For this practicum, I have been placed in a classroom where I teach the same lesson to two different classes. This allows me to teach a lesson, reflect on it, and then make tweaks to enhance the lesson for the following class. Something that I have been noticing is that I find myself giving more explicit instructions in my second class. This is because I am able to address questions and uncertainties that had occurred in the first class before they even come up in the second.
I am learning that what I initially believed to be perfectly comprehensible instruction, probably was not. Even if my instruction is adequate though, it does not hurt to go into more detail about my expectations to ensure that students meet those expectations. By spending more time on instructions, it may seem to like I am taking valuable time away from student-centered activities, but in actuality, it has the ability to save time by reducing student confusion.
I am learning that what I initially believed to be perfectly comprehensible instruction, probably was not. Even if my instruction is adequate though, it does not hurt to go into more detail about my expectations to ensure that students meet those expectations. By spending more time on instructions, it may seem to like I am taking valuable time away from student-centered activities, but in actuality, it has the ability to save time by reducing student confusion.