Adequate time usage for preparation
Preparation of your instructional content should be done at least a week in advance. This will give you time to make corrections if needed and also evaluate your students to ensure the content is adequate for them to learn from.
Hi Robb,
Student learning objectives and daily course outcomes are a good place to start. Usually there is one or two main themes. If you can captuyre those key ideas and expand or develop a way to amplify upon them, you should be off to a good start on building a "treasurY' of key points taught in each class, and you'll be assured that that you're covering the essential material.
Barry Westling
Hey Everyone,
I agree prep is very important and wish I had more time to prepare. Unfortunately for my prep the college I teach at has it's instructors hop constantly from one subject to another. By that I mean no one teacher is really dedicated to one subject. The students as well as instructors do not know who will be teaching each class the following week until the last day of school the preceding week. This can be difficult as every instructor at my college is also a working professional in our field outside of class.
I had sort of started a class journal and am now going to make sure I write some notes on every class I teach. For me I think this will be the most helpful for condensing my prep time to fit my hectic schedule as well as help me improve my lectures to maximize my students time as well.
That being said, is there any other advice the more experienced instructors could give based on my situation?
THANKS!
Hi Karrie:
I think that as long as the instructor is organized, the prep time is almost irrelevant. Maybe another way of looking at this would be to say, an instructor needs as much prep time as needed until he or she feels ready and organized.
Regards, Barry
I agree that preparation not only applies to resources, but thought preparation, equipment preparation, and adapting preparation to the students is vital. I have found that even though I instruct the same two classes, my preparation in light of the students I am currently teaching is necessary.
Hi Dionne:
Advance planning varies, but there has to be thought, gathering resources, making sure all is working, and class materials are avialble (or will be) on the day of class. Without preparation, really good outcomes will be limited or unlikely.
Regards, Barry
