Top Tips for a Successful Micro-Teach
A while ago we looked into what a micro-teach is, and how it should be done. Let’s have a little recap on this before we look into how to run a successful lesson. If you are studying the Level 3 Award in Education and Training you will have seen that one of the core modules is the micro-teach. It is therefore very important that you understand what it entails.
Most learners love the prospect of delivering their individual subject within a 15-minute window. However, for those who don’t enjoy presenting in front of a group, it can be rather daunting. The micro-teach is an opportunity to showcase your skills and knowledge on a subject of your choice.
Here are some of our top pointers on how to prepare for the micro-teach:
Prepare a lesson plan
You should have a clear idea of what you would like your learners to achieve during this 15-minute session. Take the time to draft a lesson plan that is a maximum of 2 pages long. Structure your lesson so you have an introduction, middle section, activities and a summary. It is also a good idea to plan some time in for questions that your learners may have too. If they ask questions as you go along you are more likely to lose concentration.
Keep it simple
Remember you are giving a micro-teach within your expert field. Your learners may have no prior knowledge of this subject area, so keep it nice and simple. Don’t use technical language that may confuse your learners. It is also good practice to have a short 4-5 slide Powerpoint presentation to support your micro-teach. By including short bullet points on each slide you can make sure you are sticking to the general structure of the lesson plan.
Use video activities
The most important thing about the micro-teach is to make it engaging for your learners. Think about how you are going to capture their attention and make them contribute to the session. Have you got any fun videos that you can use within your micro-teach, or is there anything you can add in order to make your learners interact? A quiz is always a great way to test whether people have actually been listening or not!
Questions are important
Being a good teacher or trainer requires you to be able to ask engaging questions. Try to include open-ended questions that require your learners to think outside the box. The micro-teach is a great opportunity to show your questioning skills. Question time also gives you a break from the flow of teaching, and takes the pressure off you for a little while!
Practice is key
Most of us hate giving presentations, but the only way we improve is by practicing over and over. Take the time to present your micro-teach to your family or friends, and get their feedback. Even better, practice on someone who has no understanding of your subject area at all. That way you can judge whether you are speaking too technically.
Keep calm and be patient
We have all been in that situation where mid-presentation we lose our train of thought and become flustered. We want the ground to swallow us up there and then! If you find yourself in this situation, try your best to keep calm and stop for a second. Gather your thoughts, and resume with your micro-teach. If you are really struggling, pop in a question for your learners to give you a quick break from teaching.
Be patient with your learners
As we have briefly mentioned, your learners are highly unlikely to be experts in the subject you have chosen. They may need clarification of what a term means, which is completely understandable. Take the time to explain to them before you move on with your micro-teach. Whilst timings are important, remember you should have already set aside some time for answering questions later on. You might just have to shorten that window a little instead.
Finishing the micro-teach
If you find yourself at the end of the micro-teach and you haven’t covered all of your objectives, try not to worry. It is always best to over-plan so you have extra activities under your sleeve if you need them.
Ideally, by the time you’re hitting the 15-minute mark, you should have gone through all of your objectives and should think about finishing the session. Now would be a good time to see if any of your learners have any questions.
If you would like more information on the Level 3 Award in Education and Training, please contact us today on 01205 805 155.