I teach 2-3hr classes at a time, so I always make sure that I have at least 15-20mins of extra material to either cover or a project that the students can work on. Then that way if the class moves at a faster pace the students will get more in time class to work on the project where they can have more of my attention to get help that they might need or if the class is moving slower we are still covering the required objectives and the projects will need to be done in the students' spare time.
Rebecca,
Excellent question. This is an ongoing issue for both newer and veteran instructors. I think that it is best to plan your lecture, with additional "room" for student discussion. Also, you should prioritize the daily concepts (based on the learning objectives) and begin with the more important topics, followed by additional supporting details. With this method, you can simply add the additional topics to the student portal or assign them as a homework review. Class discussion boards are important, because the instructor can continue the discussion outside of class time.
Tremayne Simpson
I came to teaching in a very similar situation to yours, Rebecca. I have found that one thing that really helps with not talking to fast or too much is to choose several activities - worksheets, videos, practice activities, etc. - that allow you to take a break from lecture. That way, the students are still actively working on something, but aren't subject to an endless onslaught of specific terms and phrases that someone with a lot of experience on the subject tends to rely on.
Thank you Thomas, I appreciate your reply. I will plan on integrating some "hands-on" practice activities and have left some cues in my ppts to remind me. I also hope to practice my lectures on some friends outside of the field so I keep my professional jargon down (at least initially).
I usually have back up material that mirrors the lecture. I will make crossword puzzles with key terms from the lecture and diagrams that the students can label. My first time teaching the course I needed to use these often due to not knowing how long the lectures will take but have now taught the classes enough to where I know which instruction days may need aditional activities due to finishing early.
We teach 5 hour classes with 50 minute sections. It is pretty easy to stretch things across that 5 hour period. My problem is more of having too much content, not less. I really love and value class discussion and questions, where the students get fired up.
I really like what this lesson is saying about laying a foundation and then continuing to build upon it and expand it. A slow reveal that just keeps building.
Thank you!
My classes are 2 hours long, I usually time the assignments and the time allotted for discussions and research.
making sure i have prep time really helps. going through our calanders helps
My class is also 2 hours long and I sometimes teach the last class of the night so my students are tired. I try to have several hands on experiences so they are not just sitting listening and answering questions. This usually helps them to stay alert for the presentation portion of the lesson.
Time management is effectively using the time given to complete a goal. If I have a slide show I devidie the time of the class by the slides to approximate how long I can spend explaining each slide.
I have my biggest issues with lab assignments going to long, any suggestions?
For time management strategies, I use the following:
1. Finished lecture/lab early - have additional activities readily available for students to continue to enhance learning
2. Not enough time for lecture/lab - I start planning and reorganizing the lesson plan for the next session to incorporate material not covered
I often incorporate a "question & answer" segment after each topic. It helps me make sure the class is comprehending and it allows the students to clear up any confusion. The Q & A also helps prepare the group for quizzes.
Case scenario is great I use that along with having my students write out a few quiz questions per group on what we discussed. I use these on the next day to see if they have retained the information and it is also a good tool to use as a review. The students love this as it lets them be interactive in their learning style.
As math instructor, I have extra material planned in case a class moves quicker than anticipated. I have math problems ready for review...some easy, some more difficult...to keep everyone challenged.
My classes are two hours long and I often find that my lecture finishes earlier than expected. I will have little lesson plans on Math, or other related subjects, that I can always use to eat up the remaining time in class. Also the use of study guides or some interactive tool helps.
One time management strategy I like to utilize is making sure there are smooth, yet quick transitions between different activities in the lesson. I do not like to wasting time in my classroom and if I have to use resources or pass out documents I have everything ready and organized before the start of class.
the time management strategies I often use to ensure that I am “keeping pace†with the lesson plans, involves questioning. Luckily, I work at an academy that involves learners for all the military services. This diverse student population always provides excellent student conversations. It is often difficult to keep them within the time limit of the class
I actually go over my Lesson Plan prior to its first use in class and mark progress points in 15 minute increments. Using this system, I know that I should be at a certain point in the lesson at a specific time. This helps me not to wander off my plan. Like most instructors, I have a short canned extension available for each lesson. These usually involve a practical example of the concept used in the lesson.
I use a power point presentation to make sure I am focused on the content that needs to be covered. However, if there are more questions than anticipated I also can utilize the power point to make notes regarding what needs to be covered during the next class.
You must know your students and there abilities to keep your lessons on track . Lesson plans should be dynamic and able to change with different learning styles . I always have enough lessons to keep track but I can modify if my class blows through what I have .On the other hand if I have a class that struggles I also have a plan so that they don't fall behind .
