Being Prepared
I have all of my visual training aids, handouts, reference materials, slides ect. ready before the class begins. The students are usually like" this guy is on the ball" and I have noticed that they appreciate whhen you are ready. You will lose them if you are fumbling around looking for your supplies.
Yes being prepared is always a great strategy. And you are so right re our students appreciating our prep
Ryan
Yes being prepared is always a great strategy. And you are so right re our students appreciating our prep
Ryan
That's a very good point, Scott.
Another good benefit of preparing beforehand, at least for me, is that I always feel more calm and confident about the presentation I'm going to give if I'm well organized. I try to avoid impromptu presentations at all costs because I'm usually more nervous without having adequate time to prepare and then my nerves cause me to forget important information that should be addressed.
I tell my students this all the time. If you struggle with confidence & calmness, make sure you are fully prepared.
Ryan
Very True Scott - I find a quick introduction of myself and back ground helps ease into the presentation. The students now have a comfort zone. Having things organized and in order is key to a succesful presentation. I also try to be as organized and prepared as possible. This allows for a smooth flow and an attentive audience. Walking around also helps maintain their interest and attention to your presentation.
Jon,
Great point here. I think we have to remember that often with students, they are more nervous than we are & our preparation helps us to be at ease & them to be at ease.
Ryan
I am a firm believer that the preperation time you spend before class will benefit the student experience during class. If you are trying the present subject matter to a class of learners and you are constantly spending time trying to find the materials needed to get your point across, you will probably lose a few of your learners. Most learners seem to like the prepared mind. I think they feel that they are losing valuable learning time when you are not prepared.
Yes! I think too often we confuse "prepared" with "stiff & formal" & this is not the case. Often the best way to be relaxed, natural & conversational with our students is when we have fully prepared. I find that the less prepared I am, the more I have to stick to the notes & not engage them.
Ryan
The better that I prepare the more confident I feel. Some of my worst lectures are when I'm not fully prepared. I spend more time before so that I know I'm ready.
I also find that rehearsing the lesson before hand helps me in preparation for delivery as well as the training aids
I totally agree with this statement. I have also found that once you have lost them It is very hard to get all the students back into the discussion or lecture
Very true I find that if I have the project they are about to do already taken apart to where they are starting something new they feel like I am not wasting there time. Being ready for the day even put up on the board what you will be doing that day helps as with the pages that we will be going through so they can be ready to go as well and have a good understanding of what is expected of them.
Yes, I try to start every day's lesson or at least major sections with a preview of learning objectives & a general feel for where we are going in that lesson.
Ryan
When I am prepared I am less likely to stumble around. Being prepared allows me to examples and key points in a straight forward way. Then my students learn more and can stay on point with me. I always have some that lag behind but it is easy to catch them up when everything is concise.
Kristina ,
this is very true & the more prepared we are, the more effectively we use the time we have.
Dr. Ryan Meers
Another good benefit of preparing beforehand, at least for me, is that I always feel more calm and confident about the presentation I'm going to give if I'm well organized. It also helps the presentation to go smoother and with less confusion.
timothy,
yes, this is so true & this helps to convey a sense of confidence & poise to our audience.
Dr. Ryan Meers
timothy,
yes, this is so true & this helps to convey a sense of confidence & poise to our audience.
Dr. Ryan Meers
