Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector: Session 7

[historianheidi]

This week was the first week of microteaches . Each learner teaches a 30 minute session and it is assessed by the tutor and 3 members of the class. There are 19 people in the class so we were split into two smaller groups for this. Four learners in each group gave their microteaches last night, the same number will do it next week and the final

Comments

[myladyswardrobe]

Preparation, preparation, preparation

[historianheidi]

Thank you. It does, because you've confirmed for me that the script I've done (mostly in note form so far) is along the right lines. I used to do them for my visiting lecturer work-very useful for dates etc.

I think the thing that worries me most is the timing of it all and whether I am trying to cram too much in to 30 minutes. I don't want to just talk at them for half an hour-as I would if I was lecturing, so I have a couple of small activities for them to do. I have tried to keep them as focused as possible. I think I'll just need to run through it all several times, with my poor husband as a guinea pig, on at least one occasion!

[myladyswardrobe]

No don't lecture for more than 10 minutes in a lesson which you are being observed on. So for the PTTLS course, limit the "lecture" time. Its very much looked down on in the school and FE teaching areas (I personally don't agree with that but there it is. And my students preferred to be told stuff then to apply it!)

Regardless of the rights and wrongs of it, you are being largely assessed on whether you are following the prescribed "process" within the PTLLS course. You have to ensure you are "ticking all the boxes" that are prescribed!

For every 4-5 minutes of "telling" the students x - make sure they have at least 5 minutes of a Task to apply x so they produce yIn a 30 minute lesson, the students should have half of that time working on tasks - you should be able to get 2 short tasks into that. this is not 15 minutes lecture and 15 minutes task

[historianheidi]

Thank you for all that. I do have 15 minutes worth of activities, so hopefully that bit might tick the boxes. I hope I am giving them enough information as well. One of the microteaches on Wednesday was definitely 15 minutes lecturing and then 15 minutes task. I was nearly asleep by the end of the lecturing bit!

My tutor has seen my draft session plan and she thinks the balance is alright, although I was only estimating the timing then. I shall give it another couple of run throughs and see if it feels too rushed.

[jafacakes]

It all sounds very interesting. I always found very usefull to observe others teaching, not only to get ideas but also to pick up on what doesn't work. I'm sure you'll do fine on your microteaching, you know your subject well. Do a lesson plan and try it out with John , that way you can perfect timings . What sort of activities are you going to include?

[historianheidi]

Thanks. I know what you mean about observing others being helpful. I think it was on Wednesday.

The tasks I've got are a timeline and a quiz. If there's time, I've also got a picture of an antiseptic apparatus that they can have a go at identifying. I've got a session plan, which I ran past my tutor a few weeks ago and she thought it was alright. Here's hoping it actually works in practice. :-)

[uhsir]

Well this is all very fascinating! I think being nervous is a good thing and helps keep you sharp. Good luck!

[historianheidi]

Thank you. Obviously I will post about how it goes. :-)