suggest a topic for a model class

November 4, 2007 10:28 PM

Please suggest a topic for a 10-minute model class.

I'm applying to be a high school teacher in a local bicultural highschool and I almost have the job secure but one of the last steps is that I have to give a 10 minute model class this week. I'd be giving the class to several faculty members, probably from the Integral Development Department (Human Relations, Ethics, Entrepreneurship, etc) The class is going to be in english (second language for me, but not really an issue), and can be any topic. Sounds easy enough, but my mind goes blank when I try to think of something to make a 10 minute class about.

I want it to be a topic easy enough to talk about, so I don't get nervous or forget what I prepared, but interesting enough that I don't bore my audience. Please help me think of something. Oh and, I'll probably have to make a Powerpoint presentation out of this.

(I know the front page of Metafilter is full of cool topics, but I don't know if most of them are something I wan't to show these people....or maybe I missed some good ones that I could use here.)

posted by CrazyLemonade to grab bag (9 comments total)

By the sounds of it, you aren't going to be judged on content, just on your ability to deliver it. Pick something that you already know how to do and have fun with it:

make a paper airplane
search Google for showtimes
how to cite a source

Make sure to move around while you talk, make eye contact with people, and for the love of God, don't put your back to the 'students' and read straight off the PowerPoint. Other than that, you should be ready to go. Good luck!
posted by 913 at 2:31 AM on November 5, 2007

Not to snark or anything, but this is exactly what they are testing you on -- on your ability to assess your students and what they need to be taught, and come up with a way to present it.

I would teach a class in the subject you will be teaching. So, a good idea would be to get your hands on the intro text for that subject, choose a chapter somewhere in the middle, and teach between 4-6 pages out of that book. I don't know why they're having you do a PowerPoint -- that's a terrible idea since hopefully you won't be going anywhere near Powerpoint when teaching your kids. If you can, make as little use of the powerpoint as possible. Basically, two things should be on it: pretty accompanying pictures, and the exact wording of definitions that kids would want to be able to write down in their notebooks. It should not contain any of the normal information you are presenting -- that should all be in your head.
posted by Deathalicious at 3:08 AM on November 5, 2007

Also, you know that you should have 15 minutes of a lesson planned right? At least 1 extra activity, so if parts of the lesson go faster than planned you don't have an akward blank space at the end?
posted by Deathalicious at 3:10 AM on November 5, 2007

How about the difference between plagiarism and source citing? Ethics and English. And discuss some interesting case studies.
posted by Eringatang at 7:30 AM on November 5, 2007

Plagiarism and source citing? That's just boring...

Anyone else? Some fun ideas?

I'm thinking something from what I studied, which was Psychology, but I still have to narrow it down.
posted by CrazyLemonade at 11:09 AM on November 5, 2007

history of psych is always an interesting class; I love how the human mind is always described in terms of the dominant technology of the day...
posted by jenkinsEar at 11:26 AM on November 5, 2007

How about motivation? You can start by asking each person to identify one thing they consider themselves motivated to do, and why. Write them on the board. Discuss the 5 major theories of motivation, and you can take some of the examples the "class" gave and view them in light of each of the different theories.

That's something interesting to kids and adults, you can expand or contract as you need to.
posted by KAS at 1:46 PM on November 5, 2007

Ditto to those who suggest something from one of the classes you will be teaching. Bonus points if you have the class do a hands-on activity. What subject area would you be working in, specifically?
posted by ms.v. at 6:34 PM on November 5, 2007

It's a class in career orientation, so I don't think it's a good topic for this model class, specially since I'm not that prepared yet on this topic and I don't want to mess up in front of people who teach it. I'd rather talk to them about something not directly related to the classes they teach.
posted by CrazyLemonade at 9:37 PM on November 5, 2007