How to... give a good presentation

As a teacher you are presenting all the time. In a way you're holding 1-hour presentations every day. So how do you make a good one?

In the past I have given several presentations about a huge variety of topics. This was about what my favorite county to holiday to was or to present the things I'd made in class.

This means that through the years i've picked up several tips on how to do a good presentation. 

I thought that maybe it was a good idea to share some of them, so here it goes:

1. Use powerpoint (ppt)

This is a very helpful tool. You can make several sheets and fill them with pictures of other graphics. Don't clatter them with long pieces of texts though, because this will distract your audience.

2. Research

No matter how familiar you are with the topic, it couldn't hurt to research a little more. Find statistics or test results that will help you get your point across. Find interesting graphics for the ppt and make sure you're familiar with the terms that are likely to be asked about in the Q&A round afterwards. 

3. Talk towards the class

It helps to pick a point at the back of the classroom to look at. This way you'll won't have to look straight into someones' eyes but it leaves the impression that you are looking at your audience. Don't pick a point that is up too high though. That is not a pretty sight.

4. Use cheat cards

Write down what it is you want to say, but don't use long sentences. This way when you loose yourself for a minute you can cheat at what you were supposed to talk about. it is easier to find where you are when you use single words. Don't make the cards too big. A5 paper size is large enough. Use several cards and don't just fold an A4 sheet of paper in half. 

5. Practice

You have to prepare for everything, including presenting. You can try and do it on the get-go but if you're not too familiar with the topic this can be very difficult. Practice what you want to say with the cheat cards. This way you'll get familiar with them and how to use them in your presentation. If you get the story similar several times you know you're prepared enough. 

And lastly, just enjoy yourself. It can be fun discussing a topic that you find interesting. Show that you know what you're talking about and enjoy the applause. After all, it seems like a lot of work and it can be but just keep in mind that it's over in less time that you think. 

good luck!