Spurt-Ability, Part II of III
Spurt-Ability, Part II of III
By Monette Benoit, All Rights Reserved.
Part I began: While coaching a novice court reporter, the professional said, “I don’t like to take tests. That’s why I went to court reporting school.”
I said softly, “Now that’s a thing of beauty.” He sincerely replied, “It’s true.” I truly replied, “You will read about this. Trust me.”
How does that happen?
Part II: When I teach, I share this spurt-focus with students. Many, many students took to it like a hummingbird to a red feeder. They liked it (my tutoring and coaching students like it, too). Really.
When I began to realtime and CART to a large screen, I had to focus on the spurts, the spurt-ability. (Yes, I’m realtime self-taught, 1993. After graduation with an associate degree from S.U.N.Y. Alfred, I learned long and short vowels while working on the job with expert witnesses each morning. Truly. I do not recommend that opportunity or life experience to anyone. No tape backups. No one to help with your paper notes as you prepared carbons for your typewriter. That was then. This is now.)
When I initially CARTed, everyone (as sign interpreters vocalized loudly, verbatim to me) in the entire room would know instantly when I made an error. I cannot make this up (re: interpreters frequent comments in 1993).
As I tutor and coach, I share the spurt-ability on how to push past the few seconds that often develop about three-fourths of the way through the five-minute speed test.
Spurt-ability. Just lean in or focus the wrists forward to think in spurts.
Just write a spurt.
No need to wonder why you picked this field in the first place.
Our tenacious mental abilities do endow many of us with the ability to have five or more conversations “realtiming” in our head while we are realtiming new words to a computer screen for someone who may or may not be near your work product. Truly.
Spurts are small moments making a huge difference.
Spurts occur while writing and processing multiple words that are “popcorning.”
“Popcorn” is a term that Blake Stevens, RPR, in 1988, San Antonio, Texas, then a retired federal court reporter, and I used to say when we dictated rapid-fire Q&A to our students. (As a result of that term with Blake and working with the gifted Blake Stevens, I developed a line of Q&A popcorn dictation material.)
Spurts occur as we think how to accurately write (or build) the word in the backward steno process — then have the stroke successfully translate or not — then we accurately fix the error, in realtime; then we continue to out-process words, audible sounds.
This is our work.
This is our specialty.
This is our pride.
Part I of III is posted February 5, 2014, www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Part II of III is posted February 15, 2014, www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Part III of III is posted February 28, 2014, www.monettebenoit.com and www.CRRbooks.com
Monette, Court Reporting Whisperer, may be reached: Monette@ARTCS.com and Monette@CRRbooks.com
Monette Benoit, B. B.A., CCR, CRI, CPE, Paralegal
Tutor, Motivational Management & Career Coach,
Multiple-Title Author of Books & Test Prep for the Court Reporting and CART Captioning Industry
Realtime Court Reporter, Instructor, Consultant, Columnist
Court Reporter Reference Books & CDs: www.CRRbooks.com
Blog: Monette’s Musings, www.monettebenoit.com
* Educational/Career Advancement; Private Tutoring/Customized Coaching
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Did You Know: You can accelerate your career with private tutoring and career coaching? Court reporting veteran Monette Benoit can help you achieve your goals.
Tutoring and career coaching topics include:
• Motivational skills to keep you moving forward,
• Time-management skills,
• Process learning for more effective retention,
• Development of skills to author your book, your blog, and how to publish,
• Communication skills, daily interaction improvement skills, and much more.
Who comes to Monette for tutoring and career coaching?
• Professionals who want to achieve their goals, create new possibilities, advance their career, author their book, and to develop the dream within,
• Veteran and novice court reporters, CART (Communication Access Real-Time Translation) providers, and broadcast captioners brushing up on their skills for test-taking requirements,
• In-class students who feel they’re “stuck” and falling behind, or aren’t ready for the required tests,
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Monette Benoit, the Court Reporting Whisperer, can help you achieve at much high levels.
Where do you want to go? ** What have you ‘really’ wanted to do with your career, and ultimately, your life?
* No two are alike. Specific custom-designed guidance efficiently assists you!
About Monette Benoit:
As a 25+ year court reporter, CART Captioner, author of NCRA test prep material, and an instructor, public speaker, Monette Benoit has taught multiple theories, academics, all speed classes, and the 225 homeroom within NCRA-approved schools and a community college. She understands the challenges many adults now face in our industry and schooling.
Monette Benoit has worked with thousands of professionals, court reporters, CART Captioners, students, and instructors.
She has also helped to create new court reporting training programs, worked with federal grants, and assisted instructors in developing curriculum for both in-class and at-home students.
Her one-on-one tutoring, private coaching, has greatly assisted thousands of students, novice and experienced professionals to privately reach the next level.
Monette’s Musings is a blog containing information for busy professionals, students, and individuals who are fearless and seek to create their success each day. Reach up. Bring it. * Bring it today!