Just the mere fact that you've been doing this longer you know more. That is, maybe you don't know the specific subject matter that well, but you have more life experience and while this may sound a bit fluffy, I do think that actually makes a difference in the classroom. (Plus compared to standing in front of all those experts at the conference getting feedback on your poster, this should be a breeze.. even if a different topic.)
In my experience, students know even less than we think. And that's okay. It's okay to reroute the lecture midway if it turns out you're ahead of them and spend extra time talking about the basics. You should feel more comfortable with that and they will likely appreciate it.
It's also okay - in fact, one may argue should be encouraged - to stop at various parts of the class and ask whether people have questions. Of course, don't make the mistake of leaving just one second for someone to raise their hand. Wait a bit. You could even have a time-out where you let them think about what you just covered and see if they have questions.
That said, if you're concerned they may ask something you don't know then of course you don't want to give them too many such opportunities.:)
If you don't know the answer to a question, don't try to fake it, just let them know you'll look into it for next time. They'll know you're honest and human and that can only help.
I suspect you'll do just fine, but I understand that you're nervous.
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Posted by Turquoise Stuff to academicsecret at 8/16/2006 02:42:34 PM
