“More important than the curriculum is
the question of the methods of teaching and the spirit in which the teaching is
given.” - Bertrand Russell
I was invited for a Faculty Development
Program recently. I often attend the seminars and workshops to analyze the presentations
of various speakers as I do research on presentation skills. One of the
presenters explained microteaching and I found it very interesting. I decided
to share it on my blog so that my regular visitors to my blog are benefitted.
What
is Microteaching?
Microteaching is for teaching professionals
who are under observation by experts during their presentation. Usually the session takes place between 5 to
10 minutes where the teachers deliver their presentation to their peer
audience. It is a five-step process of planning; teaching; taking feedback;
restructuring; and teaching again. In
this concept, the teachers briefly introduce the topic, get into the meat of
the content and conclude precisely. The session is usually video recorded so
that the presenters can take feedback to find out their strengths and
weaknesses. The parameters that are considered for feedback are: content
creation and delivery; arousing interest among the audiences; questioning;
relevance of content; body language and mannerism to name a few. It is a feedback for the teachers from peer
audience to improve their teaching skills. Here are some of the advantages of
microteaching:
- Develops clarity on the topic.
- Builds confidence as the teachers
come prepared.
- Condenses the content by removing
irrelevant aspects. It is like a summary and précis writing where the key
message is conveyed without compromising with the quality.
- Improves the quality in teaching.
- Inculcates time sense among the
teachers.
Hence, the teachers must follow this
concept to ensure qualitative teaching to the audiences and to make a
difference in their lives. In microteaching, teachers can spot their mannerism
as it plays a significant role to impact the audiences.
Mannerisms
during Presentation
“A good teacher is someone who
examines everything he teaches. Old
ideas can’t enslave men because, with time, they have to be adapted and be
given new shapes. So let us take the
philosophical riches of the past and keep in mind all challenges the present
world offers us.” - Confucius, Chinese philosopher
People have certain mannerisms which
they may not be aware of. The mannerisms either make or break the
presentations. From the video recorded presentation, the presenters must
identify their blind spots and bring out the necessary behavioral changes to
ensure effective takeaways to the audience. Here are certain mannerisms for your attention
and address:
- Usage is board is a must in the
classroom. When teachers deliver their content their handwriting must be
legible on the board to enable the audiences to understand and write the
key points.
- Don’t engage with the board for a
long time as you get disconnected from your audiences. When you write on
the board keep talking about the topic so that the audiences get glued
with the presentation.
- Avoid using, “but”, “did you
understand?” and similar such fillers as they distract the audiences from key
ideas and insights.
- Maintain a positive body language
to get the message across effectively.
- After completion of the teaching,
the teachers must clean the board to enable the next teacher to start
session without any inconvenience.
Adopt right mannerism to become a role
model to your audiences. Remember the sage words of Aristotle: “First, have a
definite, clear practical ideal; a goal, an objective. Second, have the
necessary means to achieve your ends; wisdom, money, materials, and methods.
Third, adjust all your means to that end.”
Knowledge Grows When Shared
Dear readers,
I would appreciate your comments about
this article.
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India. All Rights Reserved.
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