Patti,
Good back up plans are really just alternate versions of what you're already doing. For me, I try to think of plans that are easy to implement on short notice, low tech, related to the current or general course topic, and are interesting and essential. By essential, I mean students don't feel like these are time fillers but meaningful to the extent possible.
Barry Westling
Actually, this is an area where I see a need for further personal growth because I haven't always been as prepared as I should have been. I foresee developing a data base or collection of resource materials with lists of activities that can be adapted to any particular topic or focus of study. I think a good resource would be polling my peer instructors to gain new ideas and continuing to read and seek out materials from other experienced instructors.
Jeff,
I always try to think about worst case scenario. I want my back up plans to be current, easy to implement, low tech, interesting, and contribute to student learning. Doing something that is just a time filler helps no one. So each instructor needs to use their experience and familiarity with their course to determine what back up plans would be appropriate.
Barry Westling
I use a number of of methods to develop back up plans form instruction including reviewing past course surveys from students, I also solicit input from other instructors, students. And use peer course evaluations. This information as well as past experiences help me have a game plan in case my game plan goes wrong.
Paul,
How fun! This reminds me of the "crafts time" I loved doing as kid in grade school. At it's root, this activity (and thousands like it) incorporates almost all of the senses so retention will be improved. Also, as a backup plan, it was current, topical, easy to implement, and enjoyable for the students. This is how I would describe any good back up plan.
Barry Westling
I was finding myself short at the end of my terms with my subject matter, so I thought of a hands on way to better get my point across on a concept of the weight of a square foot of air. I went to the local hobby store and bought some one inch square cubes of wood drilled some holes in each side dead center and also got some one foot long dowels. and had them erect a cube one foot by one foot by one foot. I found out this hands on concept got through much better than the imaginary hand gestures of the past.
Vera,
It takes some planning to decide how best to deliver the content in a way the students will understand, and presented in an interesting way and where students will retain the essential information. This is where some knowledge of students prior learning can help. Also, looking at past classes and the delivery methods are another way to decide what and how more challenging topics can be given.
Barry Westling
Some of our especially "knowledge-heavy" subjects like the Pulmonary System or EKG seem to better understood with brief lectures then actual demonstration then lecture then demonstration and/or practice. The theory part is so heavy that most students always get "lost".
Kendall,
Great. You've prepared yourself well for the unexpected which is likely to occur at some time for all of us.
Barry Westling
I always have more material than I think I need for a class session. Whether it is the next powerpoint, additional handouts, or activities to apply knowledge. I make sure that they are benficial, but not crucial to the instruction so if there is extra time, or we need a change of pace great.
Nastassia,
Class size matters, and I am not sure there are any consistencies in how to approach a large class or smaller class. Most of the time it comes down to how well a particular group of students have prepared, their prior knowledge, and factors that affect their ability to study (free from interference of work, childcare, travel, illness, etc). For instance, you point out the importance of good math skills for students taking chemistry. I agree, and this is a good example if a student is weak in math, more instructional time will be spent due to that weaker skill level.
Barry Westling
Alyson,
This is a good place to insert alternative plans. Sometimes, even the best laid plans are not enough to capture the attention of distracted students (holiday fever is among them). For me, I always try to keep the focus on the job, and how students can benefit personally from my instruction. When I do that, I have more chance I can garner the students focus.
Barry Westling
In my experience, the instruction plan depends on the size of the class and on the initial background of the students.
Usually I have 10-15 students per group and the content I have developed for the course over the years is well fit within the time allotted for the class. I was really surprised when I got a group of just 2 students! One would think that it might take longer to teach a smaller group but it is quite the opposite. Whether it was a sense of a private tutoring or something else, but both students caught up with the material fast enough and I found myself with nothing else planned for that day and still had some time left. Eventually I had to re-tailor the course content to fit the size of the class...
As for a student initial background, I know within the first two classes how well students are prepared for taking the course. Being a General Chemistry teacher, I go through the measurements in chemistry during the first two classes (we start with things like addition, subtraction, multiplication, working with fractions and conversions). The good math skills are a key to success in General Chemistry as most problems involve ratios, proportions, balancing and so on. By seeing their initial math skills I can predict the difficulties my students might encounter in the course. Should their math skills appear to be poor, I would emphasize a great deal on a math portion first to ensure the students' success.
Sometimes if I plan an activity, especially around a holiday or break, students are over enthusiastic and have difficulty staying focused in groups and it becomes a circus. I usually take this time to regroup and do an alternative plan.
Terry,
I agree. I think review of daily or weekly material, and/or discussion of same is one of the best ways an instructor can use their time in a productive manner with their students. I think it's rare that students can grasp the bulk of the material they receive in a single session. And while some students may feel the reviewing or discussion groups is somewhat redundant, the benefit is that that all students receive a little more than they would have.
Barry Westling
Linda,
Great. I think discussion and/or review are always great ways to make use of time available due to whatever. Students can never get enough review of essential material. And discussion of course material is interactive, kind of fun, and productive use of time.
Barry Westling
Review of previously covered material is always a good back-up plan. I've found that time reviewing often opens up opportunities for clarification.As an instructor of building trades, material previously covered can be reviewed from time to time. I have some power points that are great, as well as some vocabulary power points that work well. This helps with retention and helps "the light come on". It is difficult to gauge the speed of comprehension for each day , each class. To me it just makes good sense. Thoughts?
As I've mentioned before, I teach in a massage therapy program. I have many resources available to me for backup plans in my instructional role. All students receive a workbook when they begin our program that has to do with learning the bones, muscles and associated structures of the body. I can always use those worksheets to help the students associate what we are learning as well as fill extra time if needed. I also have a skeleton model available for use any time. Numbering bones and bony landmarks and having the students walk around the skeleton and name them is always helpful and quite fun. In addition, our campus has a cadaver lab on site where we can actually see what we are discussing. I would like to add that I have gotten many useful ideas and suggestions from these courses. Developing personalized syllabi to go along with the standard ones that are required has been a great eye-opener for me. Having all the students make paper airplanes the first class and then having the best flyers teach us all how to make successful flyers made for a very cohesive group of students. I am starting a new class tomorrow and have just completed a pre-test for them. Thank you for it all!
Brian,
Great. I think when students can relate instructional lessons to their personal lives, it'll make more sense, and therefore they are more likely to understand, retrain, and apply the information.
Barry Westling
When teaching economics, I always have a back-up plan of having students discuss their own personal budgets so that they can see economic decision-making isnt only something done by policy-makers in the text book. When teaching busniess law, my back-up plan of instruction is to have the students act as hypothetical judges in business contract disputes instead of only reading case-studies in the text.
