Barry Westling

Thor, Yes, the application and coordination of all the facts really determines when a student has mastered all of the steps, facts, or processes involed with a particular topic. Barry Westling

Thor, Every instructor learns to develop their own style and soon find what works best for them and their students. Planning for unexpected excesses in time or need for more material is always a good idea just to plan ahaed for emergencies. Barry Westling

Nicole, I suppose their are different approaches. For me, I look at the objectives I'm intending to cover and derive some key questions that correct answers would suggest the students already posses that knowledge. So if I gave twenty questions and nearly all the students answered the same three questions correctly, I might elect to spend less time on the objectives related to those three questions, allowing me to spend a bit more time on others topics. Barry Westling

Carol, I agree. I believe students appreciate instructors who are genuine and authenic, rather than an artificial version of someone else. Being natural also helps make students more comfortable in class, which can promote the feeling their instructor is approachable when asking questions, adapting to their style and delivery, and seeking extra help. Barry Westling

Lori, I agree, and I think a key principle here is creating a learning environment where students feel comfortable and content delivered in a non-threatening way. Being approachable, patient, kind and courteous, and fair, along with displaying a natural persona with a little humor is a demeanor that can assist with setting the tone for this environment. Barry Westling

Jill, Especially in a vocational setting many institutions understand that knowledge and skill development are key to success in the work force and therefore, in some cases, granting extra credit may interfere with accurately measuring student performance. Barry Westling

Diane, Personally, I prefer not to give extra credit that impacts a grade, but I'm all for extra assignments that help create a good learning experience. Sometimes this is offered by myself, but more often it comes about from the student asking for additional study Barry Westling

Edward, Yeah, I find that unless I write it down somewhere, it'll be lost forever. And I often come up with some very creative thoughts, activities and stories that are very valuable and I'd sure hate to lose these. A journal can help track these kind of inspirational moments. Barry Westling

Marie, I have always found that enthusiasm, passion and interest are traits that students will appreciate regardless of the topic. So where there may some topics that are quite in your zone of preference, your energy and attitude can still make a difference, and make the class as memorable as those that you really love. Barry Westling

Tammy, My mantra is "early on and frequently". I don't want students to ever (wrongly) blame me for their poor performance. I would rather receive thanks for offering assistance, giving tips, advice, and suggestions for improvement. I want students to feel we're all in it for the same reason. Sharing grade information can help, but it's still up to the student to at least do the (minimum) work needed to get a passing grade. Barry Westling