. The advanced class is where I take the students from being good speakers to being professional speakers that could be paid to speak and write professionally.

I had several students come to me asking me for help. They told me that they had job interviews that included them flying to the business location and giving a speech about why they were a good fit for the company. After extensive research, I found that there were not any tips about how to succeed at this type of speech. An idea was born.

Because of the hole in our curriculum in this area, I created a project where students have to research a company and then fine-tune their skills to apply to that company. They give a speech on what skills they have to offer to that company and why they are a good fit. I expanded the assignment to include graduate school interviews, high-level internships, and I even have a customizable section to fit  the unique needs of different students. The results have been amazing! My students have explored what it means to be a professional and are focusing on how they can apply their skills to different circumstances. The jump in confidence and professionalism following this speech is incredible.  I have had inquiries from other universities who are now using our work as a template to develop this speech for their own uses.

One semester, I was contacted by a textbook company to include my students’ speeches as samples in the textbook. Many of them were accepted. I was contacted by the authors because they were so impressed. They commented that my students were performing at higher levels than others around the country and they wanted to know how that was being accomplished. My students do a ceremonial speech that uses advanced language techniques. We do extensive in-class work on these speeches and students come to my office for one-on-one meetings. About one-third of my students report back to me that they use the ceremonial speech outside of the class to be delivered at an event.

I run into students on a regular basis who have graduated and moved into their professional lives. Time and time again they tell me that this class had the greatest impact on them in terms of gaining personal confidence. Many contribute their success outside of college to the lessons learned in class about how to adapt to the audience, how to organize ideas so people can understand, and how to present yourself as a professional.

TEACHING PHILOSOPHY 

Teaching is my hobby.

I LOVE to teach.  It is not the job that I have to do. It is the hobby that I want to do. Working with students is truly one of my greatest joys. Helping you, gives me joy. In this class, I will be your coach, your mentor, and your cheerleader.  I am willing to push you to excel beyond your expectations and to show you what you are capable of.  I am confident that you can grow in ways you never imagined, if you come willing to be pushed.

If you need help, please visit with me.  I consider it a privilege to work with you one-on-one to help you to develop your full potential.

 I Believe in the Transformative Power of Words.

I love the way that words change people. I firmly believe that everyone has great stories and great passions inside, and it is my challenge to help you discover how to share these treasures with others. Your words will change others and you will hear the words of others and be changed. We will each be transformed by one another.

 My Teaching Philosophy is About Riding a Bike. 

 If I taught a class on bike riding, I would have us ride the bike as much as possible.  After all, the only way to learn to ride a bike is to get on the darn thing and start peddling.  The same is true for public speaking. The way to learn to speak…  is to speak. As an instructor, my role is to help you fine-tune your speaking skills. I will do this by describing and sometimes demonstrating the skill and then I will have you get up and try it. The best way to learn to speak---- is to get up and speak.  

 I ask you to bear with me and trust the process because some of the activities may seem downright silly.  Trust me when I say that each activity is designed with academic outcomes in mind. It is not until the last speech where you will see how those silly activities helped you to become a more confident speaker.

Dr. Meade is a wonderful professor, and I learned a lot from her class. She is one of the best professors I've had during my time at UARK. She is so knowledgeable and passionate about the topic of this class. It is very inspiring. She also clearly worked very hard to make this class exciting and interactive online and it worked. I've been competitively speaking for over 6 years, so going into this class I was honestly hesitant if I would learn anything I didn't already know. I was wrong. Dr. Meade pushed and challenged me as a public speaker and taught me things I will use for the rest of my life. She taught me things I will teach students of my own someday. 2020

SHE HAS BEEN MY FAVORITE TEACHER THIS SEMESTER!! I was initially very nervous about this course, but she was so welcoming, warm, and interactive that my worries melted away! 2020

 I really enjoyed this course and Dr. Meade helped with the transition to online courses by allowing us to contact her when we had any questions and having zoom consultations! Overall, she was a great teacher for this course and helped me become a better public speaker. 2020

 Some parts of this semester were a little rough, but your class made it better. And transitioning to online was not as painful as I thought it would be. In the beginning, I laughed at the fact that I chose the wrong semester to be taking a speech class, but I think you did a good job with keeping up with the assigned speeches but also having class on Zoom to break up the monotony a bit. 2020

Dr. Meade goes above and beyond to make sure we all do well for our speeches and does everything in her power to make we are prepared. I know that I will take everything I have learned in this course with me for the rest of my college career and in my future career/life. 2020

Dr. Meade I loved your class!!!! Yes it did become more of a burden with class moving online, but I did still enjoy it. The way you made us all connect with each other is crazy and I will always remember that. 2020

Most real-world applicable class I've ever taken. Meade taught us the best and most useful tips and practices in public speaking, whether that be to a small group or an auditorium we learned what it takes to be not just an effective speaker, but a speaker that can connect with their audience in a unique way. This professor is one of the hardest working teachers I've ever had and she puts in just as much effort helping her students learn the material as well as develop a personal connection and help foster them into better people. 2019

Dr. Meade is truly passionate about teaching and developing students' skills. Her enthusiasm makes the class very enjoyable and she creates a safe, comfortable, learning environment. She is very much student-oriented and tasked with what works best for students and seeks to develop in those areas. She really challenges students to find their own voice and to reach their fullest potential. 2019

She teaches in a way that makes you want to be better. I loved the way you encourage students to be the best. You do a great job showing us why it matters to learn each speech skill. 2019

This class truly has changed me. I thought when Dr. Meade told us that we would make lifelong friends and relationships with those around us in this course, I didn't think it would be as true as it is. She predicted the outcome of us as a group perfectly. There has been so much personal growth for myself, and that I can see from each of my classmates. I am very grateful to have taken this course, it will always be remembered.  Spring 2021-Remote

 I actually looked forward to coming to class more and more as the semester went on. Spring 2021-Remote

Dr. Meade is a wonderful professor, and I learned a lot from her class. She is one of the best professors I've had during my time at UARK. She is so knowledgeable and passionate about the topic of this class. It is very inspiring. She also clearly worked very hard to make this class exciting and interactive online and it worked. I've been competitively speaking for over 6 years, so going into this class I was honestly hesitant if I would learn anything I didn't already know. I was wrong. Dr. Meade pushed and challenged me as a public speaker and taught me things I will use for the rest of my life. She taught me things I will teach students of my own someday. Fall 2020--Remote

 Dr. Meade goes above and beyond to make sure we all do well for our speeches and does everything in her power to make we are prepared. I know that I will take everything I have learned in this course with me for the rest of my college career and in my future career/life. Fall 2020--Remote

I can honestly say that this is a life-changing class. I became incredibly close with my classmates, I became comfortable with speaking in public, and I learned some valuable life lessons all thanks to Dr. Meade. Not only is she a fantastic professor, I can tell that she is genuinely an amazing person. I have never had a professor who is so passionate about what they teach. Dr. Meade truly cares about her students, and I know that she will always go above and beyond for the class. She makes the class fun for all of us every single day. I would highly recommend this class to any student on campus because it has had such a positive impact on my experience here at the University of Arkansas. 2017

Dr. Meade really encourages her students and makes us work toward true potential. Overall, I am pleased to have had the opportunity to be in Dr. Meade's class and I feel I am leaving this semester a better speaker, more confident in my speaking abilities, and better prepared to speak beyond college. 2016

Dr. Meade is by far has made the biggest impact on my life outside of the classroom equipping me with the social, intellectual, and problem-solving skills that have carried over into my personal, professional, and remaining college career. 2016

Dr. Meade's class has really changed my life! She not only prepared us for other courses but she prepared us for life after college. It is so much more fulfilling to take a course where the instructor is so passionate about the subject and passionate about seeing her students excel. 2016