Preparation
Faculty should be prepared. It's very disturbing when unprepared instructors enter the classroom. Think of the message being sent to the students.
Lisa,
Course objectives can be fantasitic tools, especially for subs. By taking one or more objectives, the sub can usually expand on that topic as much from their experience as from their regular courses. Exploring all there is about one objective can usually fill an entire period. Longer term sub assignments may require more objectives. But in the end, students will have the meat of the topic covered.
Barry Westling
How does a substitute prepare? Subs in our facility have no time nor materials to review before they are sent to the slaughter. How can we improve this valued service?
Dustin,
In many ways, not too many things are worse for an instructor than not being able to perform adequately (epecially when the reason is preventable).
Barry Westling
It is so much easier completing a task or job when you prepare your self for what is needed to do the job. It shows when you are not prepared and things go downhill from there.
Angela,
Yes, and when students see their instructor prepared and ready to go before class, it suggests that time, planning and effort has gone into the delivery of the lesson, and perhaps some of this professional demeanor may be copied or emulated by students who appreciate their instructors readiness.
Barry Westling
I agree completely. I hate it when I see instructors rushing to the copy machine 3 minutes before class.
Your prep should be done ahead of time and you should be in the class and ready to go before the students arrive.
Jacqulin,
Yes, planning and preparation take time but I look at it first, that we're being paid to be ready, and also our students benefit from our actions.
Barry Westling
Preparation for class helps to increase an instructor's confidence and delivery of instructions in the classroom. Preparation can be time-consuming but it has both intrinsic and extrinsic values.
Monica,
I think of it like this: we're paid to be ready, so we better do it!
Barry Westling
I think it sends a message of dishonesty to the profession your teaching, a lack of commitment and lack of professionalism. If you permit it you promote it!
Noreen,
Students do respond and expect their instructors to be prepared and ready. Credibility and trust are valuable assets and delicate to maintain. Preparation alone wouldn't assure these but without preparation, they're likey to soon fade away.
Barry Westling
