Presenation tips experiment

There has been a lot of discussion about presentations in my classes. This caused me to think about how to best present materials to all age groups and demographics. I've been doing many presentations where I've watched people's eye's glaze over and drift into a fantasy world of dragons and coco puffs...or maybe that's just me. But the point is I've discovered a couple of different ways of presenting seemingly boring material into something that can be somewhat entertaining.

Here are some tips that I learned about giving a somewhat motivating presenation

1. Know your audience:
There is Emotional Motivation. This is just some fancy title for "knowing your audience and how to motivate them". Emotional Motivation is very important in giving a presentation. I think having a focus group should be done before a presentation is given or atleast a good introduction quesiton to see where the group is at. It seems strange how people can know so much, but not do anything. Telling them more information, statistics, or whatever isn't going to motivate them to do anything. People are strange, what else can I say. According to my classes we are more emotional creatures, and it is easier to motivate people emotionally than it is to motivate them intellectually. With that said get to know the audeince before making the presenation

2. Testimonials or discussions are useful
Peopele seem more willing or open to change when it is not "the expert" telling them. I suppose its the mentality of "if they can do it I can do it" or "they tried this maybe I should too". Either way its pretty beneficial to the people listening and you don't have to talk so much. Also with the discussion YOU might learn something new. Although beware of those that actually don't know anything that try to take over the discussion, you still need to maintain some control over the discussion.

3. Silence the routy kid
In one of my presentations there was an annoying little kid that wanted all the attention. He was being disruptive and it took all the self control to not yell at him. Thinking back on it I should have just disciplined him. This might have saved me from losing 2 of my other students. Granted there are those that you can easily play off of, but you have to be gifted at it. Note to self it's ok to not be the favorite at the presentation. However, it could cause people to like you more if you silenced the routy kid

4. Powerpoints aren't always the best way to go
After a college career of doing powerpoints it isn't the best tool in the real world. I think people start to roll their eyes and the meer sight of a power point projector. Or atleast my group did. Granted they are easier to create and takes some of the eyes off of you. But people seem to associate it with something already really boring. Some people are able to entertain and give great presenation with it. Maybe I'm just not one of them. Utilizing other techniques like facilitated discussion or hands on demonstrations seems to be more effective than a powerpoint.

Anyway I'll probably expand more on these tips as I experiment with different groups. It should be fun.

School Foods experiment

I'd like to first say this is not a bash on schools. The grammar and spelling is probably off but I feel like I need to vent. I know schools get blamed for almost everything now days and has their work load increase every time an issue comes up. I have been working at a school for three weeks now doing a dietetic internship. I have to say the lunches suck.

The problem does not lie in the school but in the whole process of the state and federal lunch system. If you read through all the regulations and budgets and other various guidelines of sorts your left with wondering "what can you feed these kids". Not only are you forced to feed kids foods they like because if you don't your reimbursement will drop. But you also have to consider nutrition guidelines and commodities. It is almost to the point where the school cannot do anything even if they wanted to. Or perhaps the government wants a finger to point for the lack of nutrition in children.

There are some wonderful programs out there that help schools to promote a healthy lifestyle to kids. No offense to these programs, but they are bandaide approaches to the main problem. The system needs to understand that each school is different and needs to be treated as so. There are kids with allergies, kitchen limitations, and more factors that go into planning for a school menu. Guidelines are useful to the schools but when french fries are considered vegetables you have to wonder how much knowledge does the government really have about school food service.

There are so many outside influences to these kids you cannot baby them anymore. Yes let them have a pizza every once in a while. Yes let them have a choice in what they eat. But also provide them with options of good healthy foods! If this is a child's only meal of the day ensure they know that the school cares enough to provide them with vitamins and mineral and not just calories. Also allow the schools to provide these healthy foods. How are kids suppose to know there is a wide spectrum of foods out there if all they receive is the frozen processed foods. Kids are brainwashed into thinking that these types of foods are what taste good. They refuse to eat foods that are of superior quality and taste becuase they are "different" or "new". I say start with the little ones and brainwash them into thinking that healthy foods taste good. Don't give them an option of junk food in schools. Just think they can get it else where. Then educate the older ones to make healthy choices.

I have yet to know if the school has asked the students or parents what they would like to know about nutrition. If they have asked what should they provide for the health of the students. Chances are the parents and students do know a lot about nutrition. What they need is a kick in the butt to start the healthy lifestyle process.

I guess my experiment would have to wait. But its a thought until then.