Teachers/Professors: Advice please

[Deleted]

As I have mentioned in the past, I run a paranormal investigations group in my local town.  We are going to be teaching a course on this topic at the local community college this fall.  I am not great at public speaking, but am slowly getting better.  What can I do to prepare? I always hated professors that used power point, but I think this may help me.  I also plan on using some handouts. I think this will be a little easier for me to do because these people will WANT to be there, not college students forced to take the class to graduate.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[ProfessorArtNerd]

PowerPoint is the only tool I use, along with writing on the board. Is this for-credit? Because I like to have my students take their own damn notes in order to give another level of involvement in the class. It also keeps their zombie eyes off me, lol.

Talk slower than you think you need to. Face your audience. Think of them as an audience. I always say my job is half knowing the material and half stand-up. Think of them more than your discomfort. When I get too inside my own head, that's who I lose them, always. Calm down. Practice.

Be the ball

[Deleted]

I have been thinking about this a little more lately, actually. I am forming some thoughts on it, but they probably seem a little outlandish. Since energy can't be created or destroyed, I feel that it has to go SOMEwhere. I don't doubt that reincarnation is possible, and I know a few people that have done past life regression and have found out some interesting things, but I am just starting to read up on it. My mother in law is buddhist, and definitely believes in reincarnation.

[Deleted]

Apr 29, 2013 23:07:12 GMT -5 ProfessorArtNerd said:

PowerPoint is the only tool I use, along with writing on the board. Is this for-credit? Because I like to have my students take their own damn notes in order to give another level of involvement in the class. It also keeps their zombie eyes off me, lol.

Talk slower than you think you need to. Face your audience. Think of them as an audience. I always say my job is half knowing the material and half stand-up. Think of them more than your discomfort. When I get too inside my own head, that's who I lose them, always. Calm down. Practice.

Be the ball

It is a non-credit course, but it is not a free course. We are getting paid as teachers and the school gets paid, obviously.

[Deleted]

Also, what should I wear? I wear suits to work, and I see professors at school wearing alllll kinds of things, so I don't know what is preferred. Can I get away with jeans and a nice blouse?

[ProfessorArtNerd]

Cool! Will you have tests, or is it more like community Ed type stuff? This is so cool, I wish this was going on in my community college!

[Deleted]

Community ed, no tests. Just a lot of info thrown at them, some Q&A, the chance to go on an investigation at the end, and to join the group if they want.

I am covering the topics of case management and interviewing clients.

[Deleted]

Apr 29, 2013 23:20:38 GMT -5 neener said:

I think you could wear jeans, considering that you are not a law professor or something more stiff.

My suggestion with Power Point is to only put headings and one or two bullet points. Don't clutter it up with too much text. Let them take notes from what you say. Also, depending on your course goals/description, use media - clips of shows, youtube, etc. Offer some opportunity for active learning outside of the classroom, like maybe a field trip where they can be part of an investigation or give them a project where they analyze data you've collected and have to draw conclusions.

This is a great idea!  We already plan on taking them on an active investigation at the end.