Prior to teaching any course, I find it best to prepare the lecture materials as far in advance as possible, including the syllabus and class schedule. I was fortunate that my department provided me a TA in the semester prior even though I wasn't teaching; he helped me prepare the materials for my course. This allows me to spend my time reviewing the content in the week or days prior to class. In my experience, I found it helpful to work with an access assistant. Working one-on-one, the assistant would read through the material while I listened attentively, committing the material to memory. It was also helpful to create a basic outline to help me mentally section the material in my mind. Although this process was very time-consuming, it was effective.

My aim is to make my classes as engaging and active as possible. I start by pairing down the lecture notes to provide students with an outlined version on which to take notes. This helps minimize their focus on the board and allows me to get my students involved. I constantly ask students questions, have them participate in deriving equations on the board, and work collaboratively to solve problems together. I also ask students to directly participate in teaching by reading the material from the notes on the board. Requiring the students to take a more active role in the lecture helps them to be more engaged in their learning.

When presenting math-heavy lecture content, I find it best to memorize each step exactly as written in my lecture notes. However, it's also important to consider questions that students might ask along the way as well as alternative routes to derive an equation or solve a problem. Doing so allowed me to be prepared and prevent losing students along the way.

When making the transition to virtual classes, I found it was important to find software that was accessible using VoiceOver and could accommodate the size of the class. I ended up choosing Zoom, as it best fit these criteria (for more on virtual conferencing software, click here).

Being unable to work in person with my access assistant also limited my ability to memorize the materials to the same degree, therefore, I decided to change the format of my class. Instead of the outlined notes the students typically received, I shared the full notes with the students for them to review ahead of time. When it came time to class, I would review the main points with the students and then open the floor for questions. Although the virtual environment was not as conducive to engagement and activity as the in-person classes, my students were largely understanding of my circumstances.