Additional steps must be taken for you to meet and even exceed the expectations placed on an instructor role. Notepad/device to record student needs, making sure you interact with the students in a way that reassures them you are an approachable person, learning their names, and putting in the extra effort to really create an inviting and safe learning environment.

 

Come in early. Being prepared is is key.

 

I have learned to prepare and to take notes even during the class that I am teaching. I plan to review my course material and arrive early to better my chances of making the class as effective and as smooth as possible.

"Another way of keeping on top of emerging needs or situations is to have a note pad with you at all times. By jotting down supply needs, calls that need to be made about financial aid, etc., you will save yourself much grief when later you are trying to remember what you said you would do for a particular student." 

When I read this I thought this is a great idea!  I sometimes will not remember all the request from students or items that I need to do after class; having a pad and writing it down saves much brain power.

 

 

Check lists are not over rated and coming in early will help me feel prepared. 

 

Have a checklist. Good resource for writing syllabus and objectives.

 

In creating the course outlines and lesson plans you are not only helping the students understand what they will be learning and practicing but also allowing yourself to effectively prepare your day to day lessons with ease

Be prepared, be on time, set the example. You are responsible to learn the "prescribed content".

Failure to plan is planning to fail. Being prepared will show students that you know what you are talking about and will make them more apt to learn from you in the future. 

 

It is important to set the tone for your classroom and be clear of what the class objectives are. Establish yourself as a person with good people skills as well as instructional skills.

The importance of having a checklist, introducing yourself to your students, making sure they have a comfortable environment. Letting the students know what you are expecting of them and what they can expect to learn from the class.

Being prepared will give greater success for students. 

There are several areas instructors should focus on when preparing to teach:

1. Selecting content to teach: In career education, content selection is usually prescribed either by the institution itself, by a craft or skill advisory committee, or by a national certification board  

2. Reviewing/Developing instructional component:

·       Curriculum: is the sum total of the learning experiences for which the institution has responsibility

·       Course: is the offering of instruction in one well-defined part of the curriculum designed to help students meet a set of learning goals

·       Course Outline: is your master plan – your “blueprint” – for teaching a course

·       Lesson Plan: shows in detail where you are going and how you will get there. It is what you will use to plan your daily presentations

·       Goals: are the foundation on which your teaching is built. They are general directional indicators of where you’d like the students to be going with their learning and experiences in your classroom.

·       Objectives: are more specific. They are statements of what a student should be able to do as a result of instruction in your course. What to learn. What to do to learn. How to know students have learnt.

·       Learning Activities:  are the instructional components that the students will complete to acquire the skills and knowledge required for the course

·       Methods of Instruction: is the delivery you will use to share the information and experiences about the subject being studied

·       Support Materials:   are the consumable materials that the students will need to complete their assignments.

·       Resource Materials: are the materials that the students have to have to complete their assignments. These may include books, CDs,

·       Syllabus:  is the basic document that describes your plans for the course and provides a wide variety of information about the course for your students. A detailed course syllabus will give students an immediate sense of what the course is about and what work is required.

·       Licenses and Certifications: are very important.  It is necessary to be aware of the licenses and certifications that are required for your field, if any. Make sure that you have secured the latest requirements from your field certification body and include this information in your syllabus. Let the licensure/certification process help shape your curriculum and use it as an instructional support as well

 

 

3. Recognizing ways of selecting instructional materials

·       Evaluate the author’s approach to the subject, the layout of the chapters, and the text’s sequence features.

·       Consider whether the content of the book is correct, precise, and accurate.

·       Look for clear explanations of complex ideas and for a variety of concrete examples to illustrate concepts.

·       Check for logical organization within chapters and throughout the book.

·       Determine whether chapters or units are of manageable length for students to master in the time allowed.

·       Look for features that will help students read and understand the content: chapter outlines, summaries, thought questions, lists of important terms and definitions, colored or boldfaced type for significant content, etc.

 

·       Review the supplemental materials to see if they are applicable to your setting, i.e., study guides, CDs, videos.

4. Setting ambitious yet realistic goals,  and writing instructional objectives

Consider:

·        The major instructional units into which the course naturally divides Or what logical and convenient divisions can be imposed on the course

·       Portions of the content are germane to the learning goals/objectives

·       Themes, fundamental principles, or synthesizing ideas the course involves

·       Kinds of skills and level of knowledge you expect of students who register for the course. Level of performance you expect from them

·       Ways in which students will be “different” when they finish the course

·       What students should be able to do with the knowledge and skills gained in the course

·       What students need to know in order to do the things they should be able to do when they finish the course

·       Kinds of tasks or activities students should perform to help them acquire the knowledge they need to achieve their learning goals

·       How will you measure students’ level of  “difference” when the course is finished? How will you know they can do what they should be able to do

Goals: are general directional indicators of where the students are going and what they will experience in the learning process.                              Example: Students will understand the basics of desert landscaping

Objectives: are expressions of what a student should be able to do as a result of instruction and experience in your course

Instructional objectives should include four components in order to be effective for both your students and you. Take into consideration components A through D:

·       A-Audience. Who are the targeted individuals? You need to have a clear understanding of the entrance knowledge and skills your students possess upon entering your course.

·       B-Behavior. What is it you want the students to do? What is the balance between knowledge and skill development that is required?

·       C-Condition. What are the rules for their performance? Will they work in the lab, out in the field, with notes, references, or will all work be done through memory?

·       D-Degree. What is the level of proficiency required? Will a 70 percent skill level work for your course or does the field require 100 percent proficiency?

Example: Spanish I students (A) will write  10 sentences using regular verbs in present (B) in the classroom during the fourth week of class (C) at 100 percent proficiency according to the verb guide given by the teacher (D).  This example shows the four components exposed above.

5. Putting together a syllabus that describes our entire course

The act of preparing a syllabus helps you decide what topics will be covered and at what pace. By distributing a written explanation of course procedures, you can minimize misunderstandings about the due dates of assignments, grading criteria, and course policies

A carefully developed syllabus:

·       Sets the climate for the class.

·       Gives the course organization and structure.

·       Gives relevant information about the course such as class policies, assignments, and deadlines.

• Conveys a sense of excitement about the course

Steps to develop a syllabus

Collect samples:i from other instructors. Some institutions and departments have standardized formats they use for their syllabi. These samples will help you to be within the required standard

Ask ourselves questions. Ask yourself what your students will want to know about this course

Create an outline and ask for a review. Using the syllabus samples you collected and your common sense create an outline of your syllabus content. Have a fellow instructor or department supervisor review the outline

Include more rather than less material. Your syllabus needs to be fairly detailed, as in a sense it is a kind of contract between you and your students. Many institutions require that the last page of the syllabus be a signature sheet for the student. The student goes through the syllabus and then signs the sheet to indicate they have read and understand the contents of the syllabus.

Provide basic information. As a heading for the syllabus give the course name, number, and your contact information. List information about your office location, office hours, electronic address, and phone number. 

Give an overview of the course’s purpose. Provide an introduction to the subject matter and show how the course fits into the total career preparation program. Explain what the course is about and why students would want to learn the material.

State the general learning goals and objectives. List the course goals and three to five major objectives that you expect all students to strive for: What students will know or be able to do better after completing this course. What skills or competencies you want to develop in your students

Clarify the conceptual structure used to organize the course. Give the students an understanding of why the topics are arranged as they are. There is logic to the sequence and scope of the topics.

Describe the format or activities of the course. Let the students know what is required of them within the activities of the course. Let them know about guest speakers, field trips, homework, individual or group projects, etc.

List the textbook. Reinforce the importance you are placing on it.

Identify additional materials or equipment needed for the course. List the safety equipment, tools, uniforms, and so on, that the students must purchase for the course. These should be listed in detail along with sources where they can be purchased. Also, you should state the date by which they must be secured.

List the assignments, projects, and exams. Be specific, clear and concise in your listing. You will have to repeat what the assignments are over and over throughout the course anyway, so by having them clearly laid out in the syllabus you will be giving the students a reference point.

Discuss your evaluation process. Describe your grading procedures, the weight exams will carry, any other ways of earning credit, the size of the projects, etc. Be clear and specific. For students this is the real core of the course.

List any other course requirements. List anything that the students might have to do outside of the class, beyond homework.

Discuss course policies. Clearly state your policies regarding class attendance, late assignments, test makeups, etc. This section is the standard your students will use when they have questions about these items. Be clear, be comprehensive, and be detailed. It will save you time and grief later.

Provide a course calendar or schedule. The schedule should include the sequence of course topics, the preparations required, and when the assignments are due. Also, the chapters of the text should be listed as to when they should be read. Exam dates should be firmly fixed, while dates for topics and activities may be listed as tentative. You will change the schedule somewhat as you go along, but the syllabus calendar gives the students a starting point and gives you a planning base.

Consider Licenses and Certifications. If your field requires some type of license or certification, list these requirements in your syllabus. If students must pass state or national boards this information should be included as well. A section of the syllabus dedicated to the final phase of their training (getting permission to work in their field) is a must. It gives the students an idea of what is ahead of them. The syllabus is a tool of information and not only are you sharing your expectations of them for the class you are sharing with them the requirements of their field.

 

Put it all together one more time. Collecting all of the components of the syllabus and putting them together in a logical manner, take your syllabus to your colleagues one more time. They will be able to quickly point out any omissions. Now you are ready to go to print with this most worthwhile effort.

6. Selecting presentation formats and analizing learning environments 

Analyze learning environments: Your students, classroom and laboratory are all a part of your teaching environment. Ask yourself questions such as

·       Is the classroom appropriate for the purposes of the class?

·       Is it comfortable and conducive to learning?

·       Are my course materials ready to be presented?

·       Does the classroom have the audiovisual materials I need for my class presentations?

·       Do I have chalk for the blackboard and/or appropriate markers for writing pads?

·       If there will be student demonstrations or presentations, does the classroom have everything that will be needed?

·       Are there sufficient supplies for lab activities for each student?

Seating arrangements, shade placement, and bulletin boards are all items that you can address as you prepare the instructional environment

Be prepared. Set the expectation that students are responsible for their learning and provide a welcoming classroom in which there is mutual respect.

Arrive early and greet students to promote a healthy learning environment.

The videos are motivational and show how much preparation is put into lecture. 

I intend to come early and make sure I assess the class and their needs on the day of lecture. 

 

It is vital to be prepared to keep structure not only for your students but also for yourself. By being prepared and structured you are also setting that example for your students. 

Preparation is key to the success of the instructional day.

clear expectations, including course requirements and grading rubric

clearn expectations of the class: =objectives for each module that is delivereed and explained during the first meeting