It's true that most everyone is nervous at the beginning of a new semester — seasoned instructors included. In a recent article in Faculty Focus, Jelaney J. Kirk (who has 27 years of teaching experience) offered ten practical tips that should help to minimize nervousness before your first classes, including:
- Developing a pre-class ritual — take a quick walk, do some breathing exercises, etc.
- Projecting confidence and never admitting that you are nervous!
- Using notecards to record information about your students as a way to distract you from anxious thoughts.
- Telling a story that you are familiar with as a way to break the ice.
If you feel that your nervousness might stem from imposter syndrome, sign up for the upcoming Professional Development workshop "Imposter Syndrome: What it is and how to deal with it" on September 21 from 12pm - 1pm in 1149.
8/28/2018