Sorry, it’s late! I have the notes, I just haven’t had time to sit down and type them!
First of all, I am SO disappointed I missed the neuron/silly string demonstration. Thanks Jess for videoing the event and I am looking forward to reading the other TA’s reactions!
I wanted to give you kudos for using mnemonic devices while you were talking about parts of the brain. You also presented each part of the brain in a few different ways and provided a few different triggers for helping them understand and remember all of the parts.
I am consistently impressed with the topics and examples you choose to explain the ideas of psychology. Psychology is an interesting thing to study any way and it can be so applicable to life. But some professors just don’t pick exciting examples or examples that are applicable to our lives. The ways you portray the psychology topics keep the students attention and keeping them engaged. Humor can be so important in a lecture. I have never really thought about it, but the classes I have always enjoyed the most are the ones that we are able to laugh in. Humor is extremely effective in keeping the students engaged and even helping them remember the topics. I would be much more likely to remember a silly or funny example than an example that is straight forward and dryly delivered.
I always feel that we are being distracting when we do the attendance. However, the students had the routine DOWN today. To use Dr. G’s word, I think they’ve habituated to us, I just haven’t quite habituated to them yet!
I also noticed that you were still favoring the left side 🙂