Teaching Help

What resources are you currently using to help you become a good lecturer? Have you gone to some workshops or classes on how to be an effective lecturer? Many schools have some sort of orientation and/or learning center for new faculty: is something like that available at your school. Do you have any friends who would let you sit in on their classes so that you could learn? Or perhaps they would be willing to sit on one of your classes and critique your skill. Have you read any books/journal articles on the subject?

Google: "How to be a good lecturer" I just did and got lots of hits.

Essentially, you have a new skill to learn. You need to make a learning plan for yourself that includes readings, demonstrations, practice, etc. so that you can learn this new skill.

I consider a lecture to be an "on-stage performance" and approach it that way -- hoping to be both informative and pleasant to watch/hear. I try to be energetic -- focus on "talking to" the students rather than just reading notes/slides -- and be sure to vary my voice, style, tone, etc. to help maintain interest. I also try to vary the learning activity frequently -- straight lecture, video example, a mini-discussion or some other activity, back to lecture, etc.

Good luck.