I teach a pastry class, so it is vital that I have all the equipment, food, and recipes on-hand for my students prior to their arrival. By being completely set up, my demos go much more smoothly, plus it lets the students start immediately; there is no searching for equipment or running to the freezer for something. I think this emphasizes my commitment to the class, and shows my students that I want to do everything possible so they can succeed.
My students like the agenda listed on the board. I like reminding them of up and coming deadlines.
In ED 104, I learned about the instructor who uses single paragraph assignments to assess homework completed or lessons learned in tht particular class. Since I teach writing, I wondered about other people's experience with this tool
Marianna, Do you have a source for those riddles or do you create them?
A very well prepared instructor shows not only professionalism, but respect for his/her students and the school.
An instructor must be organized & ready to teach each class period to ensure the learners receive the information, synthesize the information & develop the skills required to execute the task & monitor the outcome to achieve a passing score for that module.
An organized instructor shows the students their attendence & attention is respected & models professional behaviors for them to emulate.
Being prepared and organized to teach the classroom sets the tone for the class. It allows the instructor to stay focused on the topics of discussion. It also demonstrates that the instructor is competent and knowledable about the subject.
Being organized shows the students that you care and sends a positive signal to them. Being hurried and rushe reminds me of a saying that I heard growing up...the hurrier I go, the behinder I get. Not a message that I want to pass on to my students.
Instructors need to be prepared and organized for each class to ensure efficient delivery of materials, and better student engagement. The more prepared instructors are, the more effective their pedagogy is in meeting course and learning objectives. In addition to efficient teaching, the instructor can establish respect and confidence in the classroom and create a better classroom atmosphere of learning. This also exemplify a good classroom management.
I feel an instructor needs to prepare and organize he or her materail to keep students on track for material that need to be learned.I also shows the students tha proper organizaion is a material can help keep consepts fresh in thier minds.
I believe that we have limited time as instructors to capture the audience's attention. If we are not prepared to start at the beginning of the class time, we risk losing their attention for the entire class. Including their respect for our ability to teach.
I previously taught in an institution where btwn class, clinical and lab time and prep I was working 80 hours per week. I found I was always doing things last minute. It was quite a challenge.
Although I did not stay in the institution, I was pleased to learn that the following year they had made some changes. Namely, they replaced me with two instructors--mandated by the state. They also started using books that came with lectures so the next instructors did not need to make their own lectures.
If I am well-organized, I show my students that there learning experience is important to me. It also makes my teaching experience easier because I won't be fumbling for the next topic or class assignment. Last and not least, it models an important life skill to encourages my students to develop an organized approach to learning, working and personal activities.
As teachers we lead by example. If I expect my students to be prepared for the class then I need to show them the same respect. If I appear to my students to be unprepared and unorganized, then they will lose all faith in my ability to teach the class.
It is very important for an instructor to be organized and prepared so he/she can deliver the instructions or lessons effectively. In this way, the students can follow the trend of thought and they will not be confused.Being organized also makes an instructor confident and comfortable in managing a class.
We expect them to be prepared we must follow suit
This is where being prepared can really show through. Students will see that you know what you're talking about and have confidence in your abilities.
It's difficult to expect students to be organized with their materials, assignments, and time management if the example they receive from us, the instructors, is otherwise. I know for a fact that if I do not keep my materials organized and plan ahead at least a bit, that things will not flow well in the classroom at all. I may not be able to find a handout, an overhead transparency, or some needed material at the critical time I need it during class discussion. This is not the image I want to promote to my students for myself or the course. It also detracts from their learning experience. I feel so much more comfortable once I get rolling in class if I have my lesson and materials ready to roll. It’s more of an expectation from students to have this be the case and when it is not, they do notice. It is not a position I like to be in. To be several steps ahead I try very hard between classes to put all of my materials back in my notebooks, binders, etc. for quick reference for the next class. I know if I don’t do it right away, or shortly after class I may not get to it the rest of the day and may struggle looking for something during class tomorrow.
I am often reminded via student reviews that students take notice of an instructor's organization. Providing coursework in an organized fashion seems to give students a foundation of comfort, so they know they are in good hands with someone who takes the time to give them value for their time and money. Granted, the content within that organization is the key, but being organized can symbolize a certain type of value as well.
Hi Sherri:
As many others have pointed out, there tends to be a loss of credibility when an instructor is consistently disorganized. Students tune out more, and may miss important information.
Regards, Barry
