Teachers! Help me, please.

S

sblordita

Cathlete
Hi all,

I am going to be teaching my first class in one week. It is an 8-week algebra class at my college - I have to cover in 8 weeks what they normally cover in 15. I've never taught before. I have no classroom experience at all. The only thing I have going for me is that I've been tutoring here for 7 years and I've been a math student for way too long :).

My problem is that I'm TERRIFED. I don't know what to do. I don't know how to organize a lecture, or how to lecture period :). I'm confident in my ability to teach this stuff; it's my ability to do it in a structured way in front of a group of people that may be lacking somewhat (or a lot). I think I did a good job of organizing the class, homework assignments, etc., but now that I'm down to actually trying to plan lessons, I'm lost. I think this is just a confidence issue, as I have no experience presenting, speaking, etc. I don't want to be boring, and I care about doing a good job.

Does anyone have any advice to deal with being so nervous and organizing myself?

Thanks!
Sara
 
You'll do well, you have the training behind you.
Just remember they are worried about you possible more then are you them.

OPENING
Tell the audience what your going to tell them.
This focuses the listener’s attention on the THEME.
Unifies the thoughts and emotions of the audience.
Sets the tone.
__________
BODY
Tell the audience what your speech is about.
This is where the key points are delivered.
This is where main topic discussions, practical demonstrations, and questions are answered.
__________
CLOSING
Summary
Do not introduce new material
The Closing Is Not a Tapering Off…
it is the highlight of the presentation



Cut the ice with a math joke:

The Flood is over and the ark has landed. Noah lets all the animals out and says, "Go forth and multiply."

A few months later, Noah decides to take a stroll and see how the animals are doing. Everywhere he looks he finds baby animals. Everyone is doing fine except for one pair of little snakes. "What's the problem?" says Noah.
"Cut down some trees and let us live there", say the snakes.

Noah follows their advice. Several more weeks pass. Noah checks on the snakes again. Lots of little snakes, everybody is happy. Noah asks, "Want to tell me how the trees helped?"

"Certainly", say the snakes. "We're adders, so we need logs to multiply."

_________________________

What is the integral of "one over cabin" with respect to "cabin"?
Answer: Natural log cabin + c = houseboat.

___________________________

What is "pi"?

Mathematician: Pi is the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter.
Engineer: Pi is about 22/7.
Physicist: Pi is 3.14159 plus or minus 0.000005
Computer Programmer: Pi is 3.141592653589 in double precision.
Nutritionist: You one track math-minded fellows, Pie is a healthy and delicious dessert!
 
Bill certainly gave you some good advice. Whenever I have to speak on a new topic in front of a group of people, it always helps with time management if I do a practice run. After you finish your outline notes, go through the lesson at home with a dry erase board. You should be better able to estimate the amount of time needed for lecturing and Q&A for this class after the first day and make adjustments.

Don't worry! You'll do fine! The kids are probably wondering how much they can get away with than what they should be learning anyhow. ;-)

Wendy
 
You have certainly been given great advice.

I would like to add: KNOW who your audience is...
What does that mean?

So many times I have witnessed trainers who talk either above their audience with fancy terms or the opposite. Making that mistake creates a class who could care less about what you are teaching because they feel insulted and are bored to tears.

Also, make sure that the students are involved in the lecture. Involving the students will make the subject robust!

You will do wonderfully!
 
Have you checked to see if the college can provide you with any resources and/or mentors?
 
What textbook are you going to use? They usually have everything organized for you. In Math you needto explain how to do a problem on the board. Then have them do one similar to what you have just done. Then do that problem on the board. You need to engage your students, not just lecture! Make sure you get the Teacher's edition of the Math book you will be using it should be really organized for you.
Ellen
 
Hi Sara,

You've already gotten some good advice here. I've taught an "Intro to Computers" class at my college in the past. Do you have a textbook that you're working from? It may have a structure/format that can help you organize your lectures.

Don't feel that you have to be totally perfect from the get-go, the students don't expect you to be perfect. It takes time to get really comfortable teaching a class.

I agree with Beavs, see if you can find a mentor, maybe a faculty member in the math department, who can give you some insight, maybe critique what you have planned.

Good luck!

ETA - LOL! Ellen and I "simul-posted" on the textbook thing. :)
 
Sara,
I know it's college, but I would try not to be locked in to the lecture method all the time, every time. Perhaps you could teach mini-lessons and then get the class engaged & involved beyond just textbook practice.

One thing I've seen math teachers do at my school is use a class set of dry erase boards. Each student practices a problem on the dry erase and then holds it up for the teacher to check. Also, consider paired and/or group work and maybe a creative project or two.

Do-now or sponge activities are a great way to start class - as is ending the class with an exit slip, which is a quick & easy way to gauge understanding.

The nervousness is normal. I remember during the early days of student teaching, my heart would just RACE - I was *extremely* nervous. Which was somewhat ironic since I had worked for years in state politics - rubbing elbows with the bigwigs - and here, I found myself intimidated by 12-year-olds! *lol* But don't worry. It gets better. Try a fun icebreaker on the first day of class, infuse humor where you can, and remember that you know more than they do! Good luck!

Cathy :)
 
I've been teaching for a while and still get nervous the first day of class. Even my professors get nervous...worry when you don't.

Another thing...studies show that the first AND last 10 minutes of class are what the students will remember. So, have a warm-up, i.e. something which reviews what you did previously.

Use a variety of methods. Visual, manipulatives, group work, individual work. While students are working, walk around and check their work. This will give give you a good idea of their understanding of the concept, and you can give individual attention.

Plan for more time than you have. I find it hard to improvise for 15 minutes of "extra" class time.

Tell, show, practice. HTH
 
As a student (finishing my 2nd year of medical school, so I have been in school for 20 years and have had TONS of math courses) I have to disagree with some of the things Seeking Guns mentioned.

Please don't assign group exercises or presentations for a math class. I was always annoyed when college professors assigned busy work. I understand that in business and in medicine, working as a team is a necessity, but in an algebra class the students just want to learn the material, not practice team skills.

My favorite math teacher was my trig teacher my sophomore year of undergrad. She would assign practice problems from the text, but they weren't graded. Then the next class, she would go over any problems and work through them with the class if there were any questions. Then she would explain the new concepts. I always hated having graded math homework practice problems. I think the whole point is to PRACTICE and try to learn. The stress of making sure you are RIGHT kind of takes away from the learning process. I mean, if I am worried about my grade, I am more likely to search the internet for answers to make sure I am correct or to simply check out the answers to the odd # problems in the back.

There will be some students who simply won't do the practice problems. That is their initiative. They are paying tuition to be in your class. If they want to screw themselves over, so be it. Let the class know you think they are adults and that you trust that they will do the work necessary to understand the material.

If you decide to not grade practice problems, you could have periodic quizzes to be a sort of grade booster in addition to your exams. Maybe 1 quiz per week with 5-10 questions.

I know a lot of the previous responders have taught grade school/high school. College is very different. The students actually have chosen to be there and are paying for your particular class. Many of them also have jobs and can't spend hours and hours doing tons of homework. Remember that your class is one of many they are taking and that they do have outside lives (Some have kids). Don't treat them like kids.

Good luck!

Becky
 
>I know it's college, but I would try not to be locked in to
>the lecture method all the time, every time. Perhaps you could
>teach mini-lessons and then get the class engaged & involved
>beyond just textbook practice.

I agree with Cathy (who has some great ideas). While some of the advice you've been given is good for presentations (ie: "speeches") it can make for a rather boring, uninvolving class.

Math may not seem that exciting to some, but there are ways of involving students more and doing group work, games, etc. to get their attention.
 
>Another thing...studies show that the first AND last 10
>minutes of class are what the students will remember. So,
>have a warm-up, i.e. something which reviews what you did
>previously.
>
>Use a variety of methods. Visual, manipulatives, group work,
>individual work. While students are working, walk around and
>check their work. This will give give you a good idea of
>their understanding of the concept, and you can give
>individual attention.
>
>Plan for more time than you have. I find it hard to improvise
>for 15 minutes of "extra" class time.

Good ideas.

On of my methods instructors for FL taugh us to use an "overview--prime--drill--check" technique. Overview = tell students what you are going to be doing; prime = this is the 'teach them the technique'part; drill --have them practice what you taught; check = check for understanding.
 
Becky,
I am in full agreement that busy work is of no value regardless of one's level of education...That being said, paired or group work is not necessarily busy work nor is it beneficial merely to develop cooperative skills. I have been a teacher for 6 years and a student for 23 years and personally found classes solely driven by lecture to be the least stimulating of all. Good teachers use a variety of methods to address all styles of learning. There are plenty of creative ways to engage learners - including adults - without treating them like children.

Cathy :)



>As a student (finishing my 2nd year of medical school, so I
>have been in school for 20 years and have had TONS of math
>courses) I have to disagree with some of the things Seeking
>Guns mentioned.
>
>Please don't assign group exercises or presentations for a
>math class. I was always annoyed when college professors
>assigned busy work. I understand that in business and in
>medicine, working as a team is a necessity, but in an algebra
>class the students just want to learn the material, not
>practice team skills.
>
>My favorite math teacher was my trig teacher my sophomore year
>of undergrad. She would assign practice problems from the
>text, but they weren't graded. Then the next class, she would
>go over any problems and work through them with the class if
>there were any questions. Then she would explain the new
>concepts. I always hated having graded math homework practice
>problems. I think the whole point is to PRACTICE and try to
>learn. The stress of making sure you are RIGHT kind of takes
>away from the learning process. I mean, if I am worried about
>my grade, I am more likely to search the internet for answers
>to make sure I am correct or to simply check out the answers
>to the odd # problems in the back.
>
>There will be some students who simply won't do the practice
>problems. That is their initiative. They are paying tuition
>to be in your class. If they want to screw themselves over, so
>be it. Let the class know you think they are adults and that
>you trust that they will do the work necessary to understand
>the material.
>
>If you decide to not grade practice problems, you could have
>periodic quizzes to be a sort of grade booster in addition to
>your exams. Maybe 1 quiz per week with 5-10 questions.
>
>I know a lot of the previous responders have taught grade
>school/high school. College is very different. The students
>actually have chosen to be there and are paying for your
>particular class. Many of them also have jobs and can't spend
>hours and hours doing tons of homework. Remember that your
>class is one of many they are taking and that they do have
>outside lives (Some have kids). Don't treat them like kids.
>
>Good luck!
>
>Becky
 
I also agree with Cathy that you can use a wide variety of teaching methods. I think lectures are boring and you need to get the students involved in the class. I willagain tell you to go to the teacher's manual - it is full of ideas for all different kinds of learners. It has all kinds of quizzes and tests. Is there a curriculum for the subject to have to teach?
Ellen
 
As a former college stu, in total agreement with Becky.


"Nothing is more sacred than the facts."
-Sam Harris
 
I think I would love to teach Math but don't have a teaching background. How did you get this position? I have a BS in Math and an MS in Comp Sci. Thanks
 
I still just don't see students coming to an algebra class expecting to be entertained. I always like to be taught the material and learn it and that's it.

Especially in an algebra class you'll have a range of intellects. I always hated being put in group projects and being the only one concerned with getting an A. The A student ends up doing all the work. As an obvious over-achiever I would totally give an AWFUL evaluation to a teacher who assigned a group project for a math class.

Honestly, math isn't supposed to be a blast. It is a necessary skill we all need.

It is more about teaching the students how do work properly and less about entertaining them. They can choose to listen or not to listen. That is their perogative.

Becky
 
Becky,
As a fellow overachiever, believe me, I do understand your point about group work and respect your opinions.

Frankly, I don't teach math, so I can't speak too much about what group projects might be appropriate and relevant for students taking algebra. But I do know that my colleagues who teach math regularly incorporate independent and peer work, including some pretty clever projects that students have rated favorably. I also know that what works for you or me isn't necessarily what works for everybody. Many students who struggle with math benefit from paired or group work (I'm talking everyday problem-solving - not necessarily a project here).

A final thought I'll ask you to keep in mind: a teacher's job is to meet the needs of ALL learners in the classroom, so it might not be fair to give a professor a terrible rating based upon one assignment alone.

~Cathy :)
 
Thank you, everyone! I really appreciate the insight and advice.

I am taking this job, because it was given to me. I've been at this college for 9 years and my supervisor/teacher thought I could handle teaching at this point. This job wasn't anything I sought out, it just came along at the right time. My lack of any teaching experience is what has me scared. I know I can teach the material one-on-one, but getting in front of a group, things are totally different.

I will keep what you guys said in mind. Because this is my first class, and because it is a condensed course, I'm going to be ackward and just have to feel my way through for awhile. I hope to incorporate some worthwhile activities and I want the atmosphere to be light and comfortable. I don't feel the need to be a clown, but I don't want to bore everyone to death, either.

As far as homework/tests/etc., I have a pretty good idea of what to do. I hate busy work as much as anybody, so I want to make what they do count. And make attendance high on the list of priorities!

I'll keep you updated on how it goes :). And if I have any other fears, I'm sure you'll know. I need to get this first class over with and get over my fear so I can concentrate on what counts!

Thanks again,

Sara
 
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