Being prepared for class is key. I review my lesson plan the day before. If there are any topics I don't feel totally comfortable with I do more research so that I can present the material with confidence. I also have any handout material printed and on the students desk when they arrive.
Hi Sandra,
Wow, I love your preparation! Being prepared is key! Continue doing what you are doing! You are certainly on the right path! We owe it to our students to be prepared.
Patricia Scales
I'm find that by being prepared I have less stress, less worry about how the class will progress and where it may go. It seems to allow the students to find there own best path with only minor inputs for guidance.
Sounds good to me. This is what I strive to do,I will soon be teaching my 1st class.
Hi Peter,
Preparation is key! Students can tell when the instructor is unprepared. Being unprepared will cause the instructor to lose all credibility with students.
Patricia Scales
I think it is important to know your material well. Students can ask questions that will trip you up if you are not prepared. Moving around also reduces anxiety and keeps you from looking like a robot. I have a hard time getting past reading the power point and adding my own experience to the lecture. I hope that will come with practice. Did I say I am a new instructor?
Preparation is definitely the key to overcoming anxieties. The more prepared you are, the less fear you'll feel because you know what to expect.
One of my favorite quotes about confidence and preparation, comes from NBA legend, Michael Jordan. When asked how he could be so calm taking a buzzer-beating shot to win a game, he stated, "Why should I be nervous, I've taken that same shot a thousand times in practice."
I always like to pre-read and test myself on information that I will instructing on the next day.
I am hoping that knowing the subject well will help decrease my anxiety about being a new instructor.
Great advice. It benefits instructor and students.
I hope so too. I am a new instructor with plenty of anxiety. I am spending a lot of time studying my material.
I always over prepare for each class that I teach. I am fairly new to teaching and one of the things that I was the most surprised about was how quickly a lecture can go. I found that when I over prepare, I am not as nervous that we will finish an hour earlier then we should. I know that if the lecture does go by quickly, that I have other activities prepared that will help the students reiterate what they just learned.
Know your material. The more you know about your topic the more comfortable you will feel teaching it. Add variety to your lecture by promoting more class participation.
One way to reduce anxiety is mediation. this allows me to get into the zone.... when presented with a lecture. I use the following strategy, a lecture is nothing more than a conversation between two persons. so i treat it as such.
Hi Christopher,
Yes, you are just conversing! If you look it as just talking, you are a lot less nervous!
Patricia Scales
Being prepared is probably number 1! Relaxation and breathing can help calm yourself and also reminding yourself that "you know this"! I try to use an icebreaker to have students introduce themselves to me and vice versa. IT usually provides some laughter which helps to relax the atmosphere. Be honest. And a good night's sleep and breakfast doesn't hurt either!
I try to be very confident when Im in class, dont ever let them see you sweat!!
The best way I've found to overcome pre-class nerves and anxiety is to over prepare for the class. Reading the lecture notes several times, having copies made in advance, and having all classroom materials prepared ahead of time all help to reduce anxiety and nerves. Proper time management can insure that the class runs smoothly. I use a day-to-day calendar and break down on the calendar what we will be doing each hour of the class. This helps avoid confusion on due dates but also helps me to stay on task and topic and not forget any material that needs to be covered that particular day.
I completely agree with all of the posts about preparation. Preparation will instill confidence in the material, it will prepare the instructor to answer questions the students might have, and it will ease the anxiety to the point of being able to deal with it.
Question: In your experience, how long do pre-class nerves and anxiety usually last? The first day, first week? Does it come back when getting a new batch of students?
Hi Benjamin,
It depends on the instructor. Everyone is different!
Patricia Scales
