OMG OMG OMG OMG!!!! I've got a job interview..........

[exasperatedmummy]

So i am pretty much panicing really.

It is for a part time science lecturer at the local college. Ive done nothing since i finished my Phd, oh apart from the small thing of looking after DD .

They want me to put together a presentation, to last ten minutes. I have to choose a subject and present it as if it were a class. I have to present a lesson plan too.

Can anyone give me any pointers?
Are there any websites that have lessons on there? I will have to aim this at about GCSE-A level biology and i am RUSTY!
What would be a good thing to cover in ten minutes

MartianBishop are you there?

I am a namechager BTW - im lucyellensmum, getting off my arse and trying to get a job.

Its nice to see you sounding so positive

Can almost 'see' the spring in your step!

One answer to have ready is the one to, 'Why did you pick this topic?'

I was asked this when I presented it at my PGCE interview.

The answer was, for me 'everyone is interested in illness!'

lol MB, that is what i said to my DP last night when i said i might do CF and he looked at me like this . I said, most people have a morbid fascination for illnesses and its a good way to introduce genetics.

Steady on tiredemma - not sure i could manage a spring in my step having just been roller skating - i lasted ten minutes and i HURT!

Hi I teach in FE, and would like to back up what Martian Bishop has said... the key thing is to show that you can teach. In my FE college, we have quite a few people with Phds and the like, some are really good teachers, but some are lecturers and treat FE like Uni. Usually, they tend not to last very long and I know some places can be a little reluctant to take them on as a result.

The key thing is to keep it active and the students involved. Avoid doing overly long powerpoint presentations or anything too lecturey and avoid too much individual work. The buzz words at the mo are student participation / contribution and active learning. So use some of the ideas that MB suggested - they like getting the students involved. Keep the activities short - they have short attention spans these days and get as many students involved as you can.

For teaching or planning a lesson - some of the things that are seen as 'ideal lessons' where I work, and would be what our interviewers would be looking for are...

• Clear introduction. Cite your learning aims and objectives (Make them visible, on IMB if you can).

• Lots of short activities, about 10 -15 minutes before you move on. Do not talk for any longer than about 10 mins at a time and then get students involved.

• Keep it active and try to use lots of different learning styles - perhaps do something visual, kinaesthetic and auditory in your lesson plan. Yeah it may be a load of old bollox, but they do like to see it!

• Try to ensure that every student makes an oral contribution to the class. Try to show that all students are engaged with your lesson - so ask questions (randomly, not in order) and so on...

• Try to ensure that all students are able to write down what they have learnt. Where I am, this is ideally not note-taking - it may be different in science, but in my subject area at least, they tend to prefer it when students write things in their own words or a different format so that they can show that they understand it.

• Think about differentiation - again, under the new every child matters framework, we are now being asked to show how we have catered for all students in the class - not just the middle ones. So we have to show how we have catered for the top and the bottom ones specifically (and not just in terms of giving them more or less work!)

• Finally, remember the plenary.

If you actually have to teach the lesson, rather than just plan it, then also think about pace - move on quickly if you see students getting bored. We are increasingly judged on whether we have got a 'buzz' to our lessons - whatever that might mean!?!

The college will know that you are academically able enough, but the key concern is that you can teach, rather than just lecture. You need to think more like schools - and not like uni!

HTH and best of luck!

Thanks Elkat So really, i need to be thinking about the lesson as a whole. Just out of interest, how would you approach your ten minutes presentation time. Would you try and do a mini "lesson" or just the talky bit and have hand outs maybe the for activities? I agree, it must be not like uni - i don't think i could do the whole stand up and talk for an hour. I am as nervous as hell, im going through the whole

"this is great" "i can do this" to "what the fuck are you doing, you can't do it" scenario.

They will know from my application that i haven't really taught before and the job involves having a mentor and some sort of training. Will they really expect me to be polished?

I'm not a teacher and have nothing useful to add but just wanted to say well done for getting an interview and good luck too.

I am also interested as I am toying with doing something similar myself when I have finished my masters although it is a daunting prospect.

You will be great Dr LEM.

I can't speak for the college you are going to... But my experience has been that they are not necessarily looking for someone polished - you can do a PGCFE or whatever to do all of that. What is more important is that you show that you have the right attitude - you know it is not just lecturing and that you have appropriate expectations. - you can pitch it correctly and so on. Also, show them that you are willing to learn - do lesson obs and so on...

How you do your 'talky bit' is very personal - my preferred method of teaching is to do an experiment or exercise, so that the students get the point I am trying to make, and then i reinforce it with the powerpoint to back up what I am saying. This would work well with MBs suggestion of the straws activity - get them to do it, reflect on it etc... and then explain why they did it, what it means and so on...

But this is not the only way to do it - I have a colleague who does the exact opposite to me, and he is a very good teacher too!

HTH

When is/was the interview?

thanks, i will flag this now so i can find it again.

thats my good deed of the day

i have finished my presentation, i think its OK - still have to do the lesson plan and im going to provide a sheet with definitions and reminders on, as if i were giving this out as a handout to the students. Do you think i could possibly have that as a piece of homework? Yes, i'll do that. Some key points to look up.

Will they be expecting that? For me to treat it as a lesson - they call it a teaching presentation?

But get this : I don't BELIEEEEEEEVE IT ive got a D+V bug

THANKS EVERYONE - I DID IT I think it went well, i don't think i will get the job, i was up against experienced teachers but hey, it was good experience. They liked my talk, thanks MB they luuurved the straws - i should i say, it made them feel quite ill - lmao!!!

I feel really good - i didn't humiliate myself so thats all i can hope for isnt it

fingers cross for you
x x x x

well done, I have gone for interviews in the last month as well and it is scary going back into the workplace isn't it? Reeeeally hope you get it - but as you say it's great experience. Do let us know how you do.