In a standard lesson, a teacher lectures or introduces a given topic for a period of time, depending on the age of students and personal teaching style. This is often accompanied by a classroom discussion, as well as hands-on activity such as a science experiment. The lesson lasts an entire class block, but can also extend into subsequent class meetings.
For a micro-lesson, the teacher prepares a lesson to last for about 20 minutes and presents it to a small group students using multiple teaching methods. The students critique the method, and teachers watch the recorded session to evaluate teaching skills.
Classroom teaching methods vary by each instructor. They incorporate personal style, while reflecting student needs. This is applicable to both lessons and micro-lessons, but seasoned teachers use definitive styles that are applied to their daily lessons.
In micro-teaching, teachers use a variety of styles to find their strengths. For example, in a questioning method, the teacher queries the class, which is the foundation for the lesson. A micro-lesson might include the question method coupled with demonstration and dramatization methods.
The micro-lesson gives the teacher first-hand feedback from students about the teacher's strengths and weaknesses, giving the teacher the opportunity to hone a particular method and teaching style that best reflects the students needs. In the personal review of the session, the teacher reflects on the styles that were most comfortable and incorporates what is learned into daily lessons.
Micro-lessons are limited by the structure, as it may not reflect an actual classroom experience. Teachers can become nervous in knowing that they are being critiqued and may not speak or act naturally, which effects the results. Also, the method is moot if teachers refuse to apply the critiques. Teachers must act on what is learned from the micro-lesson if they are to improve a daily lesson technique in the classroom. The lessons need to be tailored to each class, taking into account the way students react and how they can gain the most knowledge.