This course had me thinking about some of the bad habits that I have incorporated into my lecturing. Specifically, I have a tendency to pace around the classroom when lecturing. I will be more conscious of this going forward.
I have learned the benefit for my students of moving around the classroom, especially during lecture. It will help to keep their focus on what I'm teaching.
As a student, I have never liked being a class that is boring. Where the instructor just sits at his or her desk and reads from the text aloud. So I make it a point to make my class exciting! I'm up moving around, asking questions, engaging with the students. I want my class to be one the students want to go to.
Float, eye contact, clear communication, stress points, awaredness.
This was an excellent review of techniques to improve my classroom presence and delivery. I especially appreciated the use of silence and pauses during lectures and teaching to assist the students to absorb or think about the content.
I learned several things from this course so far. Some of the main points I took were to ensure repetition so that students retain information, move around during lecture to keep their attention, and speak slowly, clearly, and precisely.
Comment on Kwinn Doran's post: I agree.
I have found that during our zoom meetings if I stare directly at the camera students tend to engage more.
I have learned that many qualities I have already been doing in class while conducting myself as an instructor. But there are many more that I am currently not doing in class that could improve my focus to my students.
Float. Very you location in the room. Pause a few seconds when asking a question. Make eye contact, for 3 seconds or so. Vary your pitch.
Not having the attention of the students put an instructor in an out of place position in the classroom setting. Manage the classroom on day one and you will manage the classroom throughout the module. Keeping the attention of the students with your eye contact, projecting voice, not fidgeting and floating around the classroom allows the student to engage, be motivated and on point to learn with positive reception.
Reply to Francisco Gonzalez's post: Hello Francisco, my name is Doris. I am very much engaged with the students when moving around the room and making eye contact because it keeps the students engaged also. They want to be prepared mentally because they do not know when you will stop moving and your eye contact meet the eye of someone not really paying attention. This type of action keeps other students paying attention and being alert and ready to respond when you call their name for a response to your question.
I need to be better with my eye contact. I need to speak slower.
I learned that certain behaviors can serve as distractions to students. Pace and tone along with movement can keep the learner engaged. I also learned that fidgeting can release nervous energy which is a common distractor in the classroom.
Organization is key when cultivating the road map for effectively teaching material to students. Assessments and repetition are instrumental for solidifying retention. Eye contact, movement and proper speaking techniques help to keep students engaged throughout the class.
I have a bad habit of hiding at the lecturn so...that's my new goal. I'll "float"
I grabbed a lot of information on this lesson. Specially the eye contact session. That explaines me well as the socity ehich I brouht up made an empact the we are not alloed to look in to eye in our elders,. This helps how to overcome.
Very helpful information has been shared thus far.
Verbal and nonverbal communication is key to being an effective instructor.
Not over-stating the points is a pretty good one that I picked up on. Sometimes pausing between responses is also a good key indicator to the on your interest level towards them. Instead of just brushing it off when they have a question, really take a moment to come up with a way they can apply it to everyday life.
Thanks!
