Walking into the Coliseum

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Re: Coliseum

From: Grant Meredith
Date: 11 Oct 2011
Time: 16:56:09 -0500
Remote Name: 141.132.192.95

Comments

Thank you for your question. I think in short I do not disclose during professional meetings because I would have to do it too frequently and I do not think it is a factor in the relationship. I rarely disclose at all to anyone beyond students. Only if I think there is some special reason to. In my role as an academic I am currently my schools 1st year coordinator and also transition coordinator. I also often am allocated to some introductory courses to help foster a strong start for students. I disclose to my first year students to establish a relationship or understanding and trust early in their academic careers. This flows throughout their entire degree journey then. It also is a major education tool in regards to stuttering and flows out beyond university. For a student who is starting university and perhaps has doubts and concerns about the environment and processes to see a lecturer bare his soul and expose his “weakness” I think is a very nurturing and respectful process. In regards to professional meetings, presentations and the like I expect that all who are attending are “professionals” and thus to act professional and that my stuttering would not be an issue at all to. I think these very experiences people are educated about stuttering in a different way by my lack of disclosure and pure confidence to proceed unhindered by my stuttering. During round table meetings where we sometimes introduce each other in turn I often stutter severely on my name. No one there cares though and after I finish the introductions role onto the next person. In that case it is obvious but again it is not a concern to any one there. We have an agenda to stick to and issues to debate/discuss. I do not see a need to disclose to everyone all the time. Why should I? If I make my stuttering an overt factor then other people may also see it as one and perhaps treat and view me differently and perhaps differently in a manner that I am not happy or comfortable with. All I am is a guy trying to make a living who just happens to have an issue speech production.


Last changed: 10/11/11