Why Great Teachers Make Great Public Speakers

Adam Stadius
Jun 1
2 min read

And what they can teach the rest of us about authentic communication

After 20 years of teaching across amateur dramatics, FE colleges, universities, and leading drama schools I’ve come to believe something quite strongly:

Great teachers make great speakers.

Not all teachers.

But the ones you still remember? The ones who lit something up in you?

They were speaking to more than just the front row. They were communicating with presence, purpose, and authenticity.

That’s what great speakers do, too.

What Makes a Teacher Memorable?

Think back to a teacher who left a mark on you.

What made them stand out?

I’d bet it wasn’t just the information they delivered.

It was how they made you feel.

Like they were speaking directly to you
Like they saw you, not just the room
Like they were truly present, not just reading from a script
Like their content mattered to them, so it started to matter to you

That’s the same formula that makes for an unforgettable speaker.

Presence. Connection. Belief in what they’re saying.

The Teacher’s Toolkit

As a teacher, I’ve spent years presenting in front of all kinds of groups.

Sometimes they were eager and focused.

Other times, not even remotely interested.

That forced me to level up. I couldn’t just rely on knowledge, I had to engage.

I shaped my presentations to move with a sense of rhythm and journey
I used storytelling to hook attention
I built provocations to speak to people’s thinking, and examples that spoke to their emotions
I learned to read the room and adjust, fast

These are skills that aren’t just useful in the classroom.

They’re core to public speaking, leadership, and performance in any context.

Teachers Perform Every Day

Teaching is live, unscripted communication.

It’s interactive.

It requires timing, responsiveness, vocal range, and emotional clarity.

In short, it’s a public speaking arena, every single day.

And over time, that builds muscle memory:

Holding attention
Landing key points
Changing pace and tone
Watching the audience and adjusting in real time
Speaking with conviction

That’s what I draw from now in my coaching work. Yes, I’ve trained actors. But much of what I teach leaders and speakers comes from the muscle memory of the classroom.