The Scholastic Method: Why You Must Become an Informed Observer.
At the School of Eloquence, our model of education is a three-legged stool: Study, Observe, Practice. Too often, people engage the second leg—Observation—as an exercise in uninformed critique. They watch a great speaker and miss the mechanics at work.
You must become an Informed Observer.
- The Study Precedent: Observation is meaningless without the proper background knowledge. Because you have studied public speaking (the definition, the tools, the structure), you are now equipped to watch videos of great speakers, not-so-great speakers, and terrible speakers, and you can pinpoint exactly what they are doing correctly or incorrectly.
- The Reflection Phase: Observation becomes the reflection phase of your learning. It consolidates the theories you studied, transforming abstract concepts into observable, practical realities. You are not watching for entertainment; you are watching for instruction.
- The Informed Critique: This sharpens your critical eye. You can now analyze why a speaker’s voice is compelling or how their structure failed. This informs your own subsequent practice, making it focused and precise.
Observation, when combined with formal study, is a powerful accelerant to mastery.
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