For several years I taught a course in calculus-based physics to a
small group of students--the course was limited to five students--in
which all the students did was prepare and present problems that they
were assigned. They would be given a set of problems at the beginning
of each topic and they were to prepare all of them. Then I would
choose who was going to do each problem.
This was a very successful course, but it had two things going for
it. First, I got to pick who the students would be, and second, it
was a second-year course. The students were basically following the
AP-C curiculum and they did very well on the test--almost all fives.
But this group would have gotten almost all fives regardless. What
they got from the course was an ability to make a coherent
presentation and defend them. For many of them it was difficult, but
almost all the students got noticeably better as the year went on.
Based on my experience, I guess I would have to agree with Rick's
caution. You will need to control the syllabus fairly carefully, and
make sure that it stays on track. And most of the presentation will
have to be yours. But you should give them ample opportunity to make
presentations, at least on small topics or problems. Each student
shuld be at the board at least once a week. And you should question
them closely on what they do at the board. Make sure that they are
able to defend their positions and understand the thing they are
talking about. It is a good place to coach them through some of the
more complex topics that are covered, or to get them to think about
extensions to the topic. And you should be able to do crackerjack
labs--as long as you stay out of their way and let them make--and
fix--their own mistakes. Give guidance, but don't give answers.
What you will probaly find is that the students will be much freer in
this class to ask you questions or to indicate when they don't
understand, especialy if you create an informal atmosphere from the
beginning. But don't let the students set the pace. You should be
able to accomplish a lot with this small group, but they are probably
not sophisticated enough yet to do their own teaching. With this size
group you can make sure that everyone understands what is going on.
That is the main benefit of a small class.