Sonia Rodriguez

Hi David:)

An effective way that can help you get through your lecture days is setting up PowerPoints that correlate with the topics you will be discussing in class.

Now, if you have the luxury of being able to incorporate lab into your lecture I definitely recommend it!

Once students get to see for themselves what you were trying to get across during your lecture in lab, all the puzzle pieces will fall into place for them:)

Good Luck

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Hi Eric,
Sounds like you have developed a great system of mixing the flow of your class with the new students so they get settled in and comfortable quickly. With the new starts each week I know it is a challenge and it looks like you have met that challenge extremely well. Keep up the good work.
Gary

Eric Soldevilla

As a Microsoft Office instructor, I find the method mentioned here (mixing lecture with a demo) highly effective. At the beginning of each week I intake new students. Once my new students get settled in at their desks, I fire up the projector and allow them to watch as I do the first exercise so that they get a glimpse of whats to come.

I then have them complete the same exercise, assisting them in completing the objectives when they call for help. This method really helps the students overcome the fear of computers and accelerates the time it usually takes for them to get through the activity on their own.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Hi Amy,
This is an excellent way to blend instruction. You are giving your students a solid base plus application of content. This helps them to see the relevancy of what they are learning and bridges the gap between school and the real world.
Gary

Amy Hoffman

As a teacher of software I have found it easier to combine lecture and lab time. This helps alleviate my nervousness and keep students engaged. Often times I will begin my classes with a professional example of the skill I am trying to impart and work backwards from there. I feel this sets a high bar for what I expect the students will eventually be able to accomplish. I have also found it helpful to always tie lectures into a practical application showing students the how of why. I will often times lecture for about 15-20 minutes, demo a skill relating to the lecture and then let the students try it once or twice, before moving on to the next lecture topic.
I encourage them to take notes but I have found that grounding theory in practical application leads students to not tune out during the lecture parts of the class. It also gives me a minute to review my next lecture topic, evaluate student response and adjust the class tone accordingly

David Bell

Prepare obsessively, visualize success and start with a joke. On day one I introduce myself as the 'Stand in comedian'. I make jokes about the subject matter and run into walls to keep people engaged. Once the class is involved in the lecture it becomes a discussion. This has helped me alleviate any anxiety associated with lectures over the years.

Stephanie Gregoire

With just three years of teaching, I have find confidence by learning my lecture on the top of my fingers in order to be able to do it without my notes. After that I had surprised myself approaching that lecture differently, most likely, responding to student questions. It is all about their learning anyway. But a good 6 six is needed to gain the confidence you are looking for as lecturing in front of students

Dorothy Damon CHEP

I experienced exactly the same thing when I first started teaching. As instructors, we're seen as experts at what we do, and if the slightest thing goes wrong in demo/lecture, it can really affect your confidence, and turn into an obstacle that you have to overcome before you can continue. I started using the powerpoint more as a tool to keep me focused and on track, much like note cards, and it really did have a big impact. I found my lectures to be more concise and straightforward, rather than having large gaps or pauses to fill with useless info, and this also made it easier for the students to accept and retain the necessary information. Also, the handouts that I created to go along with the pp work wonderfully as test study guides at the end of the week, since all of the pertinent info is right there on one or two pages. They can quickly refer to their study guide during test review, and we end up spending less overall time talking and more time doing.

Sadie

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Hi David,
You are facing a common situation for new instructors. A suggestion I would make is to take a concept that you want to teach your students and develop the lecture around it for a span of approximately 15 minutes. Put your notes on a 5x7 card, develop some PP slides and prepare a handout for your students with the PP slides on it along with space for notes. Put the PP up and the focus of the students will be on the slides, this will help to relieve some pressure on you, have them take notes on the handout, again the focus will be on the note taking, and illustrate each of your points with an example, preferably an experience you have had in the field. It is much easier to talk about something you have experienced so again there will be less stress. Don't stand behind a lectern but stand beside it if you need something to touch and use as support. After the mini-lecture have a discussion put the students into work groups, or go to the lab. You bring them back to the classroom later for another lecture session. What this does is give both you and the students a break in the flow and lets you catch your breath and get over your nerves since you will have success with your students while they are in the lab.
Time will really help you as you get more comfortable being in front of people and developing your instructional style.
Gary