Hi Darrell,
Preparation is a must! It helps minimize anxiety.
Patricia
Hi Peggy,
Preparation is key! I also like to introduce myself as well. The introductions really allow sometime for bonding.
Patricia
First, be preparted, use ice breakers and have the students introduce themselves and tell me a little about themselves, what their goals are and what would help them to be successful in this class.
being preped is the key to staying calm, if you are not ready you start to develop a bit of anxiety, then you lose the calm effect.
darrell folck
Hi Herb,
How do you go about reducing instructor anxiety? For my classes I thoroughly prepare, which minimizes anxiety to almost nothing.
Patricia
Hi Karine,
Great idea! You can also have your DOE assign a mentor to the new instructor, and it always helps if you can team teach with someone before actually teaching the course. In addition, being well prepared will reduce anxiety.
Patricia
Have the instructor meet with other instructors that each the same course so they can share information, assignments and test materials.
you offer a valid point, how is this achieved in your classes
Hi Kathleen,
Preparation is key! Being prepared minimizes anxiety. Take it as lesson learned, make copies a day a head of time and always glance through the copies to make sure everything is fully copied. Machines do malfunction!
Patricia
Hi June,
I can tell that you really and truly care about your students, and you definitely have their best interest at heart. Thanks for being a caring educator!
Patricia
Be professional. Be caring. Be prepared. Remind that they have the knowledge and the training to be successful. Let them know they have a strong support team with their fellow instructors and will be absolutely fine.
Personally, I find that if I have all my material ready prior to the start of the course, I am less nervous. My first class, I took over at exactly midterm from another instructor. I was quite anxious having had only 2 days with the material to review at a brand new school. That same weekend, I started my day 1 class, same program, and thought I had everything ready only to find that the copier had not cooperated fully and left out several pages of my syllabus! That too caused extreme anxiety. I am feeling much more confident, have had time to review most of the material, and know what the tech issues may be. So I feel ready to start the next class Monday evening.
Hi Cheyney,
I've heard a lot of instructors do things as you have mentioned, such as listening to your favorite music or reading, but they do these things at home to get away from the school.
Patricia
Hi Mariela,
It sounds like you are thoroughly prepared for your classes. Preparation is key! Keep up the good work!
Patricia
I reduce instructor anxiety by being prepared. I go into the classroom just before class and make sure that the computer/projector is working, that I have all my notes, that I have reviewed that day's lesson and read any notes I have made on the margins from previous classes. I also have extra class activities on hand in case I finish instruction early. This gives hands-on application of material learned.
time management. I always spend some time with myself in the classroom or on campus listening to my favorite music or reading the news or catching up with other instructors. I find this helps me to manage any anxiety I might have about an upcoming class.
Hi Trinidad,
Preparation is key! I've been teaching for 21 years, and I am still striving for excellence.
Patricia
Hi Tim,
I have an instructor that will teach to her spouse or child to prepare for her classes. If this works well for you continue to do it. I certainly see the benefits of it.
Patricia
What has always worked for me was to mentally go over everything, step by step, from my introduction to dismissal of the class. By doing that beforehand, I am more prepared for the class and more at ease.
Some ways to overcome pre-class nerves and anxiety are to be well prepared for class and to have an expert knowledge of the material. Beyond that, I think that some pre-class nerves are good because they keep me on my toes and keep me striving to be the best instructor possible.
