Day 25: Less is more : the win-win strategy
I often learn from watching (some may argue it's "spying") other teachers. I like to look at how they prepare their courses, what they bring in class, how easily they either get worked up or dismiss student behaviors...
That's how I came about today's lecture plan:
* First, finish up the material ASAP
* Then, have them complete everything related to that chapter in the biology workbook for the rest of the period while I sit back and work on my own stuff.
This is what I like to think of as the "less is more" concept - I do less talking, they do more work, and I get to prepare the material that needs to be covered in the next few lectures during class time.
I'm now re-learning all about our respiratory system (to better tell them all about it) while they are quietly (or at least semi-quietly) working on the digestive system, preparing for the upcoming test.
In my beloved corporate world, some may refer to this as a win-win strategy...
There are serious discipline issues I need to think about - I am not good at stopping the useless yapping during the lectures and their behaviour is driving me mad. I'll be thinking about that tonite, as I get to bed.
I better think fast though because my brain is shutting down for the evening...
