Need some advice for teaching classes

Hello, I’m sending this message because I’m in a bit of confusion on what exactly to do…

Alright so-

  1. The lesson plan. Do I fill in it as I plan the class? What exactly can I do to ensure the most amount of time is filled.

  2. The ‘teaching’ itself; you see, I know it’s my first time… And that unfortunately brings me in a state of (slight) fear, and I can’t imagine myself in front teaching without stuttering or quickly scrambling to get the lesson rolling.
    Are there any tips to calm down especially in the heat of the ‘spotlight’?

I feel like I’m going to die.

Anyway that aside, I’m at a mix of excitement and fear, as this is my first time doing this , also while being assessed by another.

Anyway the topic is on identifying activities and fitness, eom. 104.01.

Anyway a few things about me is that even though I’ve been thrown in a leadership position so suddenly, I still retain those bad habits such as laziness and procrastinating.

Honestly, just knowing myself, even a “deadline” that should put pressure on me just doesnt work…

Any tips.?

Thanks,

Hey! Welcome to ACC. I take it from your previous post that you’re Canadian, so whilst I can’t help you with the lesson plan, I can give you advice for the lesson itself.

First of all, before you go in to teach, take a breath, and check you have all your notes/resources.

When you are teaching:

  • Make eye contact with the room. Look around and don’t stare at your notes.
  • Don’t rely on a powerpoint, it will seem messy.
  • Ask your class questions. Keep them engaged, otherwise they will get bored.
  • Try and add a bit of humor in but make it natural, I hate to use a cliché, but just be yourself.

Finally don’t panic, we all taught our first lesson once. Use it as a learning point for yourself and it will be great. Good luck!

p.s. Have a look in #international and #international:canada for making posts - you never know, you might find someone else from the RCAC. Also, feel free to add an introduction to People around the world - Introduce yourself!

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Not knowing your procedures, but as an ex-Teacher…

A good lesson plan should be done in advance of your lesson. A bad one will be scribbled down JUST before a lesson! You’ll be able to use the paperwork to set out the structure of your lesson: intro, main part and summary.

You’ll be able to break down each part into timings too- to keep you on track. Note how many minutes you want to designate to each bit.

The main teaching part can be a number of different sections to help you and your class understand what you’re teaching in manageable chunks. Think about when you’re in school, a teacher usually introduces something, breaks it down into bits and then recaps before you leave the room.

It will be helpful for you to consider if you want to use any props for demonstrations or if you want paper handouts in the class, or even a practical session. Again, allocate timings for all of this. It’s easy to get carried away and realise you’ve not covered what you want to in the allotted time.

The upshot of a lesson plan is; even if it’s got a format you have to use… unless it’s useful to you in running the class, it isn’t worth filling it in! So make it your own. Make the writing large enough you and quickly identify what you need and can see where you’ve got to.

A big hint is to practice what you’re going to cover in your head too. It’ll help you identify bits that may be difficult to explain or that you’re unsure of. Better to do it in your head than in front of the class!

Good luck. If you prepare, then you’ll be fine. Remember, you know the stuff-the class doesn’t, that’s why they’re there! To learn.

Take a deep breath and be confident. Because in that scenario, you’re the expert!