manage class time and activities
Preparation is key in class management.
I too, am a new instructor and find that the amount of lecture material & number of powerpoints to be overwhelming. I want to be able to incorporate all domains of learning and have some activities to break up the didactic content. what are some strategies to get it all done without boring them with too much lecture?
being new to the classroom and only having two students i find that by the end of the week we are sitting around cause we blow through things so fast but i'm learning to slow down and slow them down
Having morning and night classes and the same course subject, I have noticed the night classes seem to always grasp the subject better than the day classes. This taught me quickly to have a backup plan to give additional training (above and beyond but with-in the realms of the course syllabus) when possible. The students appreciate it and feel they’re getting more than their money's worth.
I can sympathize with your thought here. I approached a newly taught class with this thought. I looked at the course requirements, examined the previous instructors syllabus (thought it sounded boring), and added my personal work experience to jazz it up. I taught the course from a different perspective, which meant that there were parts of the book, I told students to essentially ignore. I told the class to read the book, but to concentrate on what I was teaching in class as parts of the text we did not cover.
Linda,
I am having the same problem. I've tried going by the syllabus that the previous instructor used but given the amount of time, I just don't feel like I'm making the most out of my class time. And how does one prepare for a class they've never taught?
I agree. Over planning gives you options. If the class is dragging change activities. If students are not getting a concept change the presentation method. If students are becoming unruly change the activity. However, if the activity/presentation is working, don't change it just to be changing. Use the extra activities at another time as reinforcement.
As a fairly new instructor, I am finding it challenging to pre-determine how long it will take to complete certain activities which makes lesson planning difficult. I am also learning that just because one class took a certain period of time, that does not mean that the next class will require the same amount of time. I am learning to over plan so that I have something to fall back on in case I run ahead.
