When someone pictures a class at school, they probably think of a whiteboard and desks for students. They probably think of the teacher standing in front of the class lecturing while they’re taking notes. The students may not be paying that much attention because they are bored. Not in Speech Communication class at Siena Heights with Joni Warner.

The class with Warner is anything but boring, according to students. Students are encouraged to get out of their seats and stretch. Warner leads the group with some stretching activities, such as rolling shoulders, rolling the neck side to side, and more.

She always tries to students laugh and interacts with them. Laughter can be heard throughout the entire class period. Students said they can often get bored just sitting at a desk for a long period of time, so it’s nice to get up and move around for a little bit.

Many people may dread speaking in public or in front of large groups. In this class, the students are strongly encouraged to collaborate with each other on speeches.

Warner said she tries to find interesting topics for students to talk about as well as activities to encourage collaborations. Mike Smith, a student in the class, said, “This class helps you engage in speaking with strangers to make you more comfortable for the outside world.”

Warner said she does whatever she can to make speeches fun and to ease any nerves for students who do not like public speaking.

Overall, this class is not a normal class. Students said it’s a rather fun, upbeat, positive environment. Many students also have said they enjoy the class and enjoy Warner as well.