Get Your Students Hired
I always try to pace the class to the syllabus, as I think this is only fair to students; however, I will not move forward if students are not prepared for the next section. I maintain several activities to use in case the class finishes ahead of time.
John,
Utilizing "outside of class time" for material that is not covered during a session, is also a great time management strategy. Some content can be discussed in an online course forum or activities can be created, that enable the students to learn without a formal topic lecture.
Tremayne Simpson
I agree, and by having shoter segments, if you run over a bit on one you can usually find a way to shorten up the next segment to finish the important information in the time alloted.
i currently run in 5 hr blocks, i usually run 2 segmants around 45 min long and then giive the students a 15min break. I utilize the remainder of the class as hands on learning.
My classes are 4 hours long with adults who are also working full-time jobs and/or raising a family. Since it involves a lot of writing (Compositions) I usually stop around the 3rd hour and this way I can conference with students who want or need my help. (Have 27 students) The conferencing is an essential component of a composition class otherwise students can become frustrated without verbal feedback.
Unfortunately, I have the opposite situation with my class. Our class times are three and half hours long, and they are jammed full with too much material to effectively teach the students. We are always running behind on our class syllabus. Many of the instructors that teach this same class experience the same issues. We have tried to explain to the administration of our college, and are told to "make it work some how, but do not miss anything on the syllabus". I feel badly for the students and try to slow things down as much as possible.
Kimberly,
I agree that organization is an effective tool in establishing credibility with students. In addition, effective organizational methods can "rub off" on students and in my experience, can enhance their approach to the course.
Tremayne Simpson
Richard,
Great question. I feel that it depends on how the students have interacted with a particular class session. If an instructor has a perception that the students are not fully grasping the concepts of the lecture, it would be a good idea to debrief and provide a summary at the end of the class session, to ensure that they have a basic level of understanding. If the perception is that they understood the concepts, then it would be best to provide the debriefing during the next session, just to assess their retention of the information.
Tremayne Simpson
In my experience, every group of students is different. I have taught my Practice Management class several times and it varies with some students asking more questions, class participation in general, and straying from the subject matter on-hand.
I welcome and encourage questions, sharing experiences; however, will abruptly go back to my lecture and course content if they stray off the subject matter for an extended amount of time.
In addition, at the end of my class, I make notes regarding my lesson plan to either incorporate more material and class activities or transfer some of the material to the next class period.
I find being organized is crucial, and you will develop a respect level from the students.
Cecil,
I have use used similar methods, when holding class discussions. In situations where you do not have time to ask questions, it is a good idea to create a discussion board on the student portal. This will allow them to continue the discussion outside online and you may also receive feedback from the students that choose to not participate in class.
Tremayne Simpson
Lisa,
This is an effective time management strategy for a four-hour course. I have taught courses similar to this format (4 hour block) and I found that it is important to provide an activity (for credit) at the beginning of the course, in order to encourage students to arrive on time.
Tremayne Simpson
I time out each lecture making sure I leave time for questions . If I don't have questions then I have a prepared list of questions, that I ask my students. Sometimes this gets question from them If not I continue asking my questions. Even though I don't like doing it this way I get a good feel on what they got or didn't.
I teach a 4 hour class, so I divide my content into 4 sections. I try to use a variety of activities to keep time moving. I also start each hour with the activities that could vary in time so I allot enough to complete it.
Freddie,
I agree. It is important that the questions require a combination of application of the lectured/assigned material and student opinion. In other words, the question/answer session should be used as a mere "time waster", however it should be used to gage student comprehension and expand their knowledge of the topic.
Tremayne Simpson
Fedele,
I would imagine that it is highly important to keep additional materials for a class that is this duration and meets for the entire week. What methods do you use to keep your students on task and focused for the entire class session?
Tremayne Simpson
Jennie,
Just for clarity, are these Hispanic-American students or international students?
Tremayne Simpson
A time management tool to consider is a question and answer session. In doing so, students will receive the opportunity to provide feedback to determine their level of understanding.
In the class that I am teaching now, I read the outline (powerpoints) before class, taking notes on them and writing questions I will ask during the class discussion. I also like to vary the class by mixing in other activities such as test review, small group discussions, ect., between the lecture and powerpoints to keep on tract and keep the students involved.
Michelle,
I like the idea of having "bonus" demonstrations and discussions. These can be used in situations when the class (collectively) are not focused on their projects and may need to be directed back to the selected topic.
Tremayne Simpson