The only issue I had - and I guess this will come with time and experience - is that I wasn't convinced that I had put enough information in my powerpoint slides. I felt that the students would be more interested but less informed. I am not sure how to incorporate vocabulary and other terminology into a lesson if I cannot put that information in my class notes. Should I use homework assignments? Class worksheets? I feel like building the information is a great idea, but the students do need to know what things are called. On the SOLs it won't say "the purple thing", it will have a name. How do I find this balance? Any ideas?
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Class Notes
After last week, I feel better about creating class notes that are appropriate for public schools. I was concerned throughout the process because the only notes I have ever made were for a college class with over 250 students enrolled. This was very different. I actually found that I enjoyed making lessons that were highly interactive (thanks to my volunteers, by the way!). I try to do that even with the college lectures, but with such a large class size there is only so much I can do.
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Yes Kina, I know exactly what you mean... it's a very very difficult balance to strike. We always feel the need (or the temptation) to put as much information on slides (or on similar lines, cover as much information as possible, during alloted class time). Ideally this would be great.
ReplyDeleteBut I personally feel: The Lesser the Better.
Students learn more and learn better when taught less. Irnoic, isn't it? For instance, by covering 70% of a topic on slides (or in class) in well spaced out segments, slowly and meticulously, students will learn the entire 70% really very well. This, as opposed to covering 100% of a topic in limited class time, and students only retaining the first 40% (or while their concentration lasts).
So, according to me, if we want students to learn 'more' and learn well, we have to cover 'less'. Paradoxical indeed!
I understand that covering the SOL's is an important concern, but I don't think that including more information in class / on slides is an efficient way of achieving this.
When I come across lectures with too many words on a slide, I just mentally switch off. I find it difficult to read and concentrate quickly. And I think that most of us (and most of our students) encounter similar difficulty.
I too found, through teaching (TA'ing) science in college, that I could never cover all that I wanted to, in class time. Luckily my students were required, as part of the course, to complete weekly homeworks online, so this took care of filling in the gaps.
However, for school I feel that more than purely homework, something like a combination of homework and in-class quizzes might benefit students more. Quizzes make students responsible for studying the material... Also, a page of bulletted points covering a particular section, might help. And yup, worksheets would be great !!
I agree with the comments above. Too much information on a slide or on notes and I do not read it....or I wait until after the lecture to go back and read it. Notes/powerpoints are just summations of what you covered in class. It all the information is on them, why come into class?
ReplyDeleteI see powerpoint as laying an organizated foundation for the students to begin incorporating the new knowledge into. Providing structure is an important part of teaching your class and helping your students learn and remember what they have learned.
I feel that important concepts should be covered multiple times from different angles. One of those was might be in notes, and that will reach some students, but there are many ways to cover the same material.
Class is time to build knowledge...not present it!
ReplyDeleteAll your comments on the importance of limiting the amount of information covered each lesson is exactly what its about. Classes should have smaller bites...time to digest...and develop their understanding of what they just ate!