This week I’ve been preparing for the review session trying to perfect it. Come up with the best and most thorough ways to help prepare my pod for the online exam. All of my free time yesterday was spent finishing and rehearsing a script which ended up being 8 pages long single spaced, as well as touching up my power point. Despite not using the script I typed up, thinking through each slide definitely helped me feel more prepared. I was surprised at how nervous I wasn’t beforehand, I was more nervous about the first day of class than today. But as soon as I saw the room I was in the nerves kicked in.
I wasn’t aware that WH 321 was a computer lab, and so when I saw this my worries kicked in. I was worried that my pod would be more interested in the computers at each desk than me, and the power point that I worked so hard to prepare. I also didn’t know how to work the technology in WH, much less in a computer lab with two screens. It was difficult to teach in a wide but shallow room because it was hard to see hands and hear people when they answered questioned. Also in the room there was a professor that was very insistent that we check the schedule to ensure that the room is actually reserved under Dr. Gurung. Turns out the reservation was for Intro to Psych – go figure.
Logistics aside I was nervous the majority of the time. I didn’t realize how nerve wracking it is to command attention from 43 people that you are getting together with for the first time. 43 people were looking to me as a knowledge base, as well as judging me on how well I do. In essence this was my audition. That being said, today was a smashing success and I’m actually glad I was nervous! My nerves helped keep me on my feet, and thinking through the concepts as I was covering them, double checking as I was reviewing that the information I was giving them was correct.
With the computer issue I did adjust my intro a bit, I added a little snip it about refraining from using the computer. And for the most part students did. I only noticed one on facebook and actively typing. The other computer that was being used had learnsmart on it, I only noticed that on one computer though. I was surprised that the students respected me enough to refrain from the oh so tempting computers.
As far as my power point I thought about what we’ve been reading about in McKeachie’s Teaching Tips, as well as talking about in meetings regarding learning style. Looking at the power point there was really only two learning strategies utilized the visual, and listening learning styles. So I decided to go out on a limb and try something new. I added an activity for students to create an experiment that met certain criteria and had different attributes regarding food consumption at UWGB. This took about 7 minutes, and then we went through one of the experiments that a student designed. I also had a multitude of questions during the time I gave them, in which I assisted groups of 2 or 3 students at one time. I knew that doing an activity by myself was a risk, but I wanted to integrate the “doing” learning style into the review as I know it always helps for me to do something. This is also how I took attendance because I had them write it out. Overall I’d say the risk paid off.
I ended about 11:55 and started taking questions from the group. Then stayed about another 10 minutes as they all left. One student did stay to ask me some questions that he wasn’t real clear on. I wish I could have extended my review a bit, but for a first time, getting done 5 minutes earlier than I was aiming wasn’t too bad in my mind. The only other issue aside from room logistics, and the other professor being in the room was that I started out going too fast, but my pod was very kind in politely asking me to slow the pace down. Which was difficult with as nervous as I was, but the group activity gave me a chance to slow myself down and work through things step by step with students. At the end of the review I asked for a quick thumbs up, thumbs down on the review and all of them gave a thumbs up. I walked away with a smile that I couldn’t get rid of and a major boost in confidence. I’m actually kind of excited for the next review session!
As far as questions for this week. How does body position/cramped-ness affect learning/memory. For example our good friend Jared who frequently shifted from laying to sitting to kneeling when he sat on the floor. Is he learning better now that he’s in chair or worse because he’s cramped? Is there a correlation between where a student sits in a class room and the grades they get? What about grades in a large lecture hall compared to grades in a class of less than 50? My next question was why don’t students pack up early in Dr. Gurung’s class, why do they in the class beforehand? My pod today didn’t pack up until I said, “If you have any questions I’ll stick around otherwise you’re free to go.” What is it about the professor/teacher? Is it the professor/teacher at all, or the students as a group?
What a fascinating week this has been!
Hi Tonya, What great reflections. First off, I was intrigued to read about how you are thinking about being a teacher. Good stuff. Second, I would love to see the script you prepared for the review sessions. I liked the way you did the experiment in your section and that you nicely seemed to rise above the technical difficulties. Great work.
You are raising many interesting questions. I would suggest creating a word file and putting them all together in one spot so we can discuss them.