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From: Russ Hicks
Date: 22 Oct 2010
Time: 20:15:45 -0500
Remote Name: 72.64.101.29
Hey Ann, oh yes, absolutely! I spoke to two classes at TCU yesterday and I took another member of our NSA chapter, Kelly, with me. She is a neurogenic stutterer and stutters vastly differently than I do as a developmental stutterer. The students were amazed at our differences - as well as our commonality. If either of us were totally fluent - as some "recovered" stutterers actually are - we would have sounded the same as everyone else in the class. So they would not have been able to actually HEAR any difference at all. By letting them actually hear us stutter, we are able to bring them an experience that they can't get in either a book or by listening to someone who does not stutter. Then they were able to ask us questions (audience interaction!) and learn even more. "What sounds cause you the most trouble?" "Do you stutter when you sing?" etc. Following the classes, we all went out to lunch and had a ball! They really get to know us as individuals, not just as abstract clients. The professor said that we brought a whole new dimension to their education. .... I hope to bring Kelly to 2ChangeU Toastmasters sometime. She's a delightful person! ... Hold Toastmasters together next week and I'll see you on November 2nd! .... Russ