How can you keep up with your course schedule and at the same time make sure students got the course?
Every course has its own time schedule. An instructor should finish the course material within limited period of time. However, if say for example majority of your class have problem with the course and you are obliged to take time so that students get the material, you cannot finish the course? How can you handle this problem? Any suggestion is welcome and appreciated.
Thank you
I've had this happen on both sides, either goes by to quickly or not enough time. If they don't get all the content in the first class I let their next instructor know about the problems and see if we can resolve it together. Sometimes the required content is just to much.
I teach criminal justice courses and I find that the prepared syllabi try to encompass to much material in a limited time frame. I screen the syllabus for chapters of material that will be introduced and covered indepth in another class. If I find such material I eliminate it or incorporate parts of it into other chapters to provide time to cover problem areas. Example: I am teaching an Introduction to Criminal Justice class. The syllabus requires a lengthy chapter on Juvenile Justice be covered in the intro class. I know that an entire class on Juvenile Justice is part of the course requirement. I will mention some of the important points from the chapter on Juvenile Justice and move on because I know that the Juvenile Justice class will cover everything.
Since the syllabus is a CONTRACT between the institution and each student that identifies what their tuition will cover for that course, it obligates the instructor to fulfill those requirements. Being familiar with the course material and program curriculum allows for modification of the amount of time to be spent on each chapter, topic, or area, as Mr. Young responded. Extra assistance outside of class hours might be offered to those who have trouble keeping up. Or use a portion of class time for EA while the more advanced students work on an assignment designed to keep them challenged but that would not detrimentally affect those who did not participate due to seeking EA. Sometimes it's to a student's benefit to repeat a course even though it requires paying for it again. However, if this remains a repetitive issue with successive classes, the instructor may have to reconsider and revise presentation strategies.
I can relate to your answer. I have a class that has a resume and a cover letter in one of the chapters. I have them hand in a resume even though they will be having to do one befor they graduate.
Hi Patricia!
Time seems to always be the enemy! When I have been preparing to teach a class, I have been asked to provide a weekly calendar. As I am planning and realized there isn't enough time I will 1) try to combine some topics 2) have students to do research on some topics, and 3) discuss my plans with my advisor for advice.
When I find that a class is running behind schedule, I pull the students in for their help - but they don't realize it. I might make a homework assignment for the next class that I had not planned. Some how - I've managed to stay on schedule at the end of the day.
I give all instructors kudoos for their hard work and passion for what they do.
Keep up the good work!
Jane Davis
ED106 Facilitator
I try to allow room in the syllabus for timing- I have over time aquired additional material if I see the class progressing faster. The more times you teach a specific course, you can feel if it moving along at a comfortable pace.
