Taking the Micro-Teach Face-to-Face
With the pandemic happening, we had to move our Micro-teach online. Although temporary, this was a great solution as we have now been told by the awarding bodies that we need to take the micro-teach back face to face. This takes us back to our fully blended learning within the Level 3 Award in Education and Training. We also deliver part of the course through our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) as part of its blended learning format.
The micro-teach entails delivering a 15-minute lesson on a subject of your choice. This requires you to come to one of our centres where you will deliver the micro-teach to your peers. The groups are normally small, either 4 to 6 people. We have centres in Coventry, Manchester, London (Fulham) and Boston Lincolnshire. Depending on where you live you will go to the closest centre to you.
Times are still changing
When the pandemic happened, everything was still so new, but we adapted and moved with the times and had extremely successful online micro-teaches. Now, with it all dwindling and us living with Covid if it does rise again, the times are changing again.
The move to online learning really helped us when it came to learning how to use different techniques to make learning fun. We were able to integrate new forms of technology to help students improve their skills. We want to keep using those new technologies to help us have better in-person lessons.
Here are some tips to help you succeed in your face-to-face micro-teach.
Preparation is key
Preparation is the key to success! Your micro-teach will run a lot more smoothly if you spend the time to sit down and put together a lesson plan. Lesson planning is extremely important so regardless of how long the lesson is, putting together a successful plan is needed. You only have 15 minutes to deliver the lesson, so you need to think about what you want your learners to achieve in the limited time.
You can build your plan around this. A clear aim is essential, with 1 to 2 objectives as well as an introduction, middle section and summary. You also need to make sure you have planned for any questions from your learners.
Make it interactive!
Keeping your learners engaged is a lot easier in a classroom setting than it is online. But it doesn’t mean we have to get rid of all the new fun things we have learnt! It’s always great to have an interactive element to your lesson, whether this is quizzes, videos or polls. You can also gauge their interest by these elements as well.
Keep an eye on the time
Whether you were completing the micro-teach online or face-to-face, you always have to keep an eye on the time! You only have 15 minutes to deliver your lesson, so get to the point as soon as possible.
Bear in mind that you are an expert within your field and your learners may not be. This could mean you need to spend a bit more time explaining a topic but try not to let it stress you. Lesson plans don’t always go to plan! Try to not let it stress you, try and adapt. It’s a lot better if your learners leave the micro-teach fully understanding the topic you just explained, rather than them having no idea at all because you rushed the lesson.
Stay in control
Your micro-teach should flow naturally and not be too regimented. You’re the one who dictates the timings, so don’t let your learner take advantage too much. If you feel like you need to move the lesson on, do so. Don’t be afraid to move on. We all get flustered sometimes, especially when we’re delivering presentations. However, it’s important that you stay in control and keep your cool. If a question from a learner stumps you, you can turn it around and ask the learners their thoughts and make it a discussion.
Practice
Now I know we said preparation is the key to success, but so is practising. Like with most things, the more you practice, the better at it you get. So hopefully it’ll go great on the day. Try and keep in mind that there will be elements of technology in the lesson and it doesn’t always work as planned, but being able to improvise and adapt will help you massively. Before the micro-teach takes place, make sure your learners have access to all the equipment and recourses they need.
Advantages of face-to-face
There are both advantages and disadvantages to online and face-to-face, so here are a few advantages of face-to-face. It’s physical, sometimes learners actually prefer having a physical session rather than online. You get instant answers, you don’t have to wait around for technology to catch up, and your learners are there with you in a room so there’s no wifi lag! A learner’s body language and facial expressions can also indicate their level of interest. There’s nothing to hide them like it is online, they can’t have the camera off. So you can find ways to make them more engaged. Your learners can also interact with their peers and create a better learning environment.
If you would like more information about the Level 3 AET and how we are supporting learners, please give us a call at 01205 805 155.