Hi Ralph,
Preparation is key! Just remember, you are much more knowledgeable about the subject matter than your students, therefore your knowledge should definitely help with your confidence level.
Patricia Scales
prep is a big part of it but its also being comfortable with you students, not being afraid to share your knowledge with them.
I don't think I ever want to get over my first class /beginning of the term jitters. It'll keep me alert, and not complacent.
The best way I try to keep the anxiety at ease to to prepare myself as best as possible. Knowing I did my homework will allow me to get to class and tackle the To-Do list. When things pop up that I wasn't prepared for, I simply write them down so I can research the answer and get back to my students the next time. I let them know it's ok to not have all the right answers all the time and reiterate the fact that sometimes you need to tap into your resources (internet, colleagues, text books, etc) to learn more!
I try to keep the mood light ,when possible. For example, I always try to let my students know I just can`t draw very well and then laugh and comment on what I`ve drawn - from time to time.
Some ways for instructors to over come pre-class nerves and anxiety is to be well prepaired for class. To achieve this the insturctor must know what the class objectives are, and to have a clear knowledge of the material being taught. Be able to present class assignments with dates to the students, and understand the class syllabus. Have hand outs for the students, have papers, documents, folders oranized before the start of a new term. Over plan the class lectures to make sure you do not run of material in class. Have a lesson plan prepaired with class actiivties. Read, Read your materials.
Hi Yolanda,
I can tell you have a passion for teaching. You are right preparation is key, and more importantly you need to love what you do so that you will do it well!
Patricia Scales
I have found that the more organized and prepared, you are for your class, the better your class will run. I keep a journal of ideas that have helped my students improve their overall performance. Most important enjoy your job. You can't improve yourself if you don't like that your doing. And your student will know it, too.
Make sure you are preapred (enough material to cover so that you don't run out), and also accept that you are going to make mistakes, just know to learn from them.
Of course to reduce the pre-class jitters, preparation is key. However, I find that maintaining a mental image of success is very helpful in overcoming anxiety.
When I first began teaching, I was very nervous. I made sure that I was prepared and knew the material that I would be presenting. I would take time and practice the skills on my co-workers. I created an end of the term survey to get feedback from my students.
Great idea! Building upon the ideas of a discussion would help the students to feel valued and the learning could be more dynamic with you as the facilitator.
Great point. I have the remind myself of that and I also have to let the students know that sometimes I have found that experience has taught me more than trying to understand a concept through reading and they take to that really well. They like that I know what I am taking about on a certain issue becuase I have been through it. It gives them something to relate the issue to.
I have actually used my family as an audience a few times before I taught my first class. It is scary to be in front of people who are writing down everything you say and listening intently. I have found that helpful and I also talk to myself as if I am talking to students. Sounds crazy, I know, but while I'm driving I will ask questions as if I am asking questions to the class and imagine responses them discuss. It works for me and I'm pretty easy going so noramlly I don't have the jitters anyway, but that first time teaching was the hardest for me.
Hi Rudolph,
Preparation is a must! The more you teach a course, the prep time will decrease; soon you will be a guru!
Patricia Scales
Hi Sonny,
It is always better to have too much than to not have enough.
Patricia Scales
I use the approach of thoroughly researching the topic for discussion to attempt at handling pre-class nerves and anxiety. It has worked for me on all occasions. Extensive prep work has always help me compensate for fear of misstep.
For me being prepared is very high on my list, if I am prepared for instructing the class and know the material everything else seems to fall into place. I do keep a record of each class. At the end of each class or sometime shortly after I use a tape recorder and record what was good about the class or where I came up short and then take that info and make some changes to my instructing.
To reduce anxiety my first few years of teaching, I always had an alternate “back-up activity†planned. This way should the lecture finish early or another activity was not proving as effective as planned, I had this to present. Now, I find the challenge is not that of having too little material but one of having too much!
Hi John,
Perpartion is a must, and when students see that you are knowledgeable, it makes for an enjoyable class.
Patricia Scales
