Be Prepared
To gain confidence from your students, being ready when class starts goes a long way towards having a successful session.
Hi Thomas:
Certaintly being prepared for class is important. Besides confidence, I believe your preparation can be viewed as a good role model and also gives you an opportunity to connect with your students about material either before class, or as class in underway.
Isn't it amazing how just an answer to a simple question can end confusion and perhaps frustration about a particular discussion point? Being prepared allows you to provide that answer seamlessly and in stride without having to take a lot of unnecessary time too.
Regards, Barry
I think that by being prepared you can focus more on the students and whether or not they are on board rather than focus on the material you need to deliver. I teach culinary classes and if your recipes are not ready or you don't have all your tools or you don't know what you're doing, then the students feel it and you've lost them.
Hi Eric:
Good point! There is no doubting the importance of preparation. I agree with you that the morte prepared you are, the better able you will be to address your students needs.
Regards, Barry
Hi Barry,
I have been practicing a process called "baiting the hook" as advocated by a former instructor, where the students are given useful hints on the upcoming topic for the following day's lesson plan. This should serve as a stimulus, inorder to prepare them mentally for that session and hopefully, the desired interest in the next day's activity.
That ought to set the tone and make the lesson run smoothly, since you will be exhibiting your own passion and zeal towards teaching and subsequently their learning.
Gilbert A Bodley
Hi Gilbert:
Great idea! Whenever and however you can get students to improve their interest and anticicpation for upcoming topics is worthwhile. At times, I'll use the term "previews of coming attratctions" which my students know to be valuable information that they'll be able to use later on. It helps with their readiness and generally, adds to their level of anticipation for the information.
Regards, Barry
there is some truth in the old saying prior planning prevents poor proformance. if you are prepaired prior to starting class. we promote professionalism. there can be concerns when you are preforming a demonstration and have tostop to find parts, tools, ect. we stress to our students to be prepaired then so should we.
Hi Roger:
So, so true. Preparation is so instrumental in assuring your lessons will go as planned that any student should be able to ask thier instructor in advance what is planned for "such and such", and they will have an instant response. It is so obvious, even to the students, when the teacher is not prepared - in some instances, perhaps even an embarrassment. This surely does not lend itself to gaining the trust and respect of the students.
Regards, Barry
Taking about a 1/2 hour before class to review the course material, make copies and retrieve training aids is a good practice.
Hi Luis:
Yes, students will appreciate the extra time, attention and availability provided by instructors who take extra or personal time to be prepared for class and accessible to students apart from what is called for in the lesson plan.
Regards, Barry
Absolutely. It's night and day between when you start class frazzled, in a hurry, not having prepared well; and having everything in order early, with a good lesson plan and confidence in your ability to present the subject matter. I've been in both camps.
Regards,
Greg
Absolutely. It's night and day between when you start class frazzled, in a hurry, not having prepared well; and having everything in order early, with a good lesson plan and confidence in your ability to present the subject matter. I've been in both camps.
Regards,
Greg
Hi Gregory:
It is a terrible message we send to the student group when we are disorganized or unprepared. This may have a negative, long-term impact on our relationship with the student.
Regards, Barry
I call what we're doing "edu-tainment" because we have to create excitement for the next day so students will show up. I had the good fortune to watch a lead instructor enthrall his students with his presentation -- something between a preacher and a magician -- implying that if they showed up tomorrow, they'd be in on a life-changing secret. And if they didn't, well. . ..
Julia,
I suppose there is an element of entertaining a good instructor has to do. But I firmly believe that creating an atmosphere of excitement, interest, and anticipation are skills most instructors can learn and apply in their classes. Passion and believability are foundational to setting this in motion.
Barry Westling
