It is very important to show the students your Professionalism,readiness and confidence in delivering your lesson plan with all the nessasary "tools" avaliable at the start of the lesson.
Ricky:
Good advice - thanks for sharing!
Barry
Hi Carl:
We are hired to do a job, and it's expected we give all we can to make the learning experience a meaningful one.
All of our training, education, work experience, and skills are wasted if we don't adequately prepare. This take planning, thought, and effort to occur. Back to the beginning - this is what we are hired to do.
Regards, Barry
Hi Robert:
I think we are hired because of our education, training, work experience, skills, and knowledge related to the course being taught. But having all the best background is diminished if the instructor is unable to convey or present in in a manner that students can receive and benefit from.
Organization and preparation require thought, time and effort and planning - because it won't happen by itself. Students (and others) will notice when adequate preparation has occured. And for the students, they benenift from the teachers expertise.
Regards, Barry
Hi Elizabeth:
These expereinces will prove to be invaluable to your fortunate students. Organizing and preparation are preceded by planning, and a little of that goes a long way. Putting it into action and the disciplne that goes along with that is another key ingredient.
Regards, Barry
By coming to class on time, organized and prepared an instructor models for a student the values that s/he hope to see manifested in the students themselves. Students see in their instructor the actions they are supposed to be taking.
Likewise, students who see their instructor's competence and professionalism are less likely to make petty excuses and will respond better to constructive criticism. Essentially, taking responsibility for one’s own preparation gives the instructor additional leverage when demanding excellence in this same area from her/his students.
Finally, being organized and prepared for each class is beneficial for that fateful day when you notice a colleague in the back of the room taking notes during your class. S/he is there to observe you. You are being evaluated, and you had better believe s/he will notice how well prepared and organized you are. Basically, a raise, promotion, or perhaps your job may be on the line.
I’m a great believer in using office supplies to keep things organized. I color-code all my classes. For each one, I have a tote bag containing a three-ring binder with dividers and a snap-in hole punch; a bag of supplies, including pens for marking in the appropriate color; a multi-pocket folder for handouts and assignments to distribute; a folder for tings to be marked; a folder for items to be returned to the students; a flash drive; extra markers and an eraser; the textbook; and anything else that I need to bring to class. The master copies of everything – assignments, quizzes, exams, exam keys, resource materials, etc. – are punched and put into the binder, together with student contact information, attendance sheets, class records, etc.
Hi Christine:
Well prepared teachers have preceded class with thought, effort, time, and planning.
It's true some days are better than others, even when we feel we're prepared adequately. One comfort is if we're honest with stdents, we won't loose their respect. Faking it will almost guarantee it.
Try the "four C's": Coordination, competence, confidence, and caring. Each contains elements that result in better classes, because we're trying, and students will notice.
Regards, Barry
Hi Roger:
Being orgainzed is kind of a state of mind. I refer to preparation and delivery as the the four "C's":
* Coordination (to select the materials, media, teaching aids, copies - whatever is needed to make the class ready, interesting and enjoyable learning experience.
* Competence (preparing the lecture, lessons, redaing and reviewing what is to be taught, to be that teacher - knowledgeable in all aspects of the lesson
* Confidence (Deivering the material feeling assured, boldy, with passion, excitement, and a genuine honesty; students will detect when the teacher is being artificial or unnatural in their approach and delivery).
* Caring (to be a kind advocate for the student, being open to differing viewpoints, respecting and demonstrating a couteous manner when interacting with students).
Class is bound to be more beneficial if most of these prepatory activity precede the students arrival to each class.
Regards, Barry
There are several reasons a teacher should be organized. First being organized is a reflection of how you will teach the class and how your students will behave in your class. If you are sloppy, your student's work will be sloppy.
Second, you never know what will happen in your class. The power may go out in your class and you must move to another. If you are organized, you will be able to readily adapt to the unexpected.
Third, if you expect the students to be organized, shouldn't you be? Lead by example.
Fourth, being organized is a lot easier than being unorganized. There's a lot less time involved in every aspect of the class if you have done your preparation.
Currently, I’m teaching in the Early Childhood Program, so I’m educating students how to be effective teachers. I know I need to be a model for them and organization is a key factor to being an exceptional teacher. I also help my students make “to do lists†and establish a calendar to document their upcoming assignments/tests etc. We have role-played situations that can occur in the classroom with an organized teacher vs. an unorganized teacher. All teachers need to think quickly on their feet but early childhood teachers need to be just a little quicker! Organization is key to a smooth classroom!
Hi Stephanie:
Good. Well prepared classes require a degree of organization to be effective. Time, effort, thought, and planning have to go into smooth running classes - it happen by itself. Students will appreciate and notice when adequate prepartion has occured. That's where they'll give the teacher their respect.
Regards, Barry
This demonstrates respect for the students' time and money, shows them that you want them to succeed and that you're trying to create & facilitate a positive learning experience for them.
I try very hard to be prepared for my classes. I can tell when I'm not fully prepared for my class and when I am. It does happen I believe to all of us. Life happens and we are half prepared. I get upset with myself when that happens. First impressions are everything and it takes along time for those impressions to go away. Students can tell and know if you are prepared and ready for class. Body language and speech clarity tell alot too. Being organized and prepared is very important to all concerned especially students. It shows you care about them and the subject you are teaching.
it is one way to show that you care about the students and it is to show that you respect the students time.
It also serves as a model for the students. Many students are not organized for the class, and the teacher can serve as an example on being prepared. This also helps the students to feel confident in the teacher's abilities. I have heard students complain when instructors are not prepared and seem all over the place with their notes and lectures.
Hi Earle:
You are correct that having a compeptent teacher usually leads to a confident teacher. Students appreciate the time and effort we put into preparing for classes. They deserve all we can give them. Otherwise, it's just about a paycheck.
Regards, Barry
Hi Todd:
Organized teachers have taken time to prepare their classes with all of the resources, handouts, media, teaching aids, and of course personal preparation in order to deliver quality subject content in a logical, sequential manner conveyed in a confident manner.
Students will be more attentive and likely learn more in class sessions where there is adequete preparation.
Regards, Barry
Hi Noralee:
Well prepared classes do tend to have a natural flow to them - calm, relaxed, seamless transition from topic to topic. This can only happen with lots of preparation. It's unlikely without preparation.
When the teacher is prepared, the teacher is more confident, and the class becomes more enjoyable and interesting for all.
Regards, Barry
Hi Alex:
Yes, students see us as leaders and when we're prepared, they see that time and effort on their behalf has goine into planning the lesson. Students will appreciate that. Preparation also lends itself to better use of time, better interaction with students, and more quality of content.
Hurried, busy teachers who wing it will achieve the same results.
Regards, Barry
