How Did My First Lecture Really Go?

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In summary: And, yes, the smart-alecks are usually more fun than the suck-ups - especially if you have a big enough stockpile of knowledge that you have an answer for even the strangest questions. (I still remember coaching a youth soccer team and ending a talk with "Any questions?" and having one kid ask me why soccer balls had those black spots on them. I think he was kind of surprised when that question sparked a lesson on how reading the spin on the ball helps the goalkeeper and why I put so much emphasis on shots coming off the player's foot with no spin.)WOOT! Go PENG!
  • #1
Pengwuino
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WOOT! I just had my first lecture tonight, went 2 1/2 hours... with 20 minute break.

And......

My head hurts. I've never had to talk that long before in my life. I'm glad I brought water.

So how did it go? Well, I don't want to talk myself up too much, but I think I'm the greatest lecturer in history. One girl even thanked me after the lecture. Another asked me to marry her and a few just gave me their numbers and said they knew about discretion. Whatever that means.

All in all, I'm sex.

Actually, one girl really DID thank me, but I think she may just be a suck up.

DISCUSS.
 
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  • #2
I always thought that lecturing on Mellin transforms would be a great way to attract salivating groupies.
Unfortunately, I haven't had the occasion yet, but congratulations to you, flappers.
 
  • #3
Congrats. I have quite an issue with public speaking. I tried to get over it by doing poetry readings when I was a teenager but that didn't really help a whole lot.
 
  • #4
What was your lecture on, Penguin? Also, congrats. :)

TheStatutoryApe said:
Congrats. I have quite an issue with public speaking. I tried to get over it by doing poetry readings when I was a teenager but that didn't really help a whole lot.

I spoke about overcoming social anxiety...it worked out well enough for me. As a general rule, the more you do it, the better you get.
 
  • #5
Congratulations Pengwuino!

Speaking in front of an audience can be daunting (I go to Toastmasters myself and sometimes I still get daunted), but its great for any kind of personal development.

Bravo!
 
  • #6
I'm teaching physics/chemistry for educators.

Normally in my labs as a TA, i would only need to talk for like 10 minutes and I wasn't really lecturing to them, just making the lab run smoothly and I would always get nervous the first day. However, when I went up there, I pretty much kicked *** and took names. It was HAWT.
 
  • #7
Pengwuino said:
I'm teaching physics/chemistry for educators.

Normally in my labs as a TA, I would only need to talk for like 10 minutes and I wasn't really lecturing to them, just making the lab run smoothly and I would always get nervous the first day. However, when I went up there, I pretty much kicked *** and took names. It was HAWT.
Way to go, Pengy Bird,

Now can you "KEEP THEM ENGAGED", with your wit, wisdom, humor, technical knowledge. Remember, when things get tough and you find yourself grasping for words (it happens to all of us), remember what Feynman would say and do given the situation and you will be fine, I hope... hehe... :redface:

That's a tough course to teach, are these folks already educators, or studying to become educators ?

Rhody... :smile:
 
  • #8
Pengwuino said:
WOOT! I just had my first lecture tonight, went 2 1/2 hours... with 20 minute break.

And......

My head hurts. I've never had to talk that long before in my life. I'm glad I brought water.

So how did it go? Well, I don't want to talk myself up too much, but I think I'm the greatest lecturer in history. One girl even thanked me after the lecture. Another asked me to marry her and a few just gave me their numbers and said they knew about discretion. Whatever that means.

All in all, I'm sex.

Actually, one girl really DID thank me, but I think she may just be a suck up.

DISCUSS.
So, what was the particular subject(s)/topic(s) of the lecture?
 
  • #9
Congratulations pengy! :approve:

Did you get people to leave the classroom crying yet?? It's the fun part about lecturing :biggrin:

What was the lecture about??

Be sure to fail that suck-up, nobody can stand such people :biggrin:
 
  • #10
micromass said:
Congratulations pengy! :approve:

Did you get people to leave the classroom crying yet?? It's the fun part about lecturing :biggrin:

What was the lecture about??

Be sure to fail that suck-up, nobody can stand such people :biggrin:

Crying? I thought the sign that you'd arrived as a lecturer was when you caught someone imitating you in the hall.

And, yes, the smart-alecks are usually more fun than the suck-ups - especially if you have a big enough stockpile of knowledge that you have an answer for even the strangest questions. (I still remember coaching a youth soccer team and ending a talk with "Any questions?" and having one kid ask me why soccer balls had those black spots on them. I think he was kind of surprised when that question sparked a lesson on how reading the spin on the ball helps the goalkeeper and why I put so much emphasis on shots coming off the player's foot with no spin.)
 
  • #11
WOOT! Go PENG!

So did you make them laugh? Hey you could be the next Brian Cox!
 
  • #12
LOL! Wow Peng! Good work! :D Ha I have always wondered too how professors can lecture for so long.
 
  • #13
rhody said:
Way to go, Pengy Bird,

Now can you "KEEP THEM ENGAGED", with your wit, wisdom, humor, technical knowledge. Remember, when things get tough and you find yourself grasping for words (it happens to all of us), remember what Feynman would say and do given the situation and you will be fine, I hope... hehe... :redface:

That's a tough course to teach, are these folks already educators, or studying to become educators ?

Rhody... :smile:

They're studying to become educators. Now where do I go find some technical knowledge, wit, and wisdom? :D

Astronuc said:
So, what was the particular subject(s)/topic(s) of the lecture?

It was just the intro "why is science is important, this is what a theory is, this is how science works, and here's a quick math review" kind of lecture.

BobG said:
Crying? I thought the sign that you'd arrived as a lecturer was when you caught someone imitating you in the hall.

I thought that's when it was time you departed as a lecturer :smile:

And, yes, the smart-alecks are usually more fun than the suck-ups - especially if you have a big enough stockpile of knowledge that you have an answer for even the strangest questions. (I still remember coaching a youth soccer team and ending a talk with "Any questions?" and having one kid ask me why soccer balls had those black spots on them. I think he was kind of surprised when that question sparked a lesson on how reading the spin on the ball helps the goalkeeper and why I put so much emphasis on shots coming off the player's foot with no spin.)

OH so that's why they're made like that! Learn something every day :)

Evo said:
WOOT! Go PENG!

So did you make them laugh? Hey you could be the next Brian Cox!

Yup I made them laugh. Little do they know that will be the last laughing they'll ever do in my class :devil:
 
  • #14
Congrats Penguwino :D This rox!
 
  • #15
HeLiXe said:
Congrats Penguwino :D This rox!

Congrats Penguwino! :smile:

(I just Googled for Penguwino and only found another post of HeLiXe! :wink:)
 
  • #16
Anyway, are there tests or reports planned for the near future?? I need a laugh :biggrin:
 
  • #17
I guess I'm not discrete :-p
 
  • #18
micromass said:
Anyway, are there tests or reports planned for the near future?? I need a laugh :biggrin:

3 weeks until the first exam! There is going to be free-response questions. I may or may not have put them in there simply to have material to laugh about.

And thanks for the congrats everyone :P
 
  • #19
<wonders what a penguin accent sounds like>
 
  • #20
Congratulations Pengwuino!
 
  • #21
Did you wear a toga?
 
  • #24
What's all that brownish-looking stuff on the ice? Ewww!
 
  • #25
turbo said:
What's all that brownish-looking stuff on the ice? Ewww!

These are things penguins put on the ice so that they can be detected by satellites.
 
  • #26
Ewww! Poor kids.

Congrats Pengy bird. :D
 
  • #27
turbo said:
What's all that brownish-looking stuff on the ice? Ewww!

That happened when Pengwuino gave out his first homework assignment.
 
  • #28
This sounds bit kinky :smile: Anyway congrats to your succees.

Many years ago I did teaching as a temporary job for one semester and I got a couple of girls to cry when they got their test scores back and insisted that the tests was too hard hard and that previous teachers made much easier tests. Well there you go for playing with your cellphone in class.

/Fredrik
 
  • #29
Pengwuino said:
3 weeks until the first exam! There is going to be free-response questions. I may or may not have put them in there simply to have material to laugh about.

Will you be grading on a curve? 15.9% of the class may not be laughing after they see their grades... :bugeye:

:cry:
 

FAQ: How Did My First Lecture Really Go?

What topics did you cover in your first lecture?

The first lecture covered the basics of scientific methodology, including the steps of the scientific method and how to design and conduct experiments. We also discussed the importance of peer review and ethics in scientific research.

How did you engage your audience during the lecture?

I used a variety of interactive techniques such as asking questions, conducting polls, and using real-life examples to keep the audience engaged and actively participating in the lecture. I also encouraged group discussions and encouraged questions from the audience.

Did you encounter any challenges during your first lecture?

One of the main challenges I faced was time management. I had to make sure that I covered all the key points within the allotted time frame while also allowing for audience participation and questions. I also had to be flexible and adapt to any unexpected technical difficulties.

What feedback did you receive from the audience?

I received positive feedback from the audience, with many expressing that they found the lecture informative and engaging. Some also appreciated the interactive elements and found them helpful in understanding the concepts better. I also received some constructive criticism, which I will keep in mind for my future lectures.

What are your plans for future lectures?

I plan to cover more advanced topics in future lectures, such as data analysis, statistical methods, and the latest developments in the scientific field. I also plan to incorporate more hands-on activities and demonstrations to further engage the audience and make the lectures more interactive.

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