Preparing like a GOAT: three tips for teaching a new subject

Hey uni tutors! How are you feeling about your subjects this semester? This time of year can be nerve-wracking but there are a few key things a good tutor can do to prepare.

How do we know? We've both taught a lot across different courses and subjects and know new classes are the most stressful. But being an adaptable teacher and teaching content you're not familiar with is all part of being a GOAT.

These are three non-negotiable prep tasks we do before that first tutorial to make sure the class is a hit.

1. Ask lots of questions

Everyone runs their units differently and has different expectations. That’s okay. If you’re teaching a new subject, ask a lot of question to get to know the lay of the land. When are the assessments due? How active do you want the learning to be? What courses are the students studying? What was the student feedback like last semester? Do you have a favourite part of this course? How many hours am I meant to work on this? Don’t be shy.

2. Explore the materials

This one might seem obvious but you’d be surprised at how often it doesn’t happen. Make sure to read up as much as possible before the first class. You don’t need to be able to recite every due date or reading, but you should have a good idea of what’s going on. This means being familiar with everything that’s important to the students, so when they ask as question, you’re ready.

3. Think like a student

Now you’re as familiar with the new subject as you can be, start thinking like a student. This means trying to predict what they want or need. Will they be nervous about the assessments and have lots of questions about them? If you think that’ll be the case, become an assessment admin expert. If you think they’ll be super inquisitive and want to know more about the topic of the week, read into that as much as possible. They’ll appreciate you for doing the work.

There you have it, three things you can do before you start teaching your new class. Good luck out there!