A colleague of mine compared his mentor teacher to an actress who liked to “bring the drama.” Her kids bought into it hook, line and sinker. They would do anything for her and believe whatever she said. I believe that some people have those engaging personalities…and for the rest of us, we can hope for expert advice on How to Capture a Crowd.  In this article, Mary Civiello, is offering adults tips on public speaking. All four can be applied to teaching.

1. Start your preparation by asking: What is the one thing I want them to remember if they remember nothing else?Studies show that by the end of the day, your audience will have forgotten half of what you said. And by the end of the week, 90% is forgotten. To make sure that the 10% that sticks is the 10% that you really want them to remember, say it early and clearly.

(Teachers: can you say learning goal?!)