A time saving habit that I've picked up has been to consolidate certain tasks for certain parts of the week. This has helped to create some balance in my work load so that I don't feel so overwhelmed at times.

Its taken me some time as an instructor to get of over the fear of not having enough time for lecture and demos. I've learned to manage my time better by lecture about certain things while the demo is happening so the students understand the subject matter. This has helped kill to birds with one stone when it comes to managing my time better.

Don't you feel we all make mistakes? A mistake I have made is assuming my laptop will function properly, and if not, having a backup plan on teaching the class. Technical issues with a projector will happen, but that doesn't mean the learning time for the students has ended. Carry preprinted notes or always have a backup drive available.

Seems like setting up seating assignments after the fact, help in quieting a class of talkative friends. But this isn't grammar school, and right off the bat some students will feel like you are treating them as such. If you have a noisy class or certain students disrupt the class, address it immediately and take charge. I find it weak having to say, "If you can't simmer down I will have to rearrange the seating." Take the noisy student outside in the hall and discuss the problem. Other students will know you mean business.

I've given up on allowing students to deliver assignments late. I find that letting the student slide doesn't keep them at all accountable. I reflect upon all the projects I've done in the industry, and my conclusion... mine weren't late, and respecting the client is number one.

I find that if from day one in class you have not maintained order, respect, and set the ground rules, then students will find a way to manipulate you up until the last day of class. You have to develop a "tight as a drum" method for having the students act and perform like professionals. It is hard for instructors and sharing your techniques would be helpful.

Recently I had a very angry student, student did not want to be in the same class with another student. Taking the student off-line and listening to their complaint at length and then discussing the issue with both separatly, did allow me to come to a reasonable solution that both students and the rest of the class could live with.

Creating nameplates for the students and assigning them seats on the first day really creates interaction and sets me up as in charge of the room. I change their seating assignments each class for a few sessions and it helps set the stage. Also the quality of the copies is important. Poorly made copies give the wrong impression to the students. Everything matters!

I think the old cliche phrase "If you want to get the respect you have to give it" sums up the secret to instructor success. Leading by example and setting a healthy standard for your students should be the first and foremost priority. Trying not to be a hypocrite is not an easy task and it's difficult not to make mistakes and be perfect all the time. But, with the proper planning and organization, it is possible to be consistent in your delivery and become a leader as well as an educator. My students love it when am confident, happy, and in control. They feed off of my energy and they appreciate the fact that I am trying to become a part of their team to achieve the overall task at hand. I find that a simple please and thank you go alot further than treating them like they are numbers. They want to know that you genuinely care about their success.

I have learned that when dealing with an angry student the best thing to do is listen to them first. I usually let them vent the entire problem off their chests, tell them to then take a deep breath, and go from there. I think it's important to keep your composure and try to be as diplomatic as possible. Finding the facts of the situation almost requires a Sherlock Holmes or CSI type personality but after you encounter this a few times it gets easier and easier.

This section of the course was very interesting and relevant to what I see on a day to day basis in the class room. I especially like the references to inattentive students, center stage students, and the blaming other students. I find that more and more I have students who are coming directly from high school and because they are younger they sometimes lack the maturity and the soft skills that some of my older students have. The center stage student is always interesting because it can sometimes become a distraction to the task at hand, so I found this particularly useful. Lastly, I find that the blaming others scenario is the hardest to deal with because often this particular behavior is very difficult to change. I find that the learner is set in their ways and can't handle the constructive criticism that is oftened needed to develop and progress in the course. I liked the solutions offered which included the consistent reference to the class calender and syllabus adherement. Helping the learner own responsibilty for their assignments seemed like the most logical approach.

After finishing this first section of the course I have gained new insight on how to become a better delivery expert as an instructor. The importance of having a clearly written syllabus which outlines the objectives and goals of the course along with the direction in which this will ensue, to me is one of the most valuable tools an instructor can have. When the learners know what the expectations are and can envision the different stages along the way, then they generally will become more engaged to reach the final outcome. I especially liked the reference about how to deal with late assignments and the correlation between the classroom and the real world. I agree that there should be a penalty attached to turning in late work because otherwise the learner will never understand that this practice is not accepted in the industry.The portion which outlined the three different areas of learning behavior which included references to the cognitive, social,and psychomotor was especially intriguing.

I tend to have to every thing done right now!!!! I will put a do list together and complete the task that is important first, and so on.

Maintain good eye contact with your students. Hold the eye of the student for no longer than 5 seconds- 2 to 3 is generally the best. This eye contact will let the student know that you are aware of their existence and that you want them to cease their behavior or that you are available to help them. I feel it shows your level of interest in the subject and it allows you to judge the students level of interest as well.

What I take away from this section of the course the most is the reassurance that stress in the workplace is an inevitable variable that won't go away, but can be reduced or filtered if you know the proper ways to handle it when it does occur. The fact of life is that nobody is perfect nor is every situation always going to be ideal, but how you respond to is the key to your overall daily success. It is very transparent sometimes to the learner if the instructor can not get a handle of his or her stress and is ultimately a distraction to the learning environment.When stress does occur in the classroom it is better to find a way to deal with it later on after the session when the learners are not present that way they do not have to suffer the consequences of your misfortune.

I really appreciated this particular section of the course because I feel that stress is something that has become an increasingly common thing in the workplace today. I found it useful to identify the different areas of stress and that once these are identified then certain situations can be avoided and as a result you will encounter less stress in your daily routine. I think that ultimately if stress dominates your daily schedule, then it can be passed along to your class and then the learner will become the one that pays the price for your shortcomings.

I really liked this section because I can relate to the topic of oraganization and on how if you are more organzied you can save yourself time that is lost or wasted when trying to find things. I pride myself as being an organized instructor and set it up as a personal challenge every day to get my tasks done as quickly, efficiently, and consistently as I can. I particularly liked the section which talks about trying to determine one specific time to set aside to do clerical work. For example, one set time to check your voicemails or emails. I find that many times I am overloaded with clerical work and sometimes it can be overwhelming. Sometimes I am confused to as how I can balance the work so that it does not interfere with the interface between me and my students. I really appreciated this section and I will try adapting it to my regular routine.

I found the first section of this course very useful in trying to develop a more balanced approach to my teaching. The topics of time control, procrastination, immediacy, and insecurity were covered in depth and I could relate most to the immediacy slide. I often find that I fit into this category sometimes when trying to achieve my goals and I have been trying to pace myself better so that my day is more evenly spaced. I would also agree that each and every one of us probably has a little of each trait and that nobody is ever truely balanced 100% of the time. I believe that it is an ongoing evolution in our teaching styles and development that won't happen over night, but with a little effort and some periodic maintainance the results could be top notch. Kudos to the professor who is in charge of this course. So far, I am thoroughly enjoying it.

I have from time to time had to help a student out of the idea that a course is too hard, so he/she does not leave the class. Most of the time, just by letting the student know you will help/tutor or be there for them makes a world of difference.

I've observed that if I "rope" inattentive students into a discussion on a regular basis I somehow force them to listen. Eventually, they become more participative.