First time instructor
Teaching for the first time can be a very frightening experience.
First, you need to have all of your materials ready and have a postive attitude that everything is going to be just fine.
Second, While explaining the cousre contents, you should display some humor to break the ice and get the class involved.
Third, I would find out what are the expectations of the students,so I can set ia nice enjoyable environment.
Hi Tanja,
Since all of my classes fall within your time frame I can understand your questions clearly. The goal should be to provide as much content as you can in that one meeting per week. I use a lecture activity format. Approximately 15 minutes of lecture, then Q&A (students can ask questions during the lecture as well) to make everything clear, or small group work on case studies or problem solving. I have activity sheets to use either individually or in small groups. I use guest speakers a lot to change the pace and flow of the class. The reason for the small group activities is get the students up out of their seats and moving across the room (this little movement really helps to get them refocused.) breaks the pace of the class and lets them get to know the other students better. I change the groups up and mix them so that the students get to work with all of the students in the class.
We take regular breaks as well where they can use the restroom and get snacks.
Gary
Are there ready-made checklists out there? I feel worried that I may be leaving something out! I have taught workshops and short-term presentation series, so this semester-long prospect is new. And I feel like I may be missing something.
I will be teaching a 3 1/2 hour class once a week and one of my fears is that I won't have enough variety or matierial to use the time allotted appropriately. I hate busy work, so I plan to set a class routine including breaks and some flexibility. What have other people done?
Hi Geraldine,
You are right about humor being an effective teaching tool. The students get comfortable very quickly if they know you have a sense of humor and can use it to lighten up the moment.
Gary
HUMOR LETS YOUR STUDENTS KNOW YOU ARE APPROACHABLE. It needs to be used cautiously. NOONE SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO OVER-STEP. Humor teaches people not to be afraid to make a mistake. Usually humor reflects everyone's past experience about something. Humor keeps us healthy.
Hi Pamela,
To start the class off on the right foot knowing what student expectations are will do much for that effort. You are right on with your remarks. I like the part about the bar being high for both the students and ourselves, the instructors.
Gary
I think discussing with the class what they want to get out of the course is very important! By asking the question it not only sets the bar high for the student but it also gives the instructor the insight of what the students are really there for. Also sets the bar high for the instructor.
Hi Cyndi,
Through these introductions you will lay the ground work for creating rapport with your students. This is important as you some information about them that you can use to generate conversation and encouragement.
Gary
When your students tell a little about themselves it opens up the whole classroom and makes everyone feel more welcome. Aside from the fact that you will then have a good idea of where they are coming from.
If it happens it happens, there is a time and place for everything.
Hi Larry,
Humor is a tricky thing in that for some people it comes naturally and for others it can see almost forced. There isn't a real guideline for using humor other than to make sure you don't make fun or embarrass students. You can poke fun at yourself and the students will really like that. Do it in such a way that it does not discredit you but shows you are human. As you start the class and introduce yourself you can tell about your experience and then share a story of how something went wrong at your expense. We all have those stories so pick one that you have told before to friends or family so you are familiar with how to tell it. By this I mean the critical details, the pauses and the places you you place emphasis on what you are saying. Do it in the form of being a storyteller. Don't drag it out but make it interesting. Once you have got your students to laugh at this story you will start to see how you can use humor in other settings.
Be sure you do not make fun of a student's question or comments. This will sink you very fast and cause your students to lose respect for you.
Let me know how your first class goes. I wish you the best.
Gary
Hi Sean,
Good strategy in using the checklist. It really helps new instructors in their planning and preparation. When the nerves hit it is always good to have the check list there to make sure you haven't missed anything.
As a veteran teacher of 30 plus years I still use a check list because no matter how experienced you are it is easy to miss or skip something so my checklist is still with me after all of these years.
Gary
I am currently in new instructor training and learning as much as I can in preparation for my first class. I'll definitely be using a checklist to prepare for my first classes, and not entirely certain I'll stop using them once I am more familiar with the course content. I would hate to come to class unprepared because I was overconfident and mistakenly left something out of my planning!
I am also about to teach my first class and I like the ideal of using humor to put my self and or the class at ease. As a tool to offset my nervousness (humor) I am concern about going to far is there a guide line one could follow or should humor be kept to a minimum.
I am currently in new instructor training and learning as much as I can in preparation for my first class. I'll definitely be using a checklist to prepare for my first classes, and not entirely certain I'll stop using them once I am more familiar with the course content. I would hate to come to class unprepared because I was overconfident and mistakenly left something out of my planning!
Hi Rory,
As one of the opening "ice breakers" for the class have the students introduce themselves and then have them tell the class what they expect to get out of the class. This will give you a very good idea of where the students are coming from. It will also help to give you a baseline of their experience and knowledge so you will know where to start the class.
Gary
I am also teaching for the first time. The only area I did not discuss was to ask the students what do they expect to gain from the class. What do you think?
