Writing

Writing is absolutely essential to competing in a wired world.  Beyond college and cover letters, you will be judged by your writing with every e-mail you send.

Many students struggle with writing because they get writer's block.  Others prefer not to write from an outline. You can write without an outline, so long as you understand the different purposes for writing a first draft (to develop your ideas) and your final draft (to communicate those ideas to your audience). 

Please note.  If you have a paper due Monday and you want an A,  I can't help.  I'm not willing to do any of the actual writing.  I want to help students become better writers.  What I will do is ask questions, show students where I get confused, guide research, help students develop proof-reading skills, identify specific error types and how to fix them, and guide a student through the process.  I'm good at designing a process that works with the student's strengths.   

Public Speaking

Oy--our number 1 fear!!!  And yet, the ability to communicate appropriately and effectively is increasingly important.  Having a good outline reduces anxiety because you are confident in your content.  Developing a key-word outline lets you present in an extemporaneous fashion.  And, of course, practice makes it all easier.  

Students with extreme anxiety need to practice finding opportunities for small goals.  This could be answering a question in each class each week, or speaking up at a meeting.  

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Send mail to alisa@CreativeTestingStrategies.com with questions or comments.