Here's a breakdown of its key aspects:
* Short Lesson: The lesson is highly focused, covering only a small portion of a larger topic. This allows for detailed feedback and practice.
* Small Audience: Typically, the audience is a small group of peers (fellow trainees) or a few students, creating a low-pressure environment conducive to experimentation and feedback.
* Specific Skill Focus: Each micro-teaching session concentrates on a single teaching skill, such as questioning techniques, using visual aids, classroom management, explaining a complex concept, or providing effective feedback. This allows for targeted improvement.
* Feedback and Iteration: After the micro-teaching session, the teacher receives constructive criticism from peers, instructors, and sometimes even the audience. This feedback is used to refine the teaching approach before trying it again with a slightly improved lesson.
* Repetition and Refinement: The process is iterative. Teachers typically repeat the micro-teaching session after receiving feedback, aiming for improvement based on the critique. This cycle of practice, feedback, and revision is crucial to the effectiveness of micro teaching.
Benefits of Micro Teaching:
* Reduced Anxiety: The small-scale environment reduces the pressure associated with teaching a full lesson to a large class.
* Targeted Skill Development: Allows teachers to focus on specific teaching skills and refine them individually.
* Immediate Feedback: Provides prompt and constructive feedback, enabling rapid improvement.
* Enhanced Self-Awareness: Helps teachers become more self-aware of their teaching strengths and weaknesses.
* Increased Confidence: Successful practice in a safe environment builds confidence before teaching larger classes.
In essence, micro teaching is like practicing free throws before a basketball game. It's a controlled environment for refining specific skills and building confidence before applying them in a larger, more complex setting.