Energy Consumption Presentation and Video

Perhaps the most difficult part of this presentation was deciding which class would be the most appropriate to share this information with based on how it would benefit the students and how I could fit it in among the regular curriculum. I chose to present to my biology class after they completed their unit test. The reasoning behind this was that I would not be interrupting a unit of study with a random lesson and I would not be taking up precious lesson time (the students travel so often for sports, activities, and vacations and this week I have all of my students present). In addition, the class will be starting their science fair projects soon and I felt this would give them a nice overview of the research process. I plan to refer back to the video and share particular portions for introductions to steps of the research process as we progress through the process in class.

I was posed with a challenge at the close of my lesson/presentation. I found myself with less time than I was hoping and it became a little rushed at the end. You can actually hear the bell ring if you listen closely while watching the video.

There was a plus side to running short on time as well. I was able to see how I operate when trying to bring closure to a lesson as the bell is about to ring which happens maybe more often than I would like. Overall, I kept my cool, but I did notice that the information presented at the end was not completely clear. If it was a classroom lesson, I would be sure to start the next class reviewing and clarifying the information that was rushed through and I plan to do this tomorrow with this class.

Watching the video of my lesson/presentation also brought to light some quirks in my body language that I have been aware of but have never actually seen myself. I find it very difficult to stand still. I often find myself rocking back and forth. For this presentation I was standing in one area, but it was rare when I would actually be putting equal weight on both feet. I also have a hard time figuring out what to do with my hands. I am a very animated speaker. This final self-analysis observation is one that some of my students are not afraid to point out at times. I misspeak every so often and when rushed, as I noticed I was in the video, it happens on a more regular basis. In order to correct this I feel I need to remember to slow down, speak confidently and clearly. In order to accomplish this I will have to make a conscious effort to not try to fit another example or question in the last few minutes of the class.

Reflecting on a video of my teaching has been a tremendous self-assessment tool for me. This research project has also prepared me with a teaching tool (the video) that I will use when guiding students through the research process for their research projects.

My Energy Consumption Presentation is posted on TeacherTube and can be viewed by clicking on the link below.

http://www.teachertube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=2797d3a746ed6a70624b