Planning and preparing for class
Instructors need to take time to go over materials, create supplemental materials, and to have all handouts, etc. ready for class before the class starts. Coming in 30 or 15 minutes early will not work since as Murphy Law states "if something can go wrong it will". To avoid rushing and your students getting the impression that you are not prepared or organized prepare everything as far in advance as possible.
Mary,
I like your approach by having everything done for the semester. I thought I was prepared well for class on Monday, quizzes copied, PowerPoint safe on my thumb drive- until I found my thumb drive had died. This will not happen again. I will back-up all of my materials.
Hi Latoya,
Well said. Preparation and planning is a must if an instructor is going to be effective. We must always keep our focus on the learning and support needs of our students and if we do with proper preparation everyone will benefit.
Gary
I think that instructor planning and proper preparation for class is critical to teaching because it lets the students see that you are organized, prepared,on time and that you know the material. Planning and preparation also set the stage for learning in the classroom and future success in the field of study because students will want to model the instructor by being organized, prepared, on-time,and ready to learn.
Hi Mary,
I don't work well under tight time lines so I am like you with planning my handouts and materials. It is so much easier to get it all done and then concentrate on the students and the course rather than waiting until the last minute and worrying if the copy machine is working.
Gary
I agree. I see instructors on the copier machines trying to copy tests, handouts, etc. at the last minute and if the copier machines are down, they are in trouble. When I prepare for a new course, I make sure all of my materials are copied for the whole course so I am prepared. I have all of my materials sorted by days and I keep a calendar of what I'm teaching on any specific day. A calm teacher makes for a calm classroom.
