Barry Westling

Discussion Comment

Terry, Yes, I think students are astute to tuning into whether their instructor is ready, prepared to teach, and has the competence to fulfill their expectations. Even a knowledgeable instructor may be perceived as not being aptly informed, solely due to being unprepared. Totally preventable. Barry Westling

Barry Westling

Discussion Comment

Making field trips and guest speakers a part of instruction

Daryl, Besides having a break in the routine, another professional worker often brings a different spin, gets students thinking, asking questions, and usually promotes more motivated energy than what could be provided by their instructor alone. Barry Westling

Barry Westling

Discussion Comment

Making field trips and guest speakers a part of instruction

Joe, Good points, all. Besides a break in the routine, I think the ability to ask questions, and see firsthand some segment directly or indirectly related to their work setting can only help students visualize their ultimate place in their chosen career. Barry Westling

Barry Westling

Discussion Comment

Informing students of status in course

Tracy, Sounds like a good plan. My college uses electronic grading, so students can view their performance as it exists right up to the moment. But even so, I think 3-4 personal chats with each student over the term (20-weeks) can still be helpful, as it conveys I am wanting to offer my assistance to their success. I also use a "personal performance improvement plan", a written plan by the student that from their perspective defines what is contributing to their performance and they will need to do to make improvements. This PPIP attempts to hold the student accountable by… >>>

Barry Westling

Discussion Comment

Using pretests as planning tools

Tracy, I think good instructors assume nothing about prior learning of their students, which is why a pretest can provide valuable information about where to focus more (or less) emphasis in order to maximize the student and instructors time. Barry Westling

Barry Westling

Discussion Comment

Goal of educating students

Tracy, The soft skills are almost as important as the technical knowledge and skills. I think more workers are let go because of attendance, punctuality, or compliance with other work rules. Instilling the value and benefit of conformance to employer expectations can contribute to long lasting, sustained employment. Barry Westling

Barry Westling

Discussion Comment

Organized and prepared to teach

Tracy, Yes, a daily lesson plan is a must. I list the main categories of topics on the white board, along with specific resources needed (such as specific textbooks or handouts). I treat it like an agenda for a meeting, whereas all topics have to be covered for the "meeting" to be complete. Barry Westling

Barry Westling

Discussion Comment

Making field trips and guest speakers a part of instruction

Dawn, Also, I always make sure there is an opportunity to ask questions. Students are usually quite ambitious with questions and the feedback I receive tells me this is one of the more beneficial aspects of having someone come in to speak. Barry Westling

Barry Westling

Discussion Comment

Awarding extra credit

Mickey, My opinion is no extra credit assignments (that are worth points that contribute to a grade). In the past I have provided that opportunity, but I outlined the criteria in my syllabus on day one. All had the same opportunity to participate (to assure fairness), and the total points that could be earned was very small. Even then, students with borderline grades wanted more. So I just choose not to give it. Barry Westling

Barry Westling

Discussion Comment

Awarding extra credit

Chris, Adjusting a grade with the specific circumstances you describe seems perfectly reasonable. However, what is done for one ought to be done for all. When I began teaching years ago I felt I was helping student's if I awarded grades with added extra credit. I learned two lessons. One is students learned expect it. The other lesson is my belief that extra credit is simply about points and grades with little to do about learning. Barry Westling