Hi Michael,
Confidence is the utmot importance as well. When you are prepared, you are normally confident.
Patricia
Hi James,
Preparation is key! Students can tell when you are prepared as well as knowledgeable. These are sure ways to win the student over.
Patricia
Over prepare your material...also, I find practicing the lesson plan a few times helps quite a bit...having faith in yourself as the subject matter expert.
at least you got that mistake out of the way,
knowing the material is everything!
Hi Judi,
Over preparing really does decrease anxiety. Also, we need to have a sense of confidence in our abilities.
Patricia
begin with a joke or tell a story. Ice breakers, even if they are used daily, relieves speech apprehension
You can make sure you have double the material available to discuss in class. When people get anxious they tend to speak faster and may be more likely to skip over material.
Hi Linda,
Nicely stated! Preparation is key. I always prepare for a week in advanced.
Patricia
It is so true as an instructor that when you first introduce material to the class you are probably just as nervous as they are. You need to practice, and breathing techniques for relaxation, be familiar with your material and have the confidence to deliver it effectively. Should you encounter a stumbling block or an answer that you cannot give that up be afraid to say I don't know but I will look up and get back to you.
Hi Donald,
We don't need to be ourselves us, but we need to prepare well so that anxiety is minimized.
Patricia
Hi Rod,
Great use of backup material! You are absolutely correct, preparation is key. I have a file of supplemental materials; they are a life saver.
Patricia
Lots of preparation. I always have videos, projects, games and other things in my back pocket(or on my laptop in actuality) for those times when class just isn't "clicking". I teach in the IT field and found a fantastic BBC comedy show about IT and every now and again we may watch an episode. There are whole quarters where I go without using any of my backups but its nice to know I have something and the students look at seeing an episode as a huge treat and then we talk about how it relates to our field. It's also nice because if I need a sub who isn't going to be a content expert I have stuff already there and don't have to prep it for them.
Don't take yourself to seriously If you know your subject for the most part you will do fine
dont preach it is much eaiser to have a conversation on a given subject. Just point it in thr right direction and the students will get involved and no more anxiety for the instructor
(or at least a lot less)
BE PREPARED AND ORGANIZED. KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE CLASS TIME.
OVER PREPARE SO THAT YOU DON'T GET CAUGHT SHORT
Preparing properly.
Have your course materials organized.
Make notes on lecture material
Practice your lecture before class
Remember it's you who is creating problems before
they happen, if they happen at all.
Without a doubt, preparation is the best stress reducer for the teacher.I found myself working on upcoming lessons, as many as four hours for a four hour module, but my arsenal of material made me confident that even if something didn't work as planned, I'd handle it fine.
Hi Paul,
Students want an instructor who is effective in their delivery. Students can immediately tell if you are prepared and confident. Once students discover that you are not confident in your subject matter/teaching abilities, the student loses confidence in you and your reputation is at risk.
Patricia
I always make sure that I am prepared and have in my mind that I have the experience and knowledge in the subject material that I will be teaching. This always is a confidence builder for me before I start the class and I believe that students notice this and they will have confidence in me as an instructor that I can deliver.
There are several things we can do to reduce instructor anxiety. I'd say the most important thing is to be prepared for each and every class. If our class is two hours long, it is best to prepare enough material to last twice that long. That way, you won't have to worry about having enough to say!
Another thing to do is to use your strengths to help you in the classroom. If you enjoy humor, as long as the humor is appropriate, then use it to introduce your topic!
Also, it's important to start each lecture off with a recap of what you did the previous class and then use that as a lead in to what you will be teaching in the current class. At the end of class, have a recap of what was done!
Thanks!
John
Very Good points everyone!
I agree that preparation is the key to teaching. If we are prepared for class, our students will "see" it through our lecture...and our actions!
John
