Public speaking can be best described as “nobody’s favorite class.”

It’s not a class most students go to in order to make memories, and it’s not a class that typically changes people’s worldview.

Simply put, it’s a required course that most either procrastinate on taking or get out of the way as soon as they possibly can.

But why does public speaking have this reputation?

Anxiety about speaking in front of people is definitely a major factor, but I think there’s more to it than that.

Based on my personal experience in the class at Wichita State, it all comes down to a fundamental lack of novelty. Public speaking courses are not only scary but also incredibly boring.

First off, most of the course consists of obvious lessons about voice and posture that you’ve been taught your entire life. In my class specifically, it got to the point where my teacher would quickly go through or skip lessons because of how obvious they were.

The limited requirements for speech structure and sources also don’t help matters, as they lead to every speech in the class sounding the exact same.

It really is a shame, as public speaking has a lot of potential as a class. It’s a skill that can cross professions, after all; it doesn’t matter if you’re an educator, politician, or even a salesperson. Public speaking is undeniably important, and whether knowingly or not, it’s a skill that you’ve been cultivating throughout your entire life.

But instead of acknowledging these inherent skills and working with students in creative ways, public speaking classes seem content with regurgitating information about standing up straight and carrying your voice.

Of course, there are exceptions. No two public speaking classes are alike, and I’m sure there are plenty of great programs out there, but these are just some common criticisms that I’ve noted.

Overall, I just think it would be good if these issues with public speaking were addressed at the Elliott School specifically, as they set the curriculum.

A solid start would probably be if some of the speech restrictions were loosened, so students can actually play to their strengths instead of following a stiff rulebook. I think the classes could also benefit from teachers with more experience in the field of public speaking.

If those fixes are combined alongside the one-on-one coaching offered by our Public Speaking Lab, a lot would probably change for the better already.

Ultimately, whatever happens with public speaking, it needs to happen quickly, because I sure don’t see the course improving on its own anytime soon.