Ok, so for my social studies methods class, I need to create a lesson plan. I did so, and submitted it, but did not create a specific outline for a lecture I had included in my lesson plan.
As I sat down to create my lecture, I realized something: I have no idea how to create and give a lecture.
Lecturing is an important skill for any teacher. Although it should not be used too often, it is still vital for any teacher to be able to transmit information effectively. I remember in my college classes that teachers had various abilities to create lectures, highlight important themes that tie the lectures together, and to perform the lecture well, allowing for note-taking, questions, response, etc., and the teachers that were able to lecture well really stood out from the pack.
I'm sure that there are skills and information required for creating a good lecture, and I don't know any of that. I would love to have a lecture workshop that gives lecturing strategies, composition ideas, etc.
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Hey Mark!
I encountered the same difficulties when I finally sat down to script my first lecture. I couldn’t believe how difficult it is to cover all the necessary material in less than 20 minutes, while making sure students are engaged and learning. I found myself making notes in the margin- “ask this question here” “ask a student to paraphrase here” “ask a student to give an example here”. I’m giving my lecture tomorrow, so I have no idea if I went about preparing correctly. I’m hoping that overtime all the intricacies involved in conducting an effective lecture will fall in place, because I know I won’t be able to dedicate 10+ hours to preparing each lesson I teach.
You raise a really important point, Mark. It may be the case that in emphasizing the value of other means of engaging students and presenting material that we too casually gloss over the fine points of the lecture presentation modality. In some senses, this modality of teaching is no different than any other in that there's no substitute for doing it, "trial and error," and all of that. I take your point, however, and I know that it's something I struggle with. A wise person once said that there is value in a kind of redundancy...I tell you what I'm going to say, I say it, and then I tell you what I said. I firmly believe that any presentation is better if one takes the time to identify our purpose(s) in giving the presentation...even if that means that we ennoble a simple review of "these pages" from the text. I also like Jenn's idea to flag spots where questions emerge. If you can foreshadow this a bit ("think about *this* as you listen, and we'll talk about *this* when I'm finished) that can help your students focus.
Let us know what you learn as you practice, Mark.
Mark,
Lecture workshop...good idea. My previous time(s) spent conducting class have all been activity based and now that I have to lecture, I find myself with similar concerns to your and Jen's. Not only do I want to make the lecture interesting and engaging (at least as much as a lecture can be), but I also wonder - how much information can one realistically cover in 50 minutes? You'd think after all those years of being lectured to, I would have some idea of where to start, but I find myself surprisingly hesitant to do so...
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