Hi Edwin,
Great practices to follow to reduce instructor's anxiety. I do not wait on students to begin teaching. If there are only one student in the room on time I begin teaching on the hour. The other students will realize they are missing valuable instructional time.
Patricia
Hi Marianna,
Don't worry about anything that you cannot control, and you can control teaching, therefore it is no need to stress. Prepare, be organized, knowledgeable, fair, and professional, and you will be just fine.
Patricia
I use the "overly prepare" strategy. I feel most comfortable if I feel I KNOW my subject matter ahead of time. There still may be a questin I cannot answer, but I am sure to hav ethe answer by next class. My students have verbalized how much they appreciate me "knowing what I'm talking about" because it makes them feel that I care about them.
to overcome this anxiety , if I am well prepared this helps to subside this feeling.
No matter how Knowledgable I feel I am on a given subject I still have this feeling the begining of every one of my new classes.
The main problems that I worry about are knowing the material that I am going to teach, and having enough to last the entire class period. As recommended, I prepare more material then I could possibly teach in a full class period, and I review the material just prior to going to the class. By doing this, my notes are sufficient to keep me on track, and I always have plenty more material than needed for the class. Sometimes in the middle of class, depending on how the discussion is proceeding, I will skip parts of the lesson that I do not feel fit well and still I have plenty of material.
New instructors should try to be well organized and prepared for the subject they teach. Also knowing that they are experts on the subject will give confidence and reduce their anxiety.
I don't suffer much anxiety anymore except on that first day with new students. Some of the ways I have used to reduce anxiety are.
1. Come in early enough to get ready for class. Relax, have a cup of coffee and look over your schedule for the day.I am in the classroom an hour and a half early every day.
2. Check over the class room make sure any handouts, lab equipment and training aids are available and ready for use.
3. Try and format your instruction so that you do it pretty much the same way each time, that way you know where you are going with it.When something in the format doesn't seem to flow right make a note of it and adjust the format.
The types of questions the students ask will also help adjust the format.
4. Know when you are going to start and begin on time even if all of the students aren't there yet.The students who are there on time will appreciate that you keep to the schedule.
I also get a bit nervous each time I have a new group of students. I have been teaching the same courses for the past 4 years, and still worry a bit the Sunday before the term starts. I learned not to worry too much, just wait it out and move on.
Hi Edward,
You are considered a push over whenever you are not a stickler for rules. You have mentioned some excellent factors. You have to do what you say you are going to do, otherwise you will be taken as a joke.
Patricia
Hi Lori,
Knowledge, preparation, and organization will certainly reduce instructor;s anxiety.
Patricia
Preparation is key along with having a short ice breaker-type activity. I usually prepare more than enough material too to keep the class moving and focused.
Hi Jacqueline,
It really does make an instructor feel at ease whenever they can team teach before teaching a course. I tell my instructors to act as if they are a student and do all the assignments, quizzes, tests, etc.
Patricia
Hi Gerald,
The instructor should always be in class early, and begin teaching on the hour. If the class begins at 8:00 a.m., the instructor should begin teaching at 8:00 a.m. Teaching on the hour promotes good retention.
Patricia
Hi Victor,
It really does become a lot easier the more times you teach it. Preparation is key.
Patricia
I have mentored new high school teacher for year with their classroom management skill which in turn gave them a sense of self-respect and increased confidence to be a leader in the classroom. In observing new teachers, it occurred to me that their delivery on the first day showed fear and lack of confidence. Not in their subject matter but mostly in the presenting of class rule and requirements.
These were really easy fixes if the teacher would practice two disciplines. Be fair and consistent. Treat all students equally and sick to your rules. With mentioning rules, I would advise teachers to limit the number of rules in a class and make them relevant to the class environment for learning.
The other important factor involves the use of a good syllabus and addendum with behavioral expectations. Giving the students a syllabus with every bit of relevant information for learning is the best way to gain their respect, because you are addressing the student’s needs. When you follow a syllabus the students begin to trust whatever it is that you are presenting to them. The addendum will solidify their respect for you as you stick to your guns when rule is not followed. Trust and respect will lead to the students liking you as a teacher, knowing that you have their best interest at heart.
Hi Kevin,
I like your idea of being organized. I am the same way. I am definitely not a last minute instructor; this type of behavior can get you in a lot of trouble in education. Preparation/organization are key factors in this business. The better prepared/organized you are the less complaints you will have from students.
Patricia
In order to reduce anxiety the best thing one can do is remember that the class is there to learn and that you spent (hopefully) plenty of time preparing for your lecture. The students are in most cases not knowledgeable in the topic or course that you are teaching so they are looking for info. You in most cases know more about the subject then they do. Take a deep breath, and do the best you can. Dont worry. Everything is o.k. is what you have to tell yourself. After you teach your second time, it starts to become easier and easier and more of a routine.
I think being in the class room early and getting comfortable before the class arrives is a big help. On those first few days of class it gives you the time to review the students names and try to greet them by name to put them at ease and get things started on a positive note.
I think new instructors if all possible should have a mentor that they shadow prior to start of their class. This gives the new instructor a chance to see how the class room is run, opportunity to meet the students and an opportunity for them to prepare an assignment and teach it. Receive feedback from the mentor as well as the students. This sets up a comfort zone for the new instructor.
Being organized is the key - to have a binder or files with copies the class assignments made the day before or earlier. To follow the class syallabus and making sure you have everything prepare in advance is a huge anxiety reducer for me.
