Manuela Buitrago- Reflection #2

 How Group Presentations Improved My Communication Skills

11 June, 2025

By Manuela Buitrago

I recently took part in a group presentation. It was a class project and it turned out, a wonderful learning exercise. Each of us in our group was assigned a different section to address. My section had to do with modern education, and its setbacks. I didn’t know at first what to say, but as I worked on it I learned a lot of things, not only about educating people, but about team work, speaking in front of people, and organizing what I wanted to say. 

This was our second presentation. We had just wrapped another one the week before, so the process was still fairly fresh in my head. But in any case, this wasn’t the same presentation because it was a new topic. In this blog post, I will provide some insight into how I trained, what it was like, what issues I had, and what I learned from working with others.

Getting Back into Teamwork

This presentation served as a great reminder of the importance of teamwork. We had to decide who was responsible for what and keep one another accountable for staying on track. After a few discussions, we found our rhythm. Everyone had different ideas and strengths, and that made our work better. Everyone else had different ideas and strengths, and that improved our work. We learned to be there for each other and share the responsibility so that the whole presentation came together smoothly. Even though we didn’t always have time to meet face to face, we kept in touch via group chats. We both often worked at different hours, but we communicated with one another. We posted progress and ensured that everyone is kept up to date. It was good to know we were all working for the same goal.

Preparing My Section

My topic was “modern education and its setbacks.” I wasn’t sure how to break it down at first. I had questions in my own mind like, What does it mean in the context of today’s modern education? What do students need help with? What has changed in learning in the past few years? I was considering things I’d seen or experienced myself, learning online, using technology, and the pressure students face. I also approached a couple of classmates for their input. Several also said online learning can be lonely. And still others discussed mental health and how some students have a hard time keeping up. I jotted down my main points and began to place them in some kind of more straightforward order. I ensured that each thought followed the one before it. I didn’t want to just list facts. I wanted to talk about real problems that students deal with today. Practicing how to say my points out loud helped me feel ready.

Dealing with Challenges

We faced a few challenges along the way. One of them was time. Everyone in our group had other schoolwork and responsibilities. We found it difficult to get together at a time when we could all practice. We had to resort to occasionally sending each other voice notes or written updates rather than actually seeing each other face to face. How to ensure that our ideas didn’t overlap was another problem. We were totally talking about different things, so we checked in a lot. That helped prevent us for saying the same things. For me personally, presenting was the tougher challenge. Even after all that preparation, I was still nervous. I was just thinking, “What if I forget my words?” or “What if I talk too fast?” But I thought to myself, I practiced and knew my material. I told myself to just focus on one sentence at a time.

Presentation Day

When the day finally came, I was nervous but also excited. I’d rehearsed a lot, and I just wanted to do my best. As each group member took their turn, I listened and encouraged them. That helped calm my nerves. When it was my turn to speak, I took a deep breath and started.  The first few seconds were the hardest, but once I got into it, I felt better. I focused on speaking slowly and clearly. I looked up from my notes to make eye contact and tried to speak with confidence. When I finished, I felt proud. I had done my part and shared my message. It felt good to overcome my fear and speak in front of others.

Learning from My Teammates

One thing I really liked about this experience was learning from my group.  Everyone brought something special. One of them was very well organized and helped in keeping up with our deadlines. One was good at creating a well-designed slide and making it look nice. One person was good at speaking and had strong body language. Watching my teammates gave me new ideas. I learned how others prepare, and present. It taught me that everyone does it their own way and to learn from one another. We also encouraged each other. If someone forgot a point during practice, we helped them. If someone was nervous, we cheered them on. That support strengthened our group and made the presentation less intimidating.

What I Learned from the Whole Experience

 I learned just so much from the experience. First realization: Preparation is key. I’d felt better once I gave myself the time to prepare. And second, I learned that practice does matter. The more I said my part out loud, the more it seemed natural. I also learned how to be more productive in a group. I used to like to do things myself. But this time, I realized the power of teamwork. We were all supporting each other, combining our forces to make the presentation stronger. I guess another thing I learned is that it’s okay to mess up. We tend to learn even if stuff isn’t so good. I used to be afraid to present, but now I am more ready to do it again.

Final Thought

Being part of this presentation was a big step for me. I had to prepare, work with others, and speak in front of people. I felt nervous, but I pushed through. I gained confidence, learned to be a better listener and learned how to communicate clearly. I am proud of what our group accomplished. We all pulled together, and we backed each other up.  It wasn’t just about getting a grade, it was about learning skills that would be useful in school and beyond. Sometimes we don’t choose our challenges, but we can still learn from them. This presentation taught me that I can do more than I think, and that working with others can lead to great results.