Last night I taught my first classes. Overall it went really well. The first class of the evening was Digital Photography. As I went over the syllabus I was really feeling out of my element. But then I handed out the first assignment and I became more at ease as I talked.
The class is small - only 4 students. My first assignment for them is to keep a photoblog for the semester. Each week, they will be expected to take 3 different photographs on an assigned subject and then post the images to their photoblog. Class lasted about 40 minutes and I let them go early.
The second class was Intro to Design. I had 8 students for this class. I went over the syllabus, then talked about how design is all around us and how much design affects our lives. All of the students seemed really interested in what I was saying. Then I gave them their first assignment. They are to keep a critique book of good and bad samples that they are to collect and asses throughout the semester. They all seemed interested in the assignment and asked lots of questions. Again, we ended after about 40 minutes and several of them stayed to ask me more questions.
The third class was Photoshop II. There were only 3 students for this class, all over the age of 40. Thankfully this is the second half of the Photoshop book so they are familiar with the software. I went over the syllabus and then had them work through the chapter assignment while answering any questions they had about how to do things - it is amazing that I know so much and can answer all of their questions (so far). I am choosing to let the students work through the projects at their own pace since I know that everyone learns differently. I also showed them this speed painting in Photoshop video on YouTube to inspire them. It is amazing what a gifted and experienced person can do using Photoshop. This class lasted the full time and actually went 10 minutes passed the allotted time.
Two of the three students in this class were with me all night. These students are non-traditional and are learning a new field as they have been laid off of their jobs - mostly because jobs have gone oversees... It puts a different perspective on things for me to be working with these people who have been so affected by the economy changes in our world.
I think that my biggest challenge will be to not be the teacher that is so nice that I allow the students to walk all over me. I feel that I am a pretty firm person, but I also have the (human) desire to be liked.
The class is small - only 4 students. My first assignment for them is to keep a photoblog for the semester. Each week, they will be expected to take 3 different photographs on an assigned subject and then post the images to their photoblog. Class lasted about 40 minutes and I let them go early.
The second class was Intro to Design. I had 8 students for this class. I went over the syllabus, then talked about how design is all around us and how much design affects our lives. All of the students seemed really interested in what I was saying. Then I gave them their first assignment. They are to keep a critique book of good and bad samples that they are to collect and asses throughout the semester. They all seemed interested in the assignment and asked lots of questions. Again, we ended after about 40 minutes and several of them stayed to ask me more questions.
The third class was Photoshop II. There were only 3 students for this class, all over the age of 40. Thankfully this is the second half of the Photoshop book so they are familiar with the software. I went over the syllabus and then had them work through the chapter assignment while answering any questions they had about how to do things - it is amazing that I know so much and can answer all of their questions (so far). I am choosing to let the students work through the projects at their own pace since I know that everyone learns differently. I also showed them this speed painting in Photoshop video on YouTube to inspire them. It is amazing what a gifted and experienced person can do using Photoshop. This class lasted the full time and actually went 10 minutes passed the allotted time.
Two of the three students in this class were with me all night. These students are non-traditional and are learning a new field as they have been laid off of their jobs - mostly because jobs have gone oversees... It puts a different perspective on things for me to be working with these people who have been so affected by the economy changes in our world.
I think that my biggest challenge will be to not be the teacher that is so nice that I allow the students to walk all over me. I feel that I am a pretty firm person, but I also have the (human) desire to be liked.
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