In my short time of being an instructor I have found that makeing a good connection with the students an dhaveing them believe that you care about their success will take care of a lot of other issues
Melissa,
It is unfortunate that some students choose to complain and diminish the value of of the efforts of dedicated instructors, regardless of the cost. As you say, no one forced their hand. And the benefits following graduation are often beyond expectations. Sometimes I wish these adult learners would grow up!
Barry Westling
I have been teaching in higher education for several years now and yet,in career-based institutions I have uncovered that students will quickly broadcast to you and anyone who will give a listening ear how much they are paying for their education.
With all due respect to students who may not have been accepted to other institutions of higher leaarning due to, in part,rigor of entrance qualifications, no one forced the student to sign the dotted line.
I have personally witnessed the disrespect and lack of professionalism from students who are so focued on how much they are paying rather than on whether they are receiving quality teaching which will propel them to their chosen career path.
Heidi,
Right. And I think it takes patience and a willingness to be a little flexible to really be student centered. To me, that means my planned activities may have to be modified just a little to accommodate the special needs our students may need.
Barry Westling
Barry,
Exactly, And there are some students that need a little extra help understanding a concept and knowing your students helps me because I can give them an example that would be related to their background/work and a light would "click".
Heidi,
Right! And the key is to be able to assess the way different students learn and try our best to meet them "where they are". Especially important if we know a student leans best a certain way, we should try to be as accomodating as possible to align our instruction to the learning style the student is familiar with.
Barry Westling
Everyone has different ways of learning. Some people can read the book once and get an A on the test. Some people need to make copious notes and go over the material over and over again. By focusing on how the students learn the instructor will get be able to tweak the lesson so that the students can pick up the material easier.
Joshua,
"Being there" in all ways that suggests, is really at the heart of being student centered. Too often we have "our agenda" which may not sync with students. Getting our needs mathched with student needs works the best in a student centered sense.
Barry Westling
When you can relate to your students you will be better equipped to communicate with them. When you can reach out to a student “on their level†it is easier to get your point across. It’s been my experience that my students listen closer and pay more attention if they see me in a more realistic light. What I mean by that is I try and appear less as a teacher and more as a human full of up sides and down. My hope is that they know that I’m here to show them everything that I know and we can work together for anything I don’t. That to me helps bridge the gap between being a teacher and trying to connect with a student. In my mind that is how I try to be a student centered instructor, reaching out in a way they can understand to get thoughts and ideas out of my head into theirs.
David,
Entitlement is ubiqutous these days, in every setting - public and private. Students have many unrealistic expectations they display, born out of who knows what. I'm only concerned wiuth their learning, not their entitlement (or other immature sentiments). Therefore, I'm willing to prioritize student learning even if it means customizing my lessons to accomodate students. But it's a shared responsibility, and if a student is not going to meet me at least halfway, then I'm not interested giving my assistance.
Barry Westling
The cost of the course is a daunting factor; the course cost runs in the tens of thousands. I feel like my students believe that since they pay such a large amount that they should be handed their diploma.
Mandy,
An advocate is a great example of an important aspect of student centered instruction. If we are looking out for the interests of our students, we will be assisting them be successful in their courses.
Barry Westling
I am a patient advocate in my profession. In teaching I will be a student advocate or student-centered instructor. I have already taken time to get to know others who teach in my profession and some of the techniques they use. In my career I have always worked for my patients best interest and by doing that I felt good at the end of the day. I also felt like I made a difference. My patient has just changed to student(s). I know that if the students see that I am here for them they will work harder for me to learn. I also have been going out of my way to learn how to teach outside of maxknowledge. Talking to friends who teach, and reading books. I want to be the instructor that is still called years later because they know the teacher will have the answer or guidence.
Michael,
Sometimes modifying lessons takes a bit of creativity, no question about it. I just look at it like "am I doing everything I can to assure my students's success". That puts a little different spin on it.
Barry Westling
Being student-centered is a challenge to adapt to individual students and what they need to grasp the lesson or concept. It tests the instructor's ability to adapt the lesson and then give the student an opportunity to demonstrate comprehension.
Claire,
Nice quotes, stories of sorts that help convey an idea succinctly. Caring is the first step towards effective student centered instruction. And when students see their instructor cares, they will be more open to accepting assignmenbts, doing their work, and performing better in class.
Barry Westling
There is a saying among professional speakers, "They won't care how much you know until they know how much you care."
Student-centered instruction places the student in the forefront of the instructional design and delivery process. Rather than being the "sage on the stage" the instructor is the "guide on the side."
Students will feel more of a sense of accomplishment and their confidence will grow as a result.
The curriculum is being delivered to meet the needs of the students -- not the instructor.
George I completley agree with you on respect. From day one of a class I seek to ensure the students that my purpose is to help them learn and I will do whatever I need to as their instructor to ensure that happens. Students respect that and if action follows the words they then respect and almost as importantly trust the instructor.
Jim,
Great. Reaching out to try to meet individual student needs is at the heart of student centered instruction, and also demonstrates care, concern, and interest in the students success.
Barry Westling
It is important to help the students understand the big picture of their educational experience. By understanding their long term goal, you can set short term goals to help students see small little success along the way towards reaching their long term goal of graduating and entering the work force.
