It is so important to be prepared as well as be flexible with each student and each class. They are all different and require different teaching styles.
Taking training classes; remembering what impressed you about instructors you have had over the years and using the good things that they did in your presentations; talk to your coworkers for their input, it can save you from some errors; learn from other instructors mistakes; last listen to yur students, you can learn from them as well as they can learn from you. Learn from the mistakes that you do make so that they do not happen again and fix the problems that the mistake may have caused.
By know I have learned from all of my previous mistakes enough, that I typically avoid the common instructor mistakes... Unfortunately I still find plenty of uncommon mistakes to make!
I remember about 12 years ago when I was teaching my first college class, I was assigned a pre-math class for LPN's. The first several weeks was "Basic Math Skills". So I never bothered to plan ahead, not even to read over the next chapter. In Week 5 we began dividing fractions, I hadn't divided a fraction since I graduated college 10 years earlier and had forgotten how.
On the board, I set up the problem and quickly realized I have no idea how to solve it. Fortunately, I was able to fake it through the class by having students come to the board and work through problems with the class assisting.
Since then, I never enter a classroom without having read the chapters related to that day's class (I don't care what the subject is!!!)
Well, it's difficult because, as new instructors, we feel self-conscious about being unprepared or unqualified, and as veteran intructors, we fight the tendency to become complacent. I guess we should put in the effort to keep things fresh and relevant while also providing quality instruction and skills.
Using others who have taught your class, or in your department as a resource is key! Knowing that you're not alone helps prevent or quickly repair mistakes. Bonding with the other instructors, not students prevents disrespect & misrepresentation of yourself. We are teachers first and only in the classroom!
I teach a four hour class; therefore, I have to have enough relevant course material prepared well before class. If there is a lull in class discussion/instruction/group project; I will lose their attention and that is a disaster waiting to happen.I try to have too much material to cover as opposed to not enough.
An easy way to learn students' names, especially in a big class, is to either prepare name cards for students or have students prepare name cards for themselves the very first day. Maybe I'm deluding myself, but I feel that my preparing the cards shows students I want to know their names. I also bring in corrected cards for nicknames or misspellings the very next class.
I try not to assume that certain students have a background in certain subjects I teach, and I also try not to judge a book by its cover.
Experience has been my greatest teacher. Participating in faculty workshops at all of the schools I have taught has had a hugh impact on avoiding and correcting mistakes that I have made. The more I teach the more I learn how to avoid mistakes in the classroom.
I agree. I consider myself a beginner teacher and even now, I'd rather have my students' respect than anything else. Being a likeable teacher can open the door to becoming buddies with students which, I just learned in this lesson, can eliminate professional boundaries.
Having just started teaching about 8 months ago, I'm still learning from my mistakes! The most recent being how to schedule flexibility into lesson plans. When we have a set amount of information to cover in 5 weeks, this has proven to be quite a challenge. I've found that scheduling a "project day" or turning in-class quizzes into take home quizzes to gain some extra time really helps.
One of the biggest mistakes that I make is remembering names. I am horrible at it. Is is ok to make name tags the first day for the students?
I read some of the other posts and took the advice of many. Discussed this issue with several other instructors. Seems I am not the only one with problem and was given several differnet suggestions. Experience is the best teacher. Loved the course.
I love that quote also and it is so true. I have improved so much since my first term and I think each term gets a little better. Learning from my mistakes has been a great educator.
I have always felt that being prepared is the best way, before I give any assignments to my students I do them myself. I write my own tests off of the lectures that I have given and it lets the students know that if they listen to the lecture they can do well on the tests. There is nothing worse than giving a lecture and using a pre-printed test that does not cover your lectured material.
Jerry
Hi Jerry,
I love your entire outlook as it pertains to getting students ready for their test. I follow the same practice, and I have outstanding attendance and an awesome reputation!
Patricia Scales
One thing is always to be prepared for class
secondly is to always make eye contact with your students
third is to write important information on the board
Hi Boyd,
Preparation is key! Once students determine that you are not prepared, they will begin to lose all respect for you.
Patricia Scales
I have seen myself in everyone of these instances. I would love to say that I am being hard on myself, but I do not think that is so. I would like to post for discussion how you would reconcile such a realization within yourself and the classroom.
Preparedness or just the appearance of being organized and prepared for each class is the number one key. Students start to attack if they even sense that you as the instructor are not prepared. On top of that the type of students I get in my program, thrive on structure because most of their lives have been unstructured.
