Learning to teach

Today I had to give a lecture for the third time since I started at IVM. Although by now, I have given more than enough (short) presentations to feel quite comfortable with doing that, my levels of nervosity and stress reached new peaks yesterday evening and this morning, just thinking about what I needed to do.

Teaching is definitely something more than just presenting your work. You have to start with the basics (especially if teaching international climate change law to paleoclimatologists), and you need to go back to some of the things you already take for granted in your much more narrow, specialized research subject. Furthermore, rather than trying to convince people of your 'message', you have to leave the students with a feeling that they know more about the topic than they did before your lecture.

Having said that, all the stress and worrying seemed a bit premature (what else is new), and it went much better than expected. Part of the stress was caused by a very similar lecture last year, which I did not so much screw up, but only went through the material much too fast (talking 25 minutes where I needed to talk for 90 minutes). I thought I learned my lesson, and I made an extended version of the lecture this time around. But what I didnt expect is that I was able to talk much more elaborate and deeper about the same subjects than last year. Challenged by some good questions and nice discussion, it was almost relieving to see that I was able to slow myself down, and give the topics the time that they deserve. Luckily the students also picked up quite well. There is still room for improvement, though, as I now had to rush through some of the parts at the end. I also think that I need a bit more preparation to explain some of the more complicated topics better. Sometimes, when I don't fully understand the topics myself, I have some difficulties in explaining it to others, or with coming up with good examples that could make it understandable.

Overall, though, I am a happy man today. If only I could just drink a beer, rather than emptying my kitchen for the big renovation there tomorrow :S