Whether you’re a first time instructor or a season veteran instructor class preparation is a vital planning stage that should not be overlooked. What may have work for one class may not work for the next one. I always look over the class schedule first as a complete course then as a day to day or lesson to lesson. I sometimes have to make adjustments due to holidays or presentations that interrupt the flow of the concept being presented so the delivery method may have to change. My student audience is also different between morning sessions and afternoon sessions and what worked during one session may not get the same results during the other session. Most students come in to the course not fully understanding why they have to learn about this topic and they are not planning on doing this subject matter when they start their careers. I have to pump their interest up and explained to them that knowing how something is supposed to be done the right way will allow them to become more efficient at what they will be doing resulting in more earning potential. With the rapid flux of the industry changing on a daily basis I am constantly trying to bring out in my class how what is going on around us in our daily lives affects everything that we do.
Review class material before each class and plan for each step along the way. Notes are helpfull for preparation so when it time to start I have all materials needed.
Thank you for the reply Jason. I think you have included one of the most important items and that is self awareness of the material and introspection of previous presentations. Confidence I believe is very important to a good delivery and my confidence is much greater when I review the material and all my notes taken from previous classes. Great answer and I hope it continues to work for you.
Preparation is critical. No matter how many times that you have taught a course you must prepare time and again as if it were a new course. Over confidence coupled with lack of preparation and possible changes with the curriculum can land an instructor in hot water very quickly. When instructors stumble because of a change in material, or a classes difficulty in grasping the concepts, often it leads to a lack of confidence in the instructor and their grasp of the topic. This can lead to loss of class control and a battle of wills between the instructor and the students.
I like to look over the material, including labs and tests to see if I need to tweak my delivery. I will even review tha material on the day that I am going to deliver it, just to make sure that it will flow with what I have learned about a particular class of students and their learning styles. This ensures that the materials, the delivery and the tests will flow seamlessly together. I can also tailor my delivery to make the class flow go faster or slower in certain areas. I can also attempt to anticipate what kind of questions might arise so that I can research them before they are raised by the students.
Highlighting the key points for the course and the requirement of those items. I doing so it gives the instructor and student a knowlage of what the content and expected performance on both sides. Bothe student and Instructor.
Also it is a good idea to review your subject matter, and know exactly how to deliver the information in a way the class will understand.
Hi Steve,
Being over prepared helps to keep panic in check. I am sure we have all been in a situation where that "perfect" lecture was used up in the first 15 minutes and the class is 4 hours long. It is at this time you want to jump out the window never to return to the classroom again.
Keep up the preparation so you can avoid the panic bug.
Gary
I think that is on target Nate,
I believe your students will feel your passion if you express it. They will not only be motivated to learn but they will also have a desire to be a part of the industry as a whole.
Great point Clayton,
I believe the excitement you feel for the industry and material will be absorbed and amplified by your students. They will return that excitement during their participation with the class & material. Your excitement also will give them perceived value for the lesson, this will help keep them more attentive and wanting to learn.
Hi Dr. Meers,
Your first sentence I have always found is critical, it is much better to be overly prepared verses under prepared. By being over prepared you can add the ability to be flexible and allow the class to flow and deviate from the specific material slightly yet still get back on track and cover the objectives. Underprepared stifles flexibility and creativity and can make a poor environment for the learners.
I feel that first impressions of the subject matter is also extremely important (i.e. giving it value, making it interesting, etc.). I believe that if learners sense that you are passionate about what you do and what you are teaching then it will be passed on to them for the rest of the course.
When meeting for the first time in a new class, I feel that I need to show passion for the education they are going to receive. In preparing for my first meeting, I will need to be able to convey information about the field and that this is a great opportunity. Hopefully they will feel excited to learn about the industry.
Hi Steve,
The key is to be overly prepared for that first class. Be confident in your ability to present the material. Have some activities planned that get the students started while you get a feel of how they are accepting what you are doing. Have several different approaches to the first day so you can quickly go to one of the other plans if you see the way you are going is not working. Be flexible.
Gary
