Organizing and planning before each lesson helps the instruction flow smoothly and also boosts the instructor's confidence about the material being covered.
Kurtis,
Students respect and hold their instructors in high regard when they recognize there has been preparation. Being organized is both a duty and a responsibility we have to our students. And, as you say, it makes learning and understanding go better.
Barry Westling
It shows students respect and that you value their education. I can remember having instructors that were not very organized and it seemed like a waste of money and time. However, professors that were well prepared made it easier to comprehend the material and made students feel like the instructor valued their education.
Tom,
I agree that students like stories. Whenever we can insert a work-setting story, situation, case-study, interesting or unusual circumstance to make a point about a topic being discussed, the students are more likely to remember the point being made based on their recall of the story. In doing so, we're actually building new information on top of prior knowledge inherent in the story thread.
Barry Westling
Tom,
This sounds like good preparation. Arriving before the students helps in multiple ways, not just for preparation. For instance, I find being ready for class allows me to visit with students as they appear to discuss assignments, answer questions, or just chat about current events. I think this helps demonstrate the instructor is a normal person, approachable, and helps develop better relationships.
Barry Westling
I have been in my field for 40 years and can ad-lib discussion on the subject matter to nmake things flow should there be a glich in the plan for the day such as videos that don't work or handout material that might not fill in all the information. That has saved my bacon more than once.
If I didn't have the materials for the classroom
ready in advance for the day's teaching I would be a nourvous wreck. I am at school an hour or more before class and have all handouts ready and organized for the day including extra materials in case the information exchange moves faster than I had expected.
Thor,
Every instructor learns to develop their own style and soon find what works best for them and their students. Planning for unexpected excesses in time or need for more material is always a good idea just to plan ahaed for emergencies.
Barry Westling
I also prepare quite a bit on the front end. However, leaving a bit of wiggle room for the flow of the class and the different learning styles i have found is also important to engaging students.
Liz,
You're right, good preparation convey a sense of self confidence. And that can lead to projecting competence to our students.
Barry Westling
I feel that organization and preparation plays a big role in the class. If an instructor comes in well organized and prepared, it sends out a message to the student that they are more than likely very knowledgeable in their field. If you are an instructor that flies by the seat of your pants and constantly runs out of the room to copy things or forgets things, students will not respect what you are trying to teach them. Being unorganized can make an instructor lose credibility.
LeJean,
Yes, respect is important, for without it students may take less interest or become less serious about their educational responsibilities. As instructors, with good preparation, we can set the tone, the attitude, the level of attention that'll be brequired for success in the class.
Barry Westling
An Instructor who is organized and prepared to teach shows respect to the students, respect for the content and the learning objectives. It sends the message to the students that the goal in the classroom is "to learn"! Plus bring enthusiasm into the classroom as an extra "plus"!
Marianne,
It's true, we ask our students to do a lot and usually in a relatively short time. So time is of the essence and responsible students will expect their instructors to be prepared, ready, and willing to give them their daily lessons in a full measure.
Barry Westling
To be able teach the class the learn objectives for the class. And also to lead the class by example. If I am not organized and ready for class, how can I ask my students to be?
Mary,
Right. First and foremost, students expect their instructor will be ready for class with all the resources gathered that will be needed for class. They expect their instructor to be knowledgeable in general, and prepared speciffically for the daily lessons. If these basic expectatations are not met, trust and respect may begin to become diminished over time.
Barry Westling
By being organized and prepared for each class you demonstrate to your students that you are knowledgable about the topic that you are teaching and that you have taken the effort to organize the material that you are presenting to help your students to learn and master the material.
Ricardo,
Really, just taking time to plan, gather resources, and make sure all is ready for class (including instructor readiness) is all it takes. Sometimes that's saying a lot, but that's what we're paid to do, and students expect (and deserve) no less.
Barry Westling
The main thing when you are organized and prepared for class is that you are able to ensure that all information that the students need to be successful are covered and relayed to them.
Being organized keeps you on track with the content you are teaching, as I know from experience if I do not have an organized list of what I am teaching each class, it is very easy to be side tracked and to fail to cover all the significant points that you really needed to cover with the students. The other thing it helps with is to pace yourself and the students, at a comfortable rate so that you are not having to cram all the information towards the end of the class term.
Alexcia,
I wish all instructors could realize they are professional educators and assume that role in all situations. For some reason, some instructors think they can come unprepared and expect students to have respect and trust. Although an occasional day where things are slightly off is part of life, more than a couple of days and the instructor is creating a pattern, a habit of sorts. Students may not say anything, but they most certainly notice.
Barry Westling
