Hi Pam,
You are doing a great job with getting your classes started. By taking the time to solicit the background information from your students you can develop a realistic profile of the students you have. As you mentioned each class is different. It always surprises me how a class comes together and takes on a personality of its' own. As instructors we have to be ready to recognize the class personality and then develop strategies that will meet the individual and group needs of the class. I hope you find this exciting and challenging. The also helps keep you from getting bored with teaching the same class over and over again. You are on the right track to very successful teaching.
Gary
Hi Gary,
One of my tried and true methods of assessing a new class is to have each student introduce themselves on the first day. There are several questions I ask them which gives me valuable insight.
I first ask about their previous educational experiences. This tells me how long they have been out of a classroom and what educational level they reached. With that knowledge, I can then refine the first several weeks of instruction to better acclimate them to my program.
I also ask about their previous and current careers. This gives me a little insight into their personalities and current workload.
The next question I ask is their reason for choosing this educational path. This tells me of their motivations and goals, which then allows me to tailor my educational goals for them, to meet their goals.
And probably the most important method I have for assessing new students, is to observe and listen. By doing these two things, I can discover the overall personality of the group. Do they appear to get along together? Are there any behaviors/issues that need to be addressed immediately? Is the group conservative, humorous, relaxed, serious? The answers to these questions will tell me how to adjust my instructional style to meet their needs.
Pam
Diab,
Thank you for the responses to my questions. This gives me a much clearer picture of how you approach your classroom. From your narrative it sounds like your students are given a wide variety of options through which they can learn the content, while enjoying being students.
Gary
I am involved in teaching a program, which consists a variety of subjects such as science, math, medical terminology, lab safety and phlebotomy. These different subjects require different methods of teaching (lectures, blackboard, and visual methods i.e. Power Point, and transparencies).
I determine the preferred learning style(s) for my students through observation. For an example, during the practical session when a written protocol is given to students to perform a lab method or to operate an analyzer I observe their reaction to the assignment. If some students are not able to execute the instructions, I then perform the procedure manually to demonstrate the correct procedures.
Yes I rotate the content among four learning styles (auditory, visual, written, and kinesthetic) giving each student the opportunity to work with his/her preferred style.
The most important factor in the development of my instructional style is to stay prepared and organized.
The most helpful source of educational innovation is utilizing modern technology while teaching my class. Some examples include, Power Point Presentation, and by using Internet websites as educational resources.
Diab
Hi Diab,
Well done list. You have captured the essence of what it takes to manage and direct a classroom learning environment. I am curious about how you assess each of the steps you list as completing. Example, how do you determine the learning styles of your students? (Assessment, experience, etc.) Also, since the students work in the four primary areas of auditory, visual, written and kinesthetic learning styles do you offer all content within each of the four or do you rotate the content among the four giving each student an opportunity to work within his/her style of preference?
What was the most helpful hint that you received as you were developing your instructional style? What has been your most helpful source of educational innovation during your tenure as an instructor?
Gary
Hi Pam,
Great response to the forum. You are correct about each class having its' own personality. It is amazing that no matter how much the students seem to be alike they mold, form, or mash together to form their own unique learning community. That forces us as learning leaders to make sure we know what the personality of the group is and how we can best meet their needs.
Your point about keeping your core instructional standards is a good one. You didn't get to be the instructor of experience that you are without developing and maintaining those core values. This is why in ED 101 I feature the instructor as a model, manager, motivator model. These three factors never change, it is just how we approach the methods that we use that does change.
What are some ways that you use to identify the unique composition of a new class start? There are a number of ways that this can be done and I am curious about how you do it. Thanks for your input.
Gary
I can summarize my instructional style as follows:
1. Select the suitable method(s) according to
the specific topic or subject.
2. To offer the preferred learning styles to
individual(s); auditorally, visually and
kinesthetically.
3. Provide any tutoring or assistance to
individual(s) seeking aid.
4. Listen to the students concerns and
problems and give advice, if it is
necessary.
5. Get feedback from the students and being
receptive to change.
Diab
I have been in education for many years, and have discovered that regardless whether you are teaching adults or children, each class of students has its own unique set of wants and needs. The most difficult task of any instructor is to identify those ever-changing wants and needs and then adjust your teaching style to meet them. One of the best ways I have of adapting to each new classroom situation, is to hold firmly to my core of educational standards, while simultaneously being flexible in my style and approach to reach each student. This is definitely an interesting and exciting challenge.
Hi Kelli,
What a great attitude about professional improvement. We all can learn from others can't we? For new instructors with minimum experience in teaching and few if any role models from whom they can draw examples the process is very rocky. They have to work hard to identify quality instructors from whom they can learn and grow. This is where a well-planned professional development program needs to be implemented by the career college.
Your point about student feedback is a good one as well. We have to listen to our students. One of the most effective ways of doing this is through the use of anonymous feedback throughout the course. I give out 3x5 cards and have the students give me feedback on the assignment they have just completed, or the test, etc. I have found the students to be very frank and fair in the comments. These comments really help me in planning for how I will present the content the next time I teach it.
Gary
I am a lifelong student. Most to the tools I use in the classroom came from exposure to good instructors. I had the opportunity work with lots of different massage schools across the country while I taught CEU classes. I openly admit that I borrowed from the best. In addition, I never turn down a chance to sit in on other lectures and even found opportunities to take short workshop offered to public school teachers. Of course my students help refine by feedback.
Hi Joanna,
You are not headed for disaster but for success. Using games and competitions are great ways to encourage student learning. I have a Jeopardy game on Power Point that I use all the time. It is set up so I can have the game going on different levels depending on the expertise of my students. I have used it as a way of giving my finals. Talk about involving the students; plus it lets them identify areas of knowledge that they have. By picking categories they get to show their stuff in way that might not have been on a traditional test, In addition, I use flashcards for vocabulary acquisition as well as the think, pair, share model.
What is meant in the lecture about not treating adults in an immature way is based upon the issue of respect. Some new instructors feel that they have to dominate students by tearing them down and making them feel insecure in the learning environment. For non-traditional students this can spell disaster in the form of failure and dropping out of school.
I feel instructors need to use any device or learning strategy they can to motivate their students. The key is to understand your students. You will quickly pick up on the activities that your students like and get them working together as groups.
I also have certain days set aside where we celebrate a special day, such as “Talk like a pirate day†where we can be a bit silly to relief some of the pressure of school and life. Our adult students are trying to acquire career skills in addition to maintaining a life outside of school that may involve family and employment. As you know this is a lot of pressure. We need to help them progress in school while helping them develop as humans as well.
Gary
I work with adult learners, but have found that they are motivated by camraderie with classmates and old-fashion fun. Many of my best classes are generated by memories of things done in grade school...Games with prizes, flashcards, working in pairs...I have even taught metric measurement by using metric cooking utensils. I know my methods are odd, but they work and students are eager to take my classes. Our lecture warns us about treating adults in an immature way. I wonder if I'm the only person who has had great success by making classroom studies fun and if I'm headed for disaster? Comments???
Hi Anie,
I have found the most effective method of getting instructors ready to go as teachers is practice. I have developed a number of situations and activities that allows the instructors to problem solve and practice their teaching skills. I have them teach min-units of 3 to 5 minutes each using the new techniques on nonsense topics where they focus on the techniques and don't have to worry about the content.
To assist in the understanding of Career College students I have developed profiles and then ask the instructors to create teaching strategies for the unique learning needs of these students. Contained within the activities are methods to assist students with note taking, organizing work tasks, etc.
I ask of the instructors to focus and practice on just one thing that will improve their instruction and then try another. It is immediate use of newly acquired knowledge. They see success and then try something else.
Hope this gives you some ideas. If you have any further questions or want to talk about specific examples please let me know.
Gary
One of the most difficult aspects of being a Director of Education, is the ability to find faculty who have the ability to reach career college students. Even after going through a new faculty orientation and explaining the population of our school, I may still fall short of truely conveying the essence of our population. What are some methods you can suggest for finding a match between an instuctors style and understanding of the student population?
Hi Loree,
Great job of outlining your strategies for developing your learning style. I would like to offer you one idea about how you can listen even more effectively. You might want to hand out 3x5 cards every so often and have the students give you feedback on how they perceive the class is going. The method is most often used after a project has been completed. The feedback will help you to determine whether the assignment(project) was worthwhile, if you explained it clearly, and if the student saw the value of it. Since the comments are anonymous there is no risk to either you or the students.
Gary
Developing and refining my instuctional style can be very challenging. I must first know myself which means drawing from my past. I can reminisce about the great teachers I was fortunate to have and how they uniquely catered to our abilities and disabilities.
I hope to bring a similiar vision to my style by challenging each student's participation. I will assign groups or rather request their involvement by their dislikes and likes of the class agenda. I will encourage feedback by rotating a spokes- person each week to summarize discussions or assignments that have been given as a group
I will display on the board and give a printed page of a "Word/Thought for Today" aimed at encouraging individual participation or as a thought provoking adage which will be referred to during the "highs" and "lows" to motivate or stimulate.
Above all, I will continue to listen, listen, listen, with an ear of curiosity and challenge.
Hi Lily,
You have captured the key elements of professional development. Looking, listening and observing. If you have a plan for integrating the knowledge you are gaining you will see a definite improvement in your instructional delivery.
As you mentioned it is fun to observe other instructors that you respect. It is like watching a master painter create a painting that is accurate and motivating.
Gary
Like Larry, I also agree that individual student attention is great, and try to give it as much as I can.
The best source to refine my instucting style is through my students. We discuss how we feel, how we are using what we have learned and chart our progress.
I also find that observing other instructors, as this section suggests, is not only great fun but also allows you to gain greater insight into your own teaching philosophies. By compare/contrast, you truly learn to see many things objectively.
Hi Ann,
Good comments about instructional styles. Sometimes instructors become so focused on content they forget delivery. They are going to deliver content in the only way they know, which often times is the method through which they were taught. They don't stop and think about alternative ways of delivering the content, that will not only keep the students interested but will keep them interested as well.
By talking with other instructors, reading professional literature, and observing master instructors new instructors can develop a knowledge base from which they can select a number of different ways they can present their course content.
Experience has shown that teaching evening classes are real challenges for instructors as the students are tired, ready to be home, and are in many cases not motivated beyond being physically in class. An instructor that can meet the needs of these students is one that has really worked hard to refine an instructional style that works for them and their students.
Gary
Hi Carol,
You have hit on the key points in the area of professional development. By having an organized method of bringing new instructors up to speed in terms of instructional delivery career colleges will enhance their ability to train individuals for new careers.
Also by having a program for helping experienced instructors to improve and refine their skills everyone benefits. Not only the students, but also the instructors which enhances retention on the part of instructors as well as students.
Gary
