How not to be a shy presenter

The very thought of me giving a presentation to an audience sends shivers down my spine. I've been a teacher for many many years, but standing in front of an audience has always made me feel ill at ease. Before Twitter I rarely got the opportunity to share my experiences/knowledge/vision with other teachers. Today things have changed and I readily accept every invitation, in spite of the butterflies that appear at the first mention of a possible presentation or talk.

Today I came across a post called The Shy Presenter by Sacha Chua giving tips on overcoming the uneasiness before and during public speaking.

Make eye contact. Don’t stare. Imagine your audience naked. Don’t read the slides. Watch others for inspiration. Practise. Practise. Practise.

Naked? Isn't that hilarious? But why not give it a try and see if it works? Can it really boost my confidence?