Sean Stephens

Each time I teach a course of instruction, I take a look at the age, ranks and experience of my students. From that, I can start to figure out what level of knowledge they need on the subjust I will teach and what type of methodologies I will use. Knowing the student population always helps because after all, the classes we design and teach are specifically for them and their requirements.

Be early so you can greet students at the door. Have course name and number as well as your name on the board. This will alleviate some student anxiety. Start class on time, do introductions, class/course expectations and make sure your students know that you will be available throughout the course of instruction for help.

Proper preparation will help you keep on track and possibly have time to deal with issues that pop up. Using a Syllabus will give the students a clear idea of what is expected of them, when and in what format.

As an instructor, you are looked upon as a model, motivator and manager. Ensure that you are setting the standard as a professional, but are seen as approachable to your students. Motivate your students by learning about your students and manage class time as well as help students manage their time better by being prepared and looking outside the box. Know your technologies and how to use them to facilitate student learning. After all, it's all about student learning and professional development for you as an instructor.

Support material can help you better prepare lessons and teach students. Keeping up and knowing the latest technologies can aid in delivery of instructional material in the most meaningful way to students when traditional means will not work. Use of various assessment methodology will aid in and benefit students so that they understand what they are learning and where they need to be along the way.

Learning objectives must be clear, concise and measureable. The objectives must be understood by the students and relevant to what is expected to be learned. Standards are important because they focus the instructor on the course content and on the specific areas that need skill development in. Teaching by the standards will help focus the students to learn what they need to know when it comes to state and national licensing as well. 

It is important to prepare detailed lesson plans and keep them in a folder. As your carreer progresses, you should fine tune your lesson plans. Keeping your lesson plans in one folder is also a good idea in case you need to have somebody cover your course. They will know ehere to find your lessons.

In preparing your lesson plans, it is important to take into consideration the knowledge level of the students, understanding why they are taking the course and being able to utilize various methodologies in teaching. It is will also help you as an instructor to learn a little bit about your studenets so that you can tailor your teaching style where you can maximize learning.

Choosing the correct format or combination of formats is essential to give your students the best opportunity to show their understanding of the materieal they have learnes.

Choosing the proper assessment methodology based on each need of your student is important to maximizing best use and understanding of information and being able to better relay information in a way that your students will maximize learning.