Being Prepared
It definatley makes the class go smoother when youhave all your materials prepared & ready. Coming into class diorganized sets the mood for the students and they become distracted & unfocused.
Unfortunatly it can sometimes be tough to have all classes fully prepped when they run back to back & labs need to set up. We often share a lab & dont have the luxury of alwasy leaving materials out until we need them. Having the students help prepare the lab as part of it is one way I can get around that.
Hi Lou:
You're right, we do hae to be prepared from day one (or before), because to the student, we represent the process for their learning and earning a grade in the class. We owe it to the students to plan, put thought into our lessons, ready the resources and media we need, and have everything at hand as the students begin entering the room.
I think the little bit of time before (and after) realy should be reserved for students (questions, discussing, relating, making a personal connection). It should be occupied by a harried instructor, hastily making clast minute copies, organizing materials, etc. Studentsmay be hesitant to ask questions because they don't want to bother the teacher or interrupt.
Students will respect the organized and prepared teacher.
Regards, Barry
Hi
I've found that instructors that are not organized lose the respect of their students very quickly. This causes management problems with students not taking the course seriously as well as getting off task. It's crucial for student learning that the instructor is organized from day one. This can be a challenge when instructors have several preps and are teaching the course for the first time.
Lou
Hi Deb:
Wow, you sound like you've really "been there-done that" when it comes to juggling rooms/labs/and class resources.
I really like your use of students to assist. They probably don't mind, and some feel satisfaction from being able to participate. Of course, you cpould also argue "who's going to set this stuff up fo you in the workplace", eh?
Regards, Barry
