Reducing Distractions
I find it very important to survey the class room before class and eliminate any light, heat, or visual distrations.
I think going through your lab and object lessons before is vital. preparing an after and demonstrating a before is like instant gratification. Nothing speaks more than a well prepared and thought out activity with proven results!
Yes, I have started a video and found that the previous class had the volume up extremely loud, I know make it a point to test these things prior to class! Good advise!
Hi Leigh,
Good outline of how to be prepared for class. It relieves so much pressure when you have everything ready to go doesn't it? Then you can step into the classroom and really enjoy teaching your students about your field.
Gary
I find that gathering all of my materials ahead of time is of great importance to keep my lesson flowing smoothly. I write my goals & my agenda on the board. That way the students know what is coming & they make transitions quickly. They also so keep me on point if I skip something. I also layout all of my material in the order I plan to use them so that I don't waste time passing out materials. I agree that is of the utmost importance to test all technology & have it cued up as much as possible. Technology can be your best friend or your worst nightmare when it isn't working properly. The more you can anticipate your your needs & the students needs the better chance you have of being prepared for your class to go smoothly.
Hi Wendy,
The key is just as you mention, regaining control of the situation and moving the course forward. Yes, disruptions do occur and we must develop ways to overcome them and keep our students engaged.
Gary
Great point!
Reducing distractions before hand creates a great learning environment. However, there are some distractions that are beyond our control regardless of how prepared we are as instructors. Distractors can include a knock on the door, or a disruptive student. Once a distraction has occurred it is often difficult to get back on track with the lesson. I think the checklist idea mentioned in the module can be a great tool for regaining the lesson focus and remembering where a lesson ended before the distraction.
Hi James,
Little things like this can become big things very quickly when the pressure of the class is there. Good point about checking the equipment before hand.
Gary
Yes, I agree; there have been several times when I planned on showing a video, and because I checked the equipment ahead of time, I was able to discover that someone before me had muted the audio.
Also a good time to ensure the audio-visual equipmnt is working, the boards are cleaned, the desks are arranged the way you want them, etc.
