7 thoughts on “Shay & Stefanos – Tips and tricks for keeping a lecture engaging, organized, and easy to follow?”
I use anecdotes when I’m “mentoring” (using the least formal definition of that term possible) people one-on-one and, yes, there is a LOT of “band camp” that goes into that. But I always make sure (or try to make sure – I may not be 100% effective on this) that those personal stories are linked in some discernable way to what my “mentee” (my friend who is struggling with polyamoury stuff, my buddy who is sorting through questions about spirit work or vampirism or whatever the topic may be) is dealing with and trying to figure out.
I think that using anecdotes to teach-by-example can be really effective. But I also have to be really careful not to just go off on a tangent because, say, I have something of my own that I want to Process. ;-) I need to make sure that my stories are relevant.
I also like group exercises. Well, for a given definition of “group” (and also “like”). I find that asking a class full of people to take five minutes to discuss something in pairs or in very small groups (a) gives the facilitator a chance to hurriedly go over my notes and make sure I’m still on track, but also (b) gives the class-attendees a bit of a break from the chalk-and-talk of lecture-style classes. (Also, as someone who processes/learns/internalizes things best through yacking about them, I find the opportunity to talk something out can be helpful for myself, personally).
Keeping stories relevant is SO key. I try to keep mine short & to the point, although it is super easy to get side-tracked. For me, one story very naturally leads to another which leads to another which…yeah, you get the point! So I have to pull back and will frequently ask the class to help me get back on track. It’s a great way to see who’s paying attention too ;)
The group exercises are also a great way to get attendees to remember what you’re teaching. I’m still working on getting that into my presentations, I do have a tendency to talk straight through a class stopping for questions only. It’s a weakness of mine that I don’t get people *pro-actively* involved even though I do a good job of keeping everyone engaged.
Oh, gods. The rambling tangents. I need to really, really watch myself with those. O.O I’ve had so many instances where I’d start out trying to answer someone’s question or relate to someone’s experience and then wind up going off on a bit of a side-track and then have to forcefully rein myself back in and drag my tangent around so that its relevance (which I was so sure about when I started talking) becomes apaprent to whoever was stuck listening to me ramble.
I’m currently trying to design a course that’s built around hands-on stuff interspersed with anecdote-based teaching points (not kink-related at all, actually, though it does feature a balsamic cherry-chocolate spread which could be fun if you’re into food-focuse sex. ;-) Wish me luck on that one. I’m much more used to a mix of chalk-and-talk and Group Discussion.
I like the idea of lots of demonstrations. I am also a pretty visual learner, and seeing things first hand always help keep them in my mind. Hands-on demonstrations are even better for me!! What can I say, I am a girl who likes working with her hands!
Hands on demonstrations for hands on techniques are crucial to deep learning. One of my personal struggles is that so much of my kink and what I think is important to teach is conceptual, you know, the whole, WHY of things rather than *simply* the HOW of it. But for physical techniques ya’ gotta let people get up and try it!
Awesome! Great video, very cute! Hands on learning all the way, keep it interesting and fun. I also agree that people learn and connect through stories. It’s important though, as they say, to intentionally choose stories, rather than simply just going off the map.
Coloring outside the lines is great, going off the map is not :)
I use anecdotes when I’m “mentoring” (using the least formal definition of that term possible) people one-on-one and, yes, there is a LOT of “band camp” that goes into that. But I always make sure (or try to make sure – I may not be 100% effective on this) that those personal stories are linked in some discernable way to what my “mentee” (my friend who is struggling with polyamoury stuff, my buddy who is sorting through questions about spirit work or vampirism or whatever the topic may be) is dealing with and trying to figure out.
I think that using anecdotes to teach-by-example can be really effective. But I also have to be really careful not to just go off on a tangent because, say, I have something of my own that I want to Process. ;-) I need to make sure that my stories are relevant.
I also like group exercises. Well, for a given definition of “group” (and also “like”). I find that asking a class full of people to take five minutes to discuss something in pairs or in very small groups (a) gives the facilitator a chance to hurriedly go over my notes and make sure I’m still on track, but also (b) gives the class-attendees a bit of a break from the chalk-and-talk of lecture-style classes. (Also, as someone who processes/learns/internalizes things best through yacking about them, I find the opportunity to talk something out can be helpful for myself, personally).
Keeping stories relevant is SO key. I try to keep mine short & to the point, although it is super easy to get side-tracked. For me, one story very naturally leads to another which leads to another which…yeah, you get the point! So I have to pull back and will frequently ask the class to help me get back on track. It’s a great way to see who’s paying attention too ;)
The group exercises are also a great way to get attendees to remember what you’re teaching. I’m still working on getting that into my presentations, I do have a tendency to talk straight through a class stopping for questions only. It’s a weakness of mine that I don’t get people *pro-actively* involved even though I do a good job of keeping everyone engaged.
Oh, gods. The rambling tangents. I need to really, really watch myself with those. O.O I’ve had so many instances where I’d start out trying to answer someone’s question or relate to someone’s experience and then wind up going off on a bit of a side-track and then have to forcefully rein myself back in and drag my tangent around so that its relevance (which I was so sure about when I started talking) becomes apaprent to whoever was stuck listening to me ramble.
I’m currently trying to design a course that’s built around hands-on stuff interspersed with anecdote-based teaching points (not kink-related at all, actually, though it does feature a balsamic cherry-chocolate spread which could be fun if you’re into food-focuse sex. ;-) Wish me luck on that one. I’m much more used to a mix of chalk-and-talk and Group Discussion.
I like the idea of lots of demonstrations. I am also a pretty visual learner, and seeing things first hand always help keep them in my mind. Hands-on demonstrations are even better for me!! What can I say, I am a girl who likes working with her hands!
Hands on demonstrations for hands on techniques are crucial to deep learning. One of my personal struggles is that so much of my kink and what I think is important to teach is conceptual, you know, the whole, WHY of things rather than *simply* the HOW of it. But for physical techniques ya’ gotta let people get up and try it!
Awesome! Great video, very cute! Hands on learning all the way, keep it interesting and fun. I also agree that people learn and connect through stories. It’s important though, as they say, to intentionally choose stories, rather than simply just going off the map.
Coloring outside the lines is great, going off the map is not :)