Everyone is nervous when they start something new. They aren't exactly sure what they are to do, what is the best approach and they wonder how they will know they are doing it right.
Being organized help with teaching and classroom management.
By setting realistic, clear and specific standards for students, and being fair, consistent, and dedicated to sharing your expertise and knowledge of the field you will gain respect from the students. By being prepared, organized and dedicated you can help prevent making mistakes.
Confidence! Don't let the what if's get into your head, you know the plan, you know why you are teaching, you know what you came to do. Just do it! It's not about you :)
I like the recommendation to use humor and laugh at ourselves when we make mistakes as instructors. As a nursing instructor, I can have students who have zero medical experience all the way up to LPNs who may have different expertise or more years in the field than me. I learn something from my students every semester, including pronunciation of terminology that I have apparently been saying wrong my whole career! I also really like the statement The only way you can do the right thing well is to do it poorly first. We have labs and clinicals and it is some students very first time in a hospital. It is so important that students feel that it is ok not be perfect and that this is the time for making mistakes and practicing. Lastly, I like the idea of taking notes on how the lecture went and essentially what to do better next time. For sure, this is something that if noted in real time will be more beneficial than trying to think back!
Overplanning and overpreparing are far better than the opposite. Mistakes will happen, but being prepared will help you navigate and overcome these obstacles.
I appreciate that you can use humor over a mistake you made and use that to move on. But I would also like to say that you can point out your own mistake to the students and present it as a "why did I make that mistake, what can I learn from it, and what can I do to avoid it in the future" - this creates open discussion and a vital need for communication that can translate into the field.
Learning to ensure I create an image that shows professional competence. Also setting ground rules, and not worrying about the “what ifs” too much. You know more than you think
Always be prepared to teach the topics assigned. Preparation is key to success
As a new CTE instructor, what if comes to mind as much as am I prepared, Im preparing and once I have, I think the what ifs now will go away and show new what ifs. lol that's life
I like the different options/choices in icebreakers, setting the stage, and also the info about buddies, we can relate to some students more than others, don't be dedicating too much time on one or a group of students, be available and look for opportunities to engage with students, the quiet ones especially
It's okay for students to see that you too can make mistakes.
Being perfect or the ability to be perfect and not make mistakes is not possible. Perfection is a myth, although we would like to think it may exist. I thought perfection was a thing until I discovered mistakes were my way to being better and honing my skills as an instructor or teacher. I relieved myself of so much pressure and stress. I am human and I deserve the grace I give others to be human as well. Its okay to ask for help, and to work with the class to find the answers we do not know as a unit.
Maintaining professional image and being overprepared.
Remembering student names! I will have @ 60 students! I plan to use name cards to sit on their desks & information cards to help remember students. I like the fact that I am the "Standard for the field". On the first day of class I will give a short "bio" of my qualifications & expertise, and know that I have the expertise & knowledge base that students do not have.
A good note I was given by another instructor is make a note each day so you can look back on it next year. keep a running log of this and you will be able to learn and grow from year to year.
I have learned to come prepared. More than prepared actually. I learned about professional image as well. Also if I make a mistake i should write it down and how I resolved the issue. So, I guess make a mistake book, but yet don't dwell on it
If you come to class prepared, it will decrease your anxiety and make you appear prepared to the students, reducing their anxiety.
I remember wanting my students to like me when I first started teaching 20 years ago - now all I want from them is respect!
It is difficult to remember students' names. By having them make a trifold "tent" to write their names on and post this on their desk the first day of class, it helps me to remember who each student is. We also use popsicle sticks with their name on each stick. When we want to call on a student to answer a question, pick out a popsicle stick and call out the name.
making notes on how the lecture went. I find myself wanting to forget how it went and then not making productive choices in the subsequent class sessions
